Fight Or Flight
“Just when you thought there were enough reasons not to fly, here comes a doped up Josh Hartnett with a chainsaw.”
- Billy Joe
Let’s focus on areas where it hit the mark-
Action, Comedy, and Effects are what make Fight Or Flight a fun ride worth taking.
1.5/1.5 Perfect
1/1.5 Above Standard
1/1.5 Above Standard
Let’s not pretend we came to this one for the plot…we all knew what the selling point was for this one, and it holds true to its call. Action fires on all cylinders here, holding nothing back with everything on the table(including a psychedelic Shaolin showdown). The kills really explore the space of the plane, utilizing the film’s set-up
Let’s not pretend we came to this one for the plot…we all knew what the selling point was for this one, and it holds true to its call. Action fires on all cylinders here, holding nothing back with everything on the table(including a psychedelic Shaolin showdown). The kills really explore the space of the plane, utilizing the film’s set-up as a means to introduce foreign objects not typically seen in the environment. Some of the more typical items and elements also get utilized both in usual and exciting new ways.
1/1.5 Above Standard
1/1.5 Above Standard
1/1.5 Above Standard
Funny Enough
While several of the jokes here have the potential to fall a bit flat or often feel like low hanging fruit, there should be at least a line or two in this for anyone to laugh at. Josh Hartnett’s delivery is certainly all you would expect it to be in a cheesy action movie, but that’s part of the charm you simply have to appreciate.
.05/1.5 Standard
1/1.5 Above Standard
.05/1.5 Standard
BUCKETS OF BLOOD
No, seriously, I wish I had invested in fake blood companies before production started on this. Fight Or Flight makes no strides towards breakthrough special effects, but it does use its effects to highlight the fun over-the-top nature of its kills and antics. Consider this a fair word of warning to those of you with squea
BUCKETS OF BLOOD
No, seriously, I wish I had invested in fake blood companies before production started on this. Fight Or Flight makes no strides towards breakthrough special effects, but it does use its effects to highlight the fun over-the-top nature of its kills and antics. Consider this a fair word of warning to those of you with squeamish party members, you may want to make this a solo trip to the theater.
Now let’s take a look at where it went wrong
Sadly, Fight Or Flight relies too often on its weakness as opposed to showcasing its strength.
0/1.5 Below Standard
Fight Or Flight has a simple enough concept. It starts off embracing this simplicity solely as a means to get Josh Hartnett on a plane with just enough intrigue left open to draw us along until the rollercoaster of blood and gore begins to speed up. Simplicity itself is not the reason the plot is a missed mark. Too often the story feels a
Fight Or Flight has a simple enough concept. It starts off embracing this simplicity solely as a means to get Josh Hartnett on a plane with just enough intrigue left open to draw us along until the rollercoaster of blood and gore begins to speed up. Simplicity itself is not the reason the plot is a missed mark. Too often the story feels a need to make something out of nothing, rather than letting the question be more powerful than the answer. Taking the audience away from the sole character worth investing in is a detrimental move in an attempt to create subplots, add uninteresting villains, and twists that ultimately don’t hold up with the silly nature of the film. These scenes feel out of place, unnecessary, and leave the audience rolling its eyes waiting for the hero to return and spill more blood. The MacGuffin exists for a reason, and this is the exact sort of movie wherein its use would have led to perfect execution. One of the best things about Mission Impossible 3 is that we never actually find out what it is Agent Hunt is after. Why? Because we don’t need to. We just need to see Tom Cruise chasing after it in extreme stunt fashion. Fight Or Flight did not need any added plot devices, twists, or super-weapon sabotage. It just needed to have enough of a plot to get Josh on the plane, and let him take care of the rest.
In the end, Fight Or Flight lands itself on the outer edge of the Missed Marks target.
Fight Or Flight uses its ridiculous action sequences, cheap pop comedy routine, and a few oceans of blood to tell a story which, despite being a bit too leaned on, pulls together a fun adrenaline filled narrative worth watching at least once. If obnoxious amounts of blood aren‘t your thing, give this one a pass. Otherwise, don’t allow the lack of promotional marketing to cause this to slip under your radar.
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