The Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
While certainly "Hollywood" and
utilitarian in design, "The Flight of the Phoenix"
is still an engrossing and likeable film with moments
of extreme drama, human comedy and heartwarming inspiration.
The film centers on a group of passengers
on an airplane who crash in the Gobi desert, miles
off course, and, having seemingly no other options
open to them, decide to rebuild their plane to get
home. If it sounds like a familiar idea, it's because
the film is a remake of a 1965 Jimmy Stewart vehicle.
Of course, things have changed since
the 60's and even though I have never seen the original,
I assume more plot had to be introduced to make a
"believable" scenario about a "missing" plane work,
what with intricate radar systems and other such technology
available today. That is given, through exposition,
as one reason that the film takes place in Mongolia
and in the Gobi, as opposed to the Sahara, the setting
of the original.
Like all films about a group of
castaways, the interpersonal dynamics of the people
in the group become integral to the plot. Here there's
Dennis Quaid as a haggard, disillusioned pilot; Tyresse
Gibson as his asshole co-pilot; Miranda Otto as the
only female on board, shown to be a strong woman as
she runs an oil rig; Hugh Laurie as the corporate
man, who wears a suit and tie; and Giovanni Ribisi
as the inventive weirdo. There's also three or four
sideline characters including a chef, a couple of
blue collar types and some sort of spiritual guy.
Ribisi's character is the most important
one here, and although the script is pretty well-done,
he is somewhat tossed about by it. The writers, Scott
Frank and Ed Burns, remove most of the "yeah, right"
moments from the story and don't rely on the female
to provide a "love interest" angle at all. Well, barely
at all. Throughout the proceedings, everything seems
fairly believable. Rare is it when someone acts contrary
to character to evoke drama or tension.
Except for Ribisi. But the young
actor is so good that he simply makes his character
a weirdo, without making him a psychopath or a head
case. His character skirts around on such ideas and
in the hands of a lesser actor the film might be a
complete failure. While Ribisi isn't perfect here,
no actor could be, and he makes the best out of a
character that revolves around so many ideas and constructs
that his inconsistency is integral to the plot. While
his character is neither vilified nor justly redeemed,
Ribisi still works as best he can to provide a realistic
portrayal of the man the writers have created.
"The Flight of the Phoenix" may
trod on some well-work ideas and on some typical "celebration
of the human spirit" moments, but it is still interesting
to watch and rarely disappoints. A solid film.
Notes:
Also with Sticky Fingaz.
With a score by Marco Beltrami who
is fast becoming one of my favorites in the field.
Viewed at a sneak preview in Austin
in December 2004 with my roomie Amanda. With thanks
to my friend Jan for reminding me about the sneak.
