Mel Gibson's FLIGHT RISK (2025) aims to be a high-octane action thriller but ultimately struggles to take off. Despite its intriguing premise—a hijacked plane, a determined law enforcement officer (Michelle Dockery), and a charismatic yet erratic criminal (Mark Wahlberg)—the film fails to deliver a cohesive experience.
Michelle Dockery shines as Madelyn Harris, the film’s emotional anchor, bringing a compelling mix of strength and vulnerability that helps ground the story’s more implausible elements. However, the film does little to build empathy for her character. Harris is thrust into the action with minimal setup, leaving the audience without a deeper connection to her struggles or motivations. As a result, the stakes feel less personal, making it harder to invest in her journey.
To complicate matters, the movie introduces a potential love interest for Harris in the form of an awkwardly written and unnecessary character. This subplot feels forced and adds nothing of substance to the story, detracting from the main plot’s tension and focus. The character's presence seems to exist purely to check a box rather than contribute meaningfully to the narrative or Harris’s development.
Topher Grace injects moments of much-needed comic relief, but Wahlberg’s over-the-top performance often undermines the suspense, turning what should be tense moments into unintentional caricature. Gibson’s direction excels in certain areas, particularly the intense and brutal action sequences. The confined setting of the aircraft is used effectively to heighten feelings of claustrophobia, and the film juxtaposes the stark beauty of the Alaskan landscape with the chaos inside the plane. However, the pacing falters, leaving the narrative uneven and disjointed. At times, the movie feels slow and monotonous, with long stretches of exposition that sap the energy from the plot. To make matters worse, the story’s progression is painfully predictable, telegraphing twists well in advance and leaving little room for genuine surprise or excitement.
Where FLIGHT RISK stumbles most is in its script. The dialogue feels clunky, the humor often misses its mark, and many character decisions stretch believability. The film's most glaring issue is its inconsistent tone, oscillating awkwardly between thriller, action movie, and dark comedy without succeeding in any of these genres.
While FLIGHT RISK offers sporadic moments of entertainment, its uneven execution, sluggish pacing, and questionable narrative choices—such as the poorly developed love interest and lack of emotional depth for its lead—make it a turbulent and ultimately unsatisfying ride.
FLIGHT RISK is only in Theaters on January 24th, 2025.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Daniel Schwartz (Contributor) is a New Jersey native who loves watching movies. His favorite genres include action, comedies, and sci-fi. Click Here to check out Daniel's Articles.