Flightplan stars Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, and Sean Bean.
There are certain Hollywood movies that get bad reviews and turn out to be great, and then there are certain Hollywood movies that get good reviews and turn out to be crap... Flightplan falls into the first category, it seems like it got mixed reviews at the box office. I don't see any reason why, unless the critics like movies with no story and only Arnold action, someone tell me?
After watching a million CG (completely gay) previews for whats coming out this xmas, I was then presented with this finely crafted movie, well in spots anyway.
From Yahoo (with my insertions, see if you can find them):
Flying at 40,000 feet in a cavernous, state-of-the-art E-474 aircraft, Kyle Pratt (Foster) faces every mother's worst nightmare when her six-year-old daughter Julia vanishes without a trace mid-flight from Berlin to New York. Already emotionally devastated by the unexpected and totally illogical death of her husband, Kyle desperately struggles to prove her sanity to the disbelieving flight crew including the scary guy (Bean) and passengers while facing the very real possibility that she may be losing her mind. While neither the plane's Captain Rich (Sean Bean), nor Air Marshal Gene Carson (Edward Norton look-a-like) want to doubt the bereaved widow, all evidence indicates that her daughter was never on board resulting in paranoia and doubt among the passengers and crew of the plane. Finding herself desperately alone, Kyle can only rely on her own wits to solve the mystery and save her daughter.
----------------------------------------------------------
The film IS quite the mystery, more like a whodunit? You suspect so many people in this movie you'll be surprised who actually did it, or what happens. I'm not going to reveal any of the story in spoilers because I recommend Anderson and Leeroy to see this film first.
Edward Norton, I mean Peter Sargaard is a methodical actor, much like Sean Bean always is and is indeed in this film. Jodie Foster looks older than usual, but softens up as the movie progresses.
For a brief moment (at least with this film anyway) Hollywood has returned to its better days and actually focuses more on the story and composition of shots (which is brilliant I must say) rather than in your face cannon ball explosions and crappy acting. This film does have an actual, and surprisingly original story, and it is more important in this film than explosions and crappy extras (see Speed for example.)
I only have one problem with this film, how did her husband die? Puleeeese, couldn't they have come up with something more believable? It isn't that important, but still a puzzler.
I praise the studios (Touchstone and Imagine entertainment) for bringing to us a great movie experience. You actually care about the characters, except for the stupid osamas (oops, gave away plot point). I really liked how David Morse suddenly appears in this film, no wait thats not David Morse, thats just a guy who looks exactly like him.
3 out of 4 stars, yay for Hollywood, this is how movies should be made, concentrate on the STORY not on the SHOCK VALUE!
Freddie Farz Jr. 10-14-05
P.S. I took the Trax down to the theatre again (remember the Century 16 SL). Nothing new to report, other than I was standing outside the 2 News studios while they were making spots for their news program so I'm probably going to be on TV just standing there tonight. Hea hea.