Flight Risk Is Not the Right Kind of Dumb

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In his own words, Mark Wahlberg considers the character he portrays in “Flight Risk” as his first real villain since the iconic 1996 film “Fear.” Although this statement may be accurate, it seems to contradict the impression that Wahlberg’s true acting prowess lies in playing villainous roles. In fact, Wahlberg has a knack for portraying characters with a sinister undertone, suggesting that even his seemingly good characters were once bad or may become bad in the future. Despite being primarily cast as a leading man, Wahlberg exhibits a natural talent for antagonistic roles, and the unnamed assassin he plays in “Flight Risk” stands out among the less-than-stellar aspects of the film.

In the movie, Mark Wahlberg portrays “Daryl Booth,” a character who isn’t his real identity. He’s actually a murderer disguised as the charter pilot tasked with flying U.S. Marshal Madelyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) and her prisoner, a mob accountant turned informant named Winston (Topher Grace), over the Alaska Mountains to Anchorage. Daryl sports a backward baseball cap and talks in a homespun dialect, and even before Winston notices the abandoned pilot license depicting someone other than the one flying their plane, Madelyn has a feeling something’s amiss. Perhaps it’s the wound on Daryl’s neck or his knowledge of their destination without being told. However, I suspect it’s Wahlberg’s overtly expressive nose that gives him away. Even before he switches back to his regular accent and is later exposed in a fight scene as bald underneath his hat, a revelation portrayed as a character flaw, Daryl consistently uses his prominent, soon-to-be-bruised schnoz. Once the character fully transforms into a psychopath, Wahlberg delivers an aggressive performance characterized by frequent nose-twitching and growling like a bull about to charge.

The film titled “Flight Risk,” directed by Mel Gibson, might initially seem like a conservative project due to his association with Mark Wahlberg. However, it’s more of a contractual job that began with Jared Rosenberg’s script. Similar to many Black List projects, “Flight Risk” is concept-driven and designed for quick pitches, mostly set in Daryl’s Cessna throughout the 90-minute flight. Unfortunately, the screenplay lacks the quality to convince one of its potential success, even given its cost-effective nature as a thriller. The film unfolds almost in real-time, with the plot struggling to maintain tension during prolonged sequences where Daryl is restrained and Madelyn must learn to pilot the plane.

In a twist from his typical talkative demeanor, Grace oscillates between sarcastic and anxious tones. Poor Dockery, however, finds himself playing a role that requires him to repeatedly make regrettable choices to maintain the main plotline’s central element. Madelyn doesn’t instantly kill Daryl as she aims to demonstrate her difference from him, but she swiftly takes another life later on. She momentarily seizes a knife from Daryl and then forgets about it. Impulsively, she accuses her superior of being the one who revealed their office’s plans to the mob. Most frustratingly, Madelyn spends inordinate amounts of time either disregarding the volatile assassin hidden at the back of the plane or failing to look ahead through the windshield to see where the aircraft is headed, depending on what the script necessitates for an action sequence.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I’d say that “Flight Risk” misses the mark in a significant way, and it’s not just about its lackluster plot. The movie fails to capture the essence of a well-executed ‘so bad it’s good’ film. Mel Gibson, despite his personal controversies, is an exceptional director of action sequences, and in “Flight Risk,” he seems to be phoning it in, lacking the energy and creativity to make the brief bursts of violence compelling. The movie’s opening scene, set in a seedy motel amidst snowy mountains, is its highlight, but unfortunately, the rest of the film fails to live up to this promising start.

Despite some intense action scenes towards the end, “Flight Risk” never builds to a satisfying climax. Instead, it ends abruptly, as if the creators decided to abandon any attempt at humor when their jokes fell flat. The result is a disjointed and disappointing film that, despite Mark Wahlberg’s best efforts, is not worth your time.

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2025-01-24 03:53