Great Intensity, Character Development, and Dialogue

Rating: Null/10 (5 May 2014)

Denzel Washington is terrific in the role of the swashbuckling airline pilot Whip Whitaker whose external demeanor masks his internal demons. While the film is noteworthy for the opening section of the airline crash, the more quiet scenes are the most memorable.
There is a subdued, yet riveting, scene in the hospital when Whip meets a cancer patient and a young woman with a drug addiction. The dialogue was both well-written and well acted by the three performers. The cancer patient controls the conversation, subtly conveying that he has his "act together" more than the other two characters. It is at this moment that we first recognize the damaged inner side of Whip that is contrary to his surface personae of the ace.
Although it may not have been intended by the filmmakers, there was a revealing side of the film that depicted the government investigation of the plane crash. There was an efficacy about the team that resembled a military event on the scale of D-Day, including a general's platform and a pair of binoculars wielded by one of the officials. Why can't our government function this skillfully in all of its responsibilities to the people?
The scenes set in the serenity of the farm owned by Whip's grandfather are effective in the dramatic tension evoked as Whip seeks to resist the temptation of alcohol. Throughout the film, the excellent supporting actors keep the pace brisk and always engaging. Don Cheadle is especially dynamic as the attorney with clearly divided feelings about his troubled client Whip.
This film demonstrates that it is not necessary to have exclusively non-stop action, special effects, and daredevil antics worthy of an Eddie Rickenbacker. Washington's thoughtful character study is compelling and unforgettable as the core of the film.