Movie Review: ‘Flight Risk’

by | Jan 27, 2025 | Featured Post, Movie Reviews, Movies | 0 comments


Review by James Lindorf

Since 2005, more than 1,000 screenplays have appeared on The Black List, the annual survey naming studio and production company executives most liked scripts. In the last 20 years, more than 440 of those scripts have gone on to be produced, including “Argo,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Revenant,” and “Hell or High Water,” earning hundreds of Academy Award nominations and dozens of wins. The latest The Black List film to hit theaters is “Flight Risk,” directed by former Hollywood icon Mel Gibson and distributed by Lionsgate. “Flight Risk” is now playing in theaters everywhere.

Mel Gibson is back in the director’s chair for the first time since 2016’s “Hacksaw Ridge,” this time with a script from newcomer Jared Rosenberg. In “Flight Risk,” Deputy U.S. Marshal Madelyn Harris (Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey) is transporting Winston (Topher Grace), a government witness, from Alaska to New York to testify against his former mob boss employer. Everything was running like clockwork for Harris’s first time in the field after an accident two years ago, until the discovery that their pilot, Daryl Booth (Mark Wahlberg), is a hitman sent to silence the informant.

Even with his past controversy, Mel Gibson’s talent cannot be denied when he takes the helm of the film. The movies often find themselves praised by critics and nominated for multiple awards. Bringing him in, along with a talented cast, should have put the film on the fast track to nominations. So why did “Flight Risk” find itself touching down in the January wasteland of films studios lack confidence in? Ultimately, it can be attributed to two members of the creative team: Screenwriter Jared Rosenberg and Cinematographer Johnny Derango.

Derango’s shortcomings could come down to budget and the cramped confines of the film’s setting. While 98% of the movie takes place in a small plane, I would be surprised to learn that a real plane ever left the ground. The view from the windows is largely obscured, and all external shots are subpar CGI. A thriller taking place in a small and dangerous environment provided opportunities for a lot of tension but little in the way of interesting action. “Flight Risk” is not a bad-looking film; it is just limited and struggles against repetition, eventually losing that battle.

On the other hand, Rosenberg’s issues are more self-inflicted. He has a lot in common with Deputy Harris; they are both amateurs in a difficult situation and do about as well as you could ask of them. This is Rosenberg’s first script credit and only his second credit on IMDb. The premise is fantastic; the framework is strong, but the weakness comes from him trying to fill out the details. He goes for repeated shock value from Wahlberg with increasingly aggressive sexual comments and threats. Then there is the character of Hasan (Monib Abhat), who starts off as incredibly charming and funny but devolves into a nearly useless platitude machine with an obnoxious vocabulary. The script has promise but could have used an experienced hand to take it from good to special.

“Flight Risk” is a bumpy but largely successful ride. Your aversion to turbulence may make you want it to end early or consider a different way to get home. The acting from the trio of leads varied widely. I found myself captivated by Michelle Dockery, so I was in for the long haul. Grace’s performance was fine but underwhelming. He was giving a very Eric Foreman performance, which he nails, but much less was asked of his character, and he has the talent to provide more. Wahlberg’s performance is all over the place. He is giving a great physical performance and some of his line delivery almost reaches the same level. Unfortunately, for the rest of the film, he is a gum-chomping cartoon spewing vile comments at a rate no one could pull off. Some good tension and a series of moments are just enough to keep “Flight Risk” aloft, but it earns a disappointing 3 out of 5.

Rating: R (Violence and Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 24, 2025, Wide
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director: Mel Gibson
Producer: John Davis, John Fox, Bruce Davey, Mel Gibson
Screenwriter: Jared Rosenberg
Distributor: Lionsgate
Production Co: Media Capital Technologies, Davis Entertainment, Hammerstone Studios, Icon Productions