Madolyn (Michelle Dockery) is a U.S. Marshal who has successfully captured a cooperative witness, Winston (Topher Grace), finding him hiding in an old hotel room. After his capture, Madolyn receives new instructions: she must escort Winston, now classified as a government witness and informant, to a trial where he will provide crucial testimony. Madolyn and Winston will travel by small plane to ensure they arrive on time. Flying them is Daryl (Mark Wahlberg), a skilled pilot, loud talker and noisy gum chewer. He is more than happy to fly them to their destination quickly.
But when Winston and Madolyn are airborne, they soon realise things are not as they seem. Daryl, the pilot, is hiding a significant secret: he is a contract hitman hired to kill Winston. As they fly high above the ground, Madolyn communicates the problem and their current situation to headquarters. However, the situation worsens when Madolyn learns that Daryl is not the only threat targeting Winston and that some of her close colleagues might be involved. To complicate matters further, Madolyn urgently needs assistance to fly the plane across the Alaskan wilderness while ensuring that Daryl, her unexpected killer pilot, does not interfere further.

Flight Risk is a thriller and crime story with some action elements. The film has multiple twists and turns, although the crime aspect is relatively minor. For those who may not know, the film was directed by Mel Gibson, whose previous work behind the camera includes Braveheart (1995), Apocalypto (2006), The Passion of the Christ (2004), and Hacksaw Ridge (2016). It’s important to note that Flight Risk feels significantly different to Gibson’s earlier films. The tone feels smaller and far less epic, and this is evident in both the plot and the relatively small cast.
I enjoyed seeing Mark Wahlberg play the film’s villain (fun fact: he hasn’t taken on a villain role since 1995’s Fear!). There’s no doubt that Wahlberg is having a great time with this loud, menacing, rude, and foul-mouthed character with an unexpected hairstyle (and it isn’t fake, either!). His performance is one of the film’s biggest highlights, and I loved watching him embrace the over-the-top nature of his role. However, his character lacks much development or backstory, even as the plot unfolds more and more. On the bright side, the plot concept is great, and I also appreciated the Alaskan vibes throughout the film.

However, Flight Risk is plagued by several problems. Although the film features various mysteries and twists, most (if not all) are predictable, revealing themselves long before the characters do. Realising a threat or danger well before the trained U.S. Marshal is frustrating. While Michelle Dockery delivers a satisfactory performance, her character Madolyn feels underutilised, with dialogue that often comes across as silly or unnatural. Similarly, Winston’s lines are overly foolish, mouthy, and clichéd. Although I found the film’s journey somewhat enjoyable overall, the final moments were baffling and unnecessary, ultimately detracting from its climax. The film’s CGI is noticeably artificial at various times, frequently pulling me out of its intended seriousness and tension. This is surprising coming from director Mel Gibson. In the end, while I didn’t hate the film, I can’t deny that it missed many opportunities and could have been much more impactful.
Overall, Flight Risk presents a straightforward plot with several mysteries unfolding simultaneously. Unfortunately, rather than being suspenseful, dramatic, and thrilling, the film feels average and mediocre. Undoubtedly, actor Mark Wahlberg shines in his role, bringing an energetic performance that is easily the film’s most substantial aspect. However, other characters suffer from poor dialogue and are often considered foolish or unwise. Additionally, the film’s twists and story elements are pretty predictable. Considering that Mel Gibson directed this, many will find the results surprising and sadly disappointing.
Flight Risk (2025) is Now Available in Australian Cinemas!
FILM SCORE: 5.2/10


Published: 2nd February 2025
Written by: Peter Walkden

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