We seem to be in throwback mode right now at the movies. Last week’s “M3GAN” was a deep dive into ’80s killer doll movies and this coming Friday sees the release of “Plane,” a throwback action movie recalling the days of Arnold and Stallone. Reviews haven’t been terrible either with a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and 65 on Metacritic. This is better than any of us expected the reception to be.
The plot is simplicity: A Pilot (Gerard Butler) and convicted murderer (Mike Colter) survive a plane crash, and the other surviving passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels on a war-torn island. Who else but our unlikely duo, despite their differences, to save the day.
This is a testosterone-fueled R-rated action movie that just wants to entertain, it’s also, maybe, the best of all of the Gerard Butler cheapie VOD-ready quickies we’ve seen the past few years. “Plane” is delivered in straightforward fashion, with no self-referential humor to its name. And yet, filmmaker Jean-Francois Richet does take the time to build semi-nuanced dimensions into his characters. You end up somewhat caring about the stakes at hand.
A big part of this film’s success has to do with Richet, he directed the two “Mesrine” films in France, he finds a nice silly gritty mood to his picture. This is also a great example of a movie completely taking advantage of its exotic setting. I do warn you though to go in with modest expectations; this isn’t any kind of thoughtful serious drama, it’s called “Plane” for chrissakes. But sometimes it’s not a terrible idea to buy a big bag of buttered popcorn and just check your brain at the door. That’s why movies like “Plane” exist in the first place.
“Row K” acquired “Poetic License” out of TIFF last year, but Sony Pictures Classics has now stepped in and picked up the film. According to Variety, SPC is planning a release next year.