Action films these days, particularly ones that are working on a lower budget, live or die onwhat their main hook is. This often comes down to a statement like “It’s ‘EX big budget hit action movie’ but with…”, such asUnder SiegebeingDie Hardon an aircraft carrier orNobodybeingJohn Wickwith a suburban dad. It’s a tricky formula to pull off, as one too many similarities can easily make a prospective action hit go from a twist on a more well-known concept to a shameless knockoff. In the case ofFight or Flight, which is essentiallyDavid Leitch’sBullet Trainbut on an airplane, the result is closer to the former.
In addition to being the feature directorial debut ofJames Madigan,Fight or Flightalso continues an ambitious return to the spotlight forBlack Hawk DownstarJosh Hartnett. After being part of the ensemble cast in the Best Picture-winningOppenheimerand leading the divisive-yet-successfulM. Night ShyamalanthrillerTrap, Hartnett has been setting the stage for a well-deserved comeback. Any good comeback needs some variety and versatility, andFight or Flighthas plenty of that in itscompletely absurd premise paired with some very impressive action scenesthat allow Hartnett to let loose and have some fun.
What Is ‘Fight or Flight’ About?
Fight or Flight’s “man with a particular set of skills” for its roughly hour-and-a-half flight time is none other than Lucas Reyes (Josh Hartnett) — a former government operative who’s been stranded abroad after a mission went sour. That’s until he’s brought back into the fold by the very person who scorned him, Katherine Brunt (Katee Sackhoff), who gives Reyes a proposition he can’t possibly refuse. Brunt wants Reyes to get on a flight that is said to have an international terrorist known as “The Ghost” onboard, and while nobody knows what they look like, Reyes needs to find them and bring them back to the U.S. alive. There’s just one problem —The Ghost has a multi-million-dollar bounty on their head and now the plane is infested with dozens of ruthless assassins ready to collect. Since it’s virtually impossible to tell who’s a friend and who’s a foe, Reyes enlists the help of a flight attendant (Charithra Chandran) to try and find a way off this flight from hell.
As alluded to earlier, it is almost impossible not to compare the absurd premise and darkly comedic nature ofFight or FlighttoBullet Train— theBrad Pitt-starring hit that has become an action cult classicthanks to its sharp screenplay, dynamic characters, and a truckload ofThomas the Tank Enginereferences. The comparison alone doesn’t doFight or Flighttoo many favors, asBullet Traincertainly has the edge in most areas, especially when it comes to the slower dramatic moments. Those are the times whenFight or Flightreally screeches to a halt, but thankfully, those moments are made up for some truly great action setpieces.
‘Fight or Flight’s Action Scenes Are Where the Film Truly Shines
For the action to be this well-choreographed and directed by a first-time feature filmmaker is truly impressive, andJames Madigan should be commended for how well-done and well-shot the action in the film is. This is made even more impressive by the extremely claustrophobic setting, yet the action always feels in focus and cleverly edited. Strong music choices and practical stuntwork only elevate the sequences even further. From an opening struggle in a bathroom to an absolutely bonkers finale — not to mention a wholly unexpected, random, and hilarious scene involving two Mormon missionaries — there is a lot of great stuff for action fans to chew on here, even if they all require a large level of disbelief suspension.
Josh Hartnett Was at His Devilish, Villainous Best in a Controversial William Shakespeare Adaptation Roger Ebert Called “Powerful”
“May the winds blow till they have wakened death!”
Where nobody onboard noticing anything felt like an understandable convenience inBullet Train, here inFight or Flight,it’s just outright unexplainable. For a good chunk of the runtime, guns are shot and bodies are laid out in plain sight, and yet there’s always some unbelievable reason why none of the plane’s non-murderous passengers have noticed. It’s a deeply unserious approach, butFight or Flightis also clearly an unserious movie in more positive ways than negative.
Josh Hartnett seems like he’s having a blast in the movie, and he demonstrates a welcome knack for physical comedy that’s up there with many of the greats. While Lucas Reyes may not have the nuances of a character likeTrap’s Cooper, Reyes still has plenty of likability and charm that will suit B-movie action fans just fine.Fight or Flight’s supporting cast members are also very solid, with both Katee Sackhoff and Charithra Chandranbeing standout examples.
Fight or Flightmay not be narratively deep (bar a pretty clever twist in the third act), but it does have one thing that many movie fans and action fans in particular have been craving more of — fun, and lots of it. In an age of big-budget blockbusters, it’s always refreshing when a sleeper lower-budget B-movie feels up to the quality of its blockbuster competitors. It’s that exact situation that leda somewhat obscure action flickfollowing a man’s vengeance for his dead dog into one of the biggest and most iconic franchises today, and if the ambiguous ending ofFight or Flightis any indicator, this might not be the last stop for Lucas Reyes.
Even before we get to July’s hat trick ofJurassic World Rebirth,Superman, andThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, summer 2025 is already looking like one of the best summers for movies in a while. Along with the unprecedented box office success ofSinnersand the Marvel movie formerly known asThunderbolts*becoming a critical darling,Fight or Flightbeing one of the year’s most pleasant surprises only adds to that further. It may not reinvent the wheel for tightly-knit actioners, butFight or Flightstill sticks the landing for a crowd-pleasing and chaotic thrill ride.
Fight or Flightcomes to theaters on May 9.
Fight or Flight
Even with some turbulence, Fight or Flight’s action spectacle is as smooth as butter.
A mercenary takes on the job of tracking down a target on a plane but must protect her when they’re surrounded by people trying to kill both of them.
