Flight of the Phoenix

The first five minutes, with excellent camera work, are just an introduction, getting to know the main characters, and so on. Then comes the most important part, the collision, which is captivatingly filmed, typical of John Moore's action-style of directing, with quick cuts, dynamic shots, fast and sharply contoured camera moving from side to side. But that's all the film offers. It is technically competent, decent in terms of its premise, but poorly handled in terms of the screenplay and acting. (02/21/2005)

The scene of a night-time visit to Chinese smugglers, with the musical background in the form of “Champ” by Massive Attack, is excellent, but the rest of the movie has nothing to rouse one’s interest. In films with a dozen characters, the most important thing is the cast and the interactions between the characters. The protagonists of this opus are unfortunately bland, have even less charisma than they have drinking water and the relationship nuances between them correspond to the abilities of the director behind the dumb shoot-’em-up Behind Enemy Lines. Moreover, John Moore wouldn’t hesitate to include a flashy music-video-style sequence even in a drama about the Holocaust. That is why I wonder who the hell put him in charge of this remake of a 1960s dramatic classic. Instead of a believable drama, this guy delivers only ridiculous pathos. Go watch Frank Marshall’s Alive instead. (01/07/2008)

A great adventure drama with very good acting performances. Dennis Quaid can still play a tough guy, Giovanni Ribisi a crazy fool, and Hugh Laurie plays as if in preparation for House. The most impressive scene was definitely the nighttime shootout with Chinese smugglers, underscored by Massive Attack. (09/20/2008)