Total Waste of Film

Rating: 2/10 (16 February 2013)

The only reason I can think of to watch this piece of crap is because Denzel Washington is your favorite actor and I give him credit for doing a worthwhile job in a film that has very few of those. Otherwise, this film stinks.
Everyone in the film, with the exception of the captain (Denzel) is a stereotype including the normally excellent Don Cheadle. The girlfriend druggie with a heart of gold. The lawyer who uses omissions and technicalities to divert the truth. The co-pilot Bible-banger who has more faith in a god than in his own abilities. The airline owner who has secrets he doesn't want exposed in the prosecution of his pilot.
The irony is that the crash depicted in this film did, in fact, occur - but over the Pacific Ocean and there were no survivors. While it would be nice to think that pilot could have saved his aircraft like Denzel did it wasn't possible and thereby lies the first improbable sub-plot of this movie.
Disregarding the story line and focusing upon the movie itself there are several glaring shortcomings. It moves slow as molasses with the exception of the flight and crash. There is much too much wasted time showing closeups of Denzel in his drunken stupor. There are needless nude scenes which add nothing to the picture. The language is also needlessly vulgar and the audio track blasts the background music multiple times which is guaranteed to stop your heart if you were, like me, dozing off in the many scenes which encourage it.
But the bottom line is missing. Oh sure, there is an ending. But it is neither satisfying nor surprising. It is as boring as the rest of the movie. You will walk away wondering just why anyone felt it necessary to make this movie when there are so many worthwhile stories to tell.
This movie isn't a comedy nor is it an action movie. It could be a drama, if only it had some but alas, no. It is just a waste of time.