3/21/13
WRT 120
Review Paper
Flight
Flight was one of the most captivating films I have ever watched due to Denzel Washington’s Oscar nominated performance as an American Pilot. Critics and fans raved over the release of Flight when it came to theaters November 2nd, 2012. Though there is a lot of controversy about the film, most would agree that the well-executed drama is worth seeing.
“Flight” is an action-packed, drama film directed and co-produced by Robert Zemeckis. This was Zemeckis’ first live-action film in over 12 years and has been nominated for two academy awards. His bold 2012 return to live-action exceeded expectations with special thanks to Denzel Washington's Oscar-nominated performance. Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, a functioning alcoholic and drug addict who also happens to be an airline pilot. Whitaker unexpectedly faces mid air catastrophe trying to uphold a malfunctioning plane. He extraordinarily lands his plane saving all but six passengers onboard. Whip is first viewed as a hero, but as the investigation on the crash goes deeper, trouble is revealed.
One word I can’t steer away from while reviewing this film is action. Flight is full of action from the opening sequence to the closing credits. The energy keeps you on your feet with suspense during the whole length of the film, from the realistic white-knuckle crash to the unpredictable drama between characters. Though Flight is full of action with scenes such as the horrifying plane crash, fistfights and more, it is not extremely violent. There are no bloody or sickening scenes that make you want to turn your head. Violent films can be difficult and unpleasant to watch due to the brutality and gruesomeness. However, Zemeckis was able to incorporate action without making the film too violent for the audience. There are no scenes that cause the audience to close their eyes with disgust due to daunting images.
In most action/drama films you can anticipate what is coming in the imminent scenes. The plot is usually cliché. Flight, however, is another case. The plot of this film is actually very unique compared to others. Through all the action, drama, and tragedies nothing is predictable. Typical action films are filled with altercations involving the main character(s) and have conventional “fairy-tale” or cliché endings that most of the time are not realistic. Flight is almost not even comparable to the typical action film. It’s realistic in almost every aspect; from the actual plane crash to the alcoholism, to the drug addictions, to the family problems, to the emotion toll, to the roles of the characters, and to the bitter sweet ending. It feels as though you are watching a documentary based off a real-life story instead of the fiction film that it truly is due to its lack of unwanted clichés. Fans and critics raved about Denzel Washington’s performance as Whit Whitaker. Having starred in over 40 movies, he is anything but unfamiliar when it comes to the camera. Washington has been nominated for over 115 awards since his acting career started in 1990. He delivers yet another compelling and dominant performance in the film Flight receiving over 5 awards. His role as a drug addict and alcoholic drowning in self-pity was beyond believable. I actually viewed him as Whip Whitaker instead of his real persona as Denzel Washington due to his credible acting performance. But he was not the only character whose role was played to perfection. Kelly Reilly plays the phenomenal role of Nichole Maggen, a drug addict struggling to get clean. Her unique, almost anti-social character captivated my attention every time she was on screen. Reilly has won many acting awards in the past including, London Film Critics Circle and Empire Awards for best newcomer in 2005, A British Independent Film Award nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress in 2008, and another British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Actress in 2009