Plane

This movie had everything I expect from a lousy B-movie: New Year's, a loving family, an airplane, bad weather, a dangerous passenger, and (although I hate to say this) Gerard Butler. My surprise was even greater (and more pleasant) when I realized that the creators took a completely different path than I expected and showed me that an action film can be made from clichéd ingredients that I will find captivating and hilarious despite my skepticism. Although I have some reservations about the takeoffs and landings of jet transport aircraft on unpaved surfaces, this combination of Black Hawk Down and Far Cry 3 had an uncomplicated plot and decent action. The creators had enough sense not to let the gentleman of a certain age (but still fit) run around the jungle alone and gave him a quality partner. I'm not saying it was the best movie of all time, but I enjoyed it. Gerard Butler and Mike Colter worked together brilliantly. Daniella Pineda was an excellent lead stewardess, so I had no reason to go below four stars. It was undemanding but entertaining (at least for me). / Lesson learned: The movie shows that it's possible to take off in an airplane and land on a scooter. (05/04/2023)

When Captain Butler welcomes passengers on board at the beginning and talks about his era, saying he is "pretty much indestructible," we already know he’s talking about himself. He takes passengers to heaven and back twice, while preparing hell for militant separatists. He has, besides the Plane, a Plan (even if it's sometimes quite idiotic). Sure, it's okay, but imagine how it would have looked thirty years ago with Bruce Willis. One quip after another, a set of lines interacting with Mike Colter's character, and maybe a postcard from some exotic destination in the mailbox at the end, hinting that the money in the bag worked out. While there aren’t moments like the plane's nose stopping just five centimeters from a fuel tanker, Jean-François Richet's film takes itself so seriously that even Leslie Nielsen would have chuckled. (08/02/2023)

In the context of formulaic and naïve action movies starring Gerard Butler, Plane is pleasantly refreshing thanks to the exotic Asian setting and the bad guys who are reminiscent of the villains in Rambo movies. The captain’s responsibility for his passengers and his experience in the military, which is apparent in his way with a machine gun, are also nice. A buddy motif, long-distance phone calls with his daughter and so on. However, the effects with the plane’s crash landing are mediocre. (26/02/2023)

I was expecting another below-average film, but I must admit that French director Jean-François Richet gave it the right edge (his two Mesrine films are truly exceptional). Gerard Butler played his part well; I had no trouble believing him as the determined pilot. The film also impressed me with its exotic setting in the Indonesian jungle (not something you often see in feature films). Additionally, the uncompromising action, which doesn’t hold back on anything or anyone, stands out. There’s a fantastic fight in a crumbling building and a few truly spectacular shootouts (that Barrett at the end? Fantastic :D). The film wraps up with a well-executed conclusion to the story. I’m satisfied. However, the depiction of the emergency landing could have used more effort, as the CGI was quite shaky. For me, it’s a 7/10. (01/03/2023)

Not a silly drama at all compared to the flush rubbish Butler usually works on. You can see that it was made by a skilled Frenchman, so the clichés that are typical of action movies made by Hollywood don't offend you and it also has that nice old-world vibe of movies from a few decades back. There's not really that much action, and when there is, it's nice and raw (sniper!) and with good sound. It is really good. (11/02/2023)