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Avg. Rating: 3
Flight Attendant Kicks A**!!!
Yes, the plot is stupid. Yes the cast is less than stellar (other than Liotta), yes you've seen others like this before...OR HAVE YOU?
Turbulence is a great ride from start to finish because it IS so predictable; you don't have to pay that close of attention and think too hard to get the plot but it is suspensful and a kick to watch Lauren Holly's character grow in her own self-confidence by the end of the film. At the beginning of the film she's the weak little blonde who lets men walk all over her. By the end she's a flight attendant who kicks butt.
Liotta, as always, does a great job portraying his character. As Ryan Weaver, a serial killer, he did his homework on the nuances that make "serials" serials. He uses his good looks and natural charm to get women to trust him, uses his brain to take advantage of a great situation in his favor, is emotionally manipulative, and then masterfully becomes a complete psycho all in the blink of an eye. Probably one of the best portrayals of a serial killer I've seen on the big screen for a long time.
Without spoiling the "big" moments in the film I will say that what happens to Catherine Hicks'(Child's Play, Star Trek IV, tv's 7th Heaven) character is a shame (sad, actually), one of the funniest moments of the film (in a sicko kind of way) is when Liotta "decorates" the plane with some of the passengers, and the ending is pretty schlocky and cheesy.
But all in all, I was certainly rooting for Lauren Holly's stewardess (sorry, "she's a flight attendant") when she outdoes Karen Black (Airport '77) by a mile in finally landing the plane and basically telling the officials on the ground to go to hell!
The photography is decent, a few of the special effects very cool, and there are a few real decent laughs along with a little gore. Oh, and you will never watch "It's A Wonderful Life" in the same light again!
Your typical action movie
I can't say I was too fussed about watching this movie, but I watched this movie, otherwise I would have watched Tru Calling all night! :) As it's a Christmas movie, I was only ALLOWED to watch it before Christmas. Not after, cos that would be bad, right? I decided to watch it on Christmas Eve Eve, but I'm beginning to wish I'd watched it now, as Christmas Eve is really dragging - I'm still a big kid at heart! (I wanna open presents!)
I have to say, after this movie started, I was instantly distracted by Lauren Holly's severe haircut - boy, that did NOT suit her! If I remember correctly, I've only seen her before in Dumb&Dumber, but the haircut was absolutely dreadful! (Apologies to people out there who have this haircut.) Someone who has prominent cheekbones that I would die for, would probably get away with it. She also manages to strip down to her underwear, when she doesn't have much to fill it, and it just a cheap thrill for the guys.
I've never seen Goodfella's, so had absolutely no idea who Ray Liotta was, although he reminded me of a more evil-looking Patrick Swayze! That was also very distracting! He did quite a good job, making you constantly wonder whether he was the good guy or the bad guy. He's also a bit OTT in the role - I'm not sure why, he just wasn't convincing.
I love Hector Elizondo ever since I saw Pretty Woman, and then afterwards, Runaway Bride. He doesn't appear much in this, and almost comes across as the bad guy at points.
Most of the movie isn't worth going into detail about. You mix in every (im)possible event that could happen, and then add the plucky, brave girl (flight attendant, not stewardess!) who thinks she can save the day. Prancing around in your underwear doesn't save the day.
What scared me most about this movie was the very obvious references to the 9/11 tragedy - despite it being made 4-5 years before, it seemed almost like a premonition at some points, and scared the bejeezus out of me. I think if this had been out around the same time as 9/11, it would have been either straight-to-DVD, or, like Spiderman, the World Trade Centre digitally removed. (WTC doesn't appear in this - it's what happens that makes me think of 9/11.)
What I did like about this movie, was Lauren Holly getting told how to land the plane - or attempt to - and seeing what all the buttons were. I felt like I learned a little bit - although I'll probably forget it all. That was the one bit of the movie I really concentrated on, and it actually interested me.
For me, this movie is what Final Destination was like a few years, just before I went on holiday. I won't be getting on a plane anytime soon. It's a stupid movie, but good enough to remove a couple of hours of your life watching it.
Completely mad
Turbulence is just plain stupidity from beginning to end. But there is so much fun to be had in the madness that it's always worth a mindless watch.
Our silly plot has Ray Liotta and Brendan Gleeson as serial killer and bank robber breaking loose from their captors aboard a virtually empty cross-country flight, killing the pilots and FBI before the runaway plane flies into a hurricane. Liotta promptly eliminates Gleeson and chases after stewardess Lauren Holly. All on Xmas Eve.
Yes it's highly ridiculous. But director Robert Butler brings strong, vigorous direction, piles on loads of wild atmosphere and lets cinematographer Lloyd Ahern get carried away with his consistantly stunning, crisp photography.
Action movies today nearly always have some ironic or political edge. Turbulence is just violence for the sake of violence. And why not? This is not a film made to change your life. It's just renegade entertainment.
Ray Liotta isn't quite scary as the serial killer as he goes way over the top. But, thankfully, is never campy (always a mistake when playing serial killers, coughhannibalcough). If your into movies about nasty Xmas' then this, Gremlins and Silent Night, Deadly Night are the movies you ought to watch.
The R1 DVD is in very cool Dolby 5.1 and is shown in the incorrect aspect ratio of 1.78:1 (16x9 enhanced) instead of the theatrical 2.35:1. The R2 DVD however is in Dolby 2.0 Surround but shows the film in the proper ratio of 2.35:1.
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