Washington and Zemeckis Soar in Flight

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2012)

Flight stars Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker, a pilot who is forced to crash land a plane carrying 102 souls into the middle of an open field when his plane experiences technological problems and begins to fall apart in mid-air. Upon waking up, Whitaker discovers only six people died in the crash and that he is now being hailed as a national hero. However, Whitaker's blood work taken upon his arrival in the hospital reveals that he was drunk and also high on cocaine. Now Whitaker is facing a trial that could put him in prison for the remainder of his life and destroy what little remains of his tarnished legacy.
Flight is truly one roller coaster of a film that gives audiences an insight on the demons of a man who is completely controlled by his severe addiction to alcohol and drugs. The performance of Denzel Washington is the vessel through which we are given said insight. Washington's performance is nothing short of spectacular and should land him several nominations come movie awards season. The thing which makes his performance so great, in my opinion, is that this role differs completely from any of the other characters that Washington has portrayed over the last twenty years. The way he portrays his characters emotions and struggles to overcome his addiction captivated me in such a way that it was difficult to take my eyes off the screen. Also, the film did a masterful job depicting the encounters that Whitaker has with people like his family, lawyer and another addict that he befriends while in the hospital as well as the denial or taking for granted of the help that they offer him was really interesting to watch unfold on screen. Washington's performance is one of the best of the year and is definitely one that cannot be missed this holiday season.
As if you need another reason to go, Flight is also brilliantly directed by Robert Zemeckis, director of Forrest Gump. Flight marks the end of a Zemeckis' ten year absence from directing live action films. Known for his breath taking special effects, Zemeckis has created what may perhaps be the most intense opening to any film this year. The film opens with a breathtaking crash sequence, including a portion where the plane is actually being flown upside down as well as the nerve-racking crashing of the plane in an abandoned field. The crash grabbed my attention immediately and kept me glued to the screen for the entirety of the film.
Flight presents audiences with a disturbing, intense look into what it is like to battle an alcohol addiction. It contains scenes that made me laugh, while at the same time it had several scenes that made me cry. With a great script, brilliant acting, and great usage of breath-taking special effects, Flight is a film that shouldn't be missed this film season!