DVD Review: Flight (+trailer)

Denzel Washington seems to have moved on from working with trains (Unstoppable, The Taking of Pelman 1, 2, 3) and now finds himself piloting a crashing plane.

But while the drama of a plane crash is pivotal to Flight, the storyline is more about Whip Whitaker (Washington) and his battle with his own demons.

Whip is a veteran pilot with all the skills needed to be outstanding at his job.

But though he knows what to do in an emergency, the question is whether his physical state will allow him to do it.

Whip's problem is that he lives life on the edge and the bottle is his friend. Divorced and estranged from his teenage son, he seeks solace in the arms of beautiful young air hostesses and alcohol. Adding to his issues is his penchant for drugs.

When a tired, stoned and intoxicated Whip puts himself in the pilot's seat and a fierce storm lies ahead, the potential for disaster is huge.

Somehow, when the plane has a mechanical failure, he manages to pull off an extraordinary manoeuvre to land the plane on a field with the loss of only six lives.

Initially a hero, the investigation into the crash uncovers his physical state and the bulk of the movie deals with his journey to realisation about his problem.

What is beyond question is that Whip saved lives that day.

Washington turns in another outstanding performance and is a standout in a strong and eclectic cast.

Flight

Paramount (R16)

Rating: 3.5 / 5