Flightplan

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom


I am a huge Jodie Foster (and Sean Bean) fan. As such I was thoroughly looking forward to this film. Fosters' range is her strength, whether it be in a straightforward thriller like Panic Room, a comedy like Maverick, or a classic like Anna and the King. Sadly, this effort is a huge misfire in an otherwise impressive career.

To be fair, the first hour shapes up well. The atmospheric introduction in Berlin is promising. When the action switches to the plane, the claustrophobic intensity of Panic Room is briefly reprised. Well edited, and tightly scripted, the mystery surrounding her childs' disappearance is a faithful homage to Hitchcock.Then, out of nowhere, comes one of the most preposterous and risible plot twists that I have seen for a long time.

Sean Bean does his best in a non action role as a responsible jumbo jet pilot. But I bet that he, as much as the audience, wishes he had been given something heroic, or nasty to do, instead he has to character act a wet lettuce, to his obvious discomfort.

Greta Scacchi has a cameo role as a dowdy Therapist which she plays so hammily that Dads everywhere will scream "just get your clothes off" at the screen,sadly no such respite is offered.

The final reel plot twist stinks of formula film making and ruins an essentially promising story.The style demonstrated at the start of the film evaporates as the flight goes on and genuinely makes you just want to laugh at the unbelievability of it all.This flightplan should have been rerouted.