Must watch for opening flight

Rating: 7/10 (10 February 2013)

After a traditional drinking binge aeroplane pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) and Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velazquez), enter on board their morning flight. When defective machinery causes the malfunctioning plane to go into a tailspin, Whip heroically and miraculously averts a catastrophe saving almost the all passengers and crew. Nonetheless this event causes inevitable blow-back, when it becomes apparent that Whip was flying under influence, thus complicating the entire issue, when all persons potentially responsible attempt to avoid responsibility...
"Flight" is a movie to be watched for two reasons. The one is the spectacular opening crash ordeal, which is arguably the best action sequence of the year, an enticing, dreadfully thrilling occurrence, bound to have everyone on the edge of the seat. This is further underlined by the standout performance by Denzel Washington, a pilot drunkard with skewed perceptions of responsibility and self-control. Nonetheless the plot attempting to hold the proceedings together falls apart all too easily, tacked together with a spit of contrition and lack of conceptual cohesiveness.
Nonetheless "Flight" remains a hard-hitting drama and engulfing character study of a flawed hero, a coke sniffing drunkard, but with the sense and skill to become a man of the hour. Does the drinking somehow undermine her moment of heroism? Even if it does, how far can it whitewash his drinking issues? Masterfully cast down into a conflicted grey area by Denzel Washington (every movement and tick conveys emotion, showing just why he is one of today's top actors), the story manages to show how contradictory a person can be, when the public hero has inner demons which he is unable to cast away. Nonetheless the ending seems to suggest that while saving the plane was pure instinct and skill (courage under fire), true courage comes from owning up to your faults, taking responsibility for all that transpired, both the good and the bad. The path to this isn't easy, as he has to dispose of the cover of lies, which has clouded his own reason, just like in any alcoholic who must first accept that - despite his claims - he doesn't control his addiction. The layered and well presented acceptance of guilt (even if somewhat overly long presentation) often times fails to mesh smoothly with the plot of the ongoing investigation, at times bringing in characters and situations seemingly imported from other movies (such as the stylistically incompatible appearance of John Goodman), thus creating a conflicting tension, which does however nicely bring about comeuppance (even if a bit garrulous). With the power of the story strongly imbued on Washington's face, but with lacking conviction surrounding this astounding performance the overall payoff fails to be as hard-hitting as it should be.