Within the high-octane action-comedy Battle or Flight, director James Madigan delivers a gleefully unapologetic motion film that embraces its absurdity with open arms. Starring Josh Hartnett as Lucas Reyes, a disgraced ex-Secret Service agent turned drunken mercenary, the movie catapults viewers right into a chaotic, blood-soaked battle aboard a trans-Pacific flight from Bangkok to San Francisco. Tasked with defending a mysterious hacker often known as The Ghost, Reyes should fend off a aircraft stuffed with assassins, every extra eccentric than the final. With its relentless pacing and over-the-top violence, Battle or Flight is a love letter to followers of Bullet Prepare and John Wick, even when it doesn’t at all times stick the touchdown.
Hartnett’s efficiency reveals his resurgence as a charismatic motion star. Sporting frosted blonde suggestions and a devil-may-care angle, his Lucas is equal components grizzled warrior and Looney Tunes punching bag, navigating the absurdity with a manic grin and shocking physicality. Performing his personal stunts, Hartnett throws himself into the function with enthusiasm, whether or not he’s wielding a seatbelt as a weapon or stumbling by way of a hallucinatory struggle sequence fueled by toad venom.
Charithra Chandran shines as Isha, a flight attendant with a hidden edge, whose chemistry with Hartnett grounds the movie’s wilder moments. Katee Sackhoff, because the steely Katherine Brunt, delivers a commanding efficiency, although her character’s control-room scenes really feel like filler in comparison with the onboard mayhem. The parade of assassins affords a combined bag of cartoonish foes, some extra memorable than others. Madigan’s directorial debut showcases his second-unit expertise, with struggle choreography that makes intelligent use of the airplane’s confined areas. From drink carts to overhead compartments, each factor of the setting turns into a weapon in sequences which might be each creative and gleefully gory.
The place Battle or Flight falters is in its narrative. The script, penned by Brooks McLaren and D.J. Cotrona, tries to weave a posh internet of betrayals and company intrigue, however these subplots really feel half-baked and distract from the primary attraction: Hartnett versus a military of killers. But, for all its flaws, Battle or Flight by no means takes itself too critically, and that’s its saving grace. The humor, usually derived from the sheer ridiculousness of the carnage, lands extra usually than it misses, notably in moments the place Hartnett’s allure shines by way of.
Battle or Flight is a turbulent however entertaining flight that delivers precisely what it guarantees: a wild, bloody, and sometimes hilarious spectacle. It’s not a masterpiece, nevertheless it’s not making an attempt to be. For these prepared to test their expectations on the gate and embrace the chaos, Hartnett’s heroics make this a visit value taking. Simply don’t anticipate a easy touchdown.
- Electronic mail: neill@outloudculture.com
