Fri Jan 24 15:20:00 UTC 2025: **’Flight Risk’ Review: Mark Wahlberg’s Over-the-Top Performance Can’t Save This Generic Thriller**
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) – “Flight Risk,” a new aerial thriller currently playing in theaters, is a strange bird. While boasting a cast including Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace, and a scene-stealing Mark Wahlberg, the film ultimately fails to take flight, relying on tired clichés and a nonsensical plot.
The film follows U.S. Marshal Madelyn Harris (Dockery) escorting mob witness Winston (Grace) on a small chartered plane over Alaska. Their journey takes a deadly turn when the pilot is revealed to be an assassin (Wahlberg) with questionable motives – his actions defy logic, making his character more of a cartoonish villain than a credible threat.
While the premise of ordinary people forced to land a plane isn’t new – “Airplane!” effectively parodied this trope decades ago – “Flight Risk” offers nothing fresh. The film’s simple plot is further hampered by a script filled with continuity errors and unconvincing CGI, particularly evident in an early scene featuring an unrealistically rendered moose.
Despite the film’s flaws, Topher Grace delivers a comedic performance as the cowardly witness, and the flirtatious air traffic controller, played by Monib Abhat, provides some welcome light relief. Mark Wahlberg, however, seems to be having a bit too much fun, hamming it up to the point of distracting from the already weak narrative. Even director Mel Gibson, surprisingly credited here, can’t quite keep the film from crashing and burning.
In conclusion, “Flight Risk” is a mediocre thriller that’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression. While a few moments of humor and tension surface thanks to strong performances from supporting cast members, the film’s weak plot, unconvincing CGI, and over-the-top villain ultimately ground it firmly in the realm of forgettable straight-to-video fare.
First Piper 