THE SET-UP
After his commercial jet is forced down in a storm, a pilot (Gerard Butler) has to protect his passengers from the dangerous rebels who control the island they crashed on. His best ally to save them is an accused murderer (Mike Colter) who is on the flight with him. Also stars Yosan An, Daniella Pineda, and Tony Goldwin. Directed by Jean-Francois Richet.
THE DELIVERY
Plane is a 100-minute adrenaline rush that marks a welcome return to form for Gerard Butler. Like the title, the film keeps the story simple and focused, allowing the performances of the cast to propel the film, under the lean direction of Jean-François Richet (Blood Father, Assault on Precinct 13).
Butler plays Brodie Torrance, a pilot for Trailblazer Airlines on a flight from Singapore to Tokyo on New Year’s Eve. There aren’t many passengers on the plane, but one stands out from the others: Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer being extradited back to America by the FBI. It isn’t long into the flight that things go terribly wrong; a lightning strike cripples the plane, and it is forced to make a crash landing on a remote island near the Philippines. Worse yet, the island is under the control of a group of violent rebels, and Torrance must risk his life – and learn to trust Gaspare – in order to save his passengers and get them home safely.
Plane could have been just another generic actioner that checks all of the narrative boxes, but is quickly forgotten once you leave the theater. Butler’s been in a few of those types of films in his career, and even a few of his big-budget films miss the mark and stretch logic with over-the-top action and visuals. In Plane, however, the screenplay by Charles Cumming and J.P. Davis is simple and visceral, allowing two great actors to elevate the film with their charismatic screen presence. Best of all, the film doesn’t try to be cute. There are no cheesy one-liners, no in-jokes, no ludicrous leaps in logic, no winks at the camera, no stupid pop-culture references, no mid-credits scene, and no cameos. Just straight-up, no-nonsense action that’s pretty damn entertaining.
I’ve always felt Butler was an underrated actor, but his recent string of action flicks may cause us to forget how good of an actor he was in 300 and The Phantom of the Opera. Here, the film’s plot relies greatly on Butler selling the suspense and sense of urgency, and he delivers with a performance that’s more everyman than invincible hero. Mike Colter, who was so good in the otherwise pedestrian Luke Cage Marvel series, teams up well with Butler here, playing a man accused of murder and on the run, although he isn’t quite the criminal he appears to be.
There are plenty of points in Plane where the script and director could have fallen into some easy movie clichés, but the film rarely disappoints. It has some rousing moments, and a solid ending that will remind you of the better action films of the 80s and 90s. Plane doesn’t quite rise to the level of a classic, but it’s consistently good, and plays to its strengths.
LOOK AND SOUND
The 4K transfer is excellent, with fantastic sharpness throughout and a strong color palette. In some early scenes, mostly in the airport and in the plane, some bold blues and purples provide some pop, and the black levels are outstanding. There’s no visible pixilation during the night scenes, and once the film shifts to the jungles of the remote island, some subdued greens and yellows add a sense of stark realism. The transfer’s Dolby Vision offers a strong presentation throughout; I’ve been consistently impressed with transfers of new film releases from Lionsgate.
A strong Dolby Atmos track complements the film. The plane crash is an enveloping mix of screeching jet engines and strong bass. Gunfire adds a booming punctuation to many scenes, and dialogue is crisp. There’s a nicely-nuanced balance between music, sound effects, and the actors, making this a solid presentation overall.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Three behind-the-scenes featurettes make up most of the bonus features on the 4K disc. While some more content would have been nice, the featurettes themselves are well done. and include some great interviews.
The special features on the 4K disc include:
- “This is Your Captain” featurette. The cast and crew of Plane discuss actor Gerard Butler and how he elevated everyone’s work on the set. Running Time: 14:18
- “Plane Clothes” featurette. The film’s costume design is detailed in this featurette. Erinn Knight (the film’s costume designer) is interviewed, as are members of the cast. Running Time: 6:51
- “Brace for Turbulence” featurette. The film’s stunt work is featured here. Gerard Butler discusses how the action sequences are staged, and there is lots of behind-the-scenes footage. There’s even a brief shot of Butler being injured while filming a scene. Jim Churchman, the stunt coordinator for Plane, is also interviewed. Running Time: 19:14
- Theatrical Trailer. The film’s theatrical trailer is included. Running Time: 2:29
- Digital Code. A code for the film, redeemable through services including VUDU and iTunes, is included.
4K SPECS
Release Date: March 28, 2023
Running Time: 107 minutes
Rating: R (Violence, language)
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English Descriptive Audio, French 6.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, French, Spanish
Label: Lionsgate
