Displaying items by tag: Mel Gibson

FLIGHT RISK

US, 2025, 91 minutes, Colour.

Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace, Mark Wahlberg, Maaz Ali, Paul Ben-Victor.

Directed by Mel Gibson.

Best to consider first the issue of Mel Gibson, his reputation, personal, as a filmmaker. Many audiences react against Mel Gibson because of his strong views, his anti-Semitic outbursts in the past. (Catholic audiences are probably dismayed by his extreme views about the church, tradition, the inheritance from his father’s Conservative stances but will still go to see and even enjoy his films!).

In fact, Mel Gibson is an Oscar-winning director with Braveheart. He also directed Apocalypto and Hacksaw Ridge which have strong reputations. And, of course, there is The Passion of the Christ.

This 90 minute action show is a long way from these films. Gibson said he wanted to make it for sheer entertainment and that is what it offers. It is reminiscent of a number of films but that is the nature of the popular action show.

While Mark Wahlberg has top billing, above the title, the main strength of the film is with Michelle Dockery, Madolyn, taking some time off from Downton Abbey. She is an officer who has allowed someone to die on her watch and has been suspended, given the opportunity for rehabilitation, going to Alaska to apprehend a key witness against a violent financial criminal. The witness is Winston, played by Topher Grace, a timid desk person but shrewd in his management of money, incessantly chatty, but with the possibility of some kind of redemption and witness protection.

The bulk of the film takes place in the air during a flight across Alaska to Anchorage. Mark Wahlberg plays the good old boy pilot, even having the top of his head shaved which makes him seem more eerie! And, it very quickly emerges that he is not what he seems and, in fact, is a hired killer.

Which means then that there are lots of complications during the flight, guns, knives, but, especially, effective tasering. The plane is rickety, the mountain peaks ominously looming, Madolyn having to fly the plane, on automatic, getting guidance from an official who is flirtatious while giving his advice. Then there is the question of a leak in the department, suspicion on Madolyn’s contact, on her boss, and the taunts of the hitman pilot.

And, there is always the excitement of the crash landing.

Most entertainment action films are made up of elements that we are familiar with but with some variations. Same here.

1. Expectations of Mel Gibson film? Of an action film? Action in the plane?
2. The Alaskan settings, the town, the mountains, the city, the tarmac…? The musical score?
3. Situation, Winston, his background, accounting, doing deals for criminals, under threat? Hiding in Alaska? His personality, chatter, his mother, fearful? Wanted as a witness?
4. Madolyn, her history, the person killed under her watch, suspended, invited back, determined, the confrontation with Winston, taking him in? The plane flight to New York? Her contact with Janine through phone? Some suspicions of her? Contact with Coleridge the boss? The discovery of the truth? The ruthlessness, Janine’s death?
5. The plane, the pilot, Mark Wahlberg, jovial old boy, the bald head? The chatter, the blood? Madolyn realising the truth, pulling the gun, the struggle, Tasering him? The reality of his being a hit man, knowing all about her, taunting her? The fights, tying him up, the spectacles, cutting loose? His personality, taunting?
6. The pilot loose, the fight, Winston and the knife, his being stabbed?
7. Madolyn, using her wits, strength, talking with Winston, the threats to him, untying him? The personal story, his mother? Autopilot? Talking with Janine, talking with Coleridge? The discussions with Hasan, jovial, flirting, his helping her land?
8. The dramatic issues, the fights, the mountains, fuel diminishing, the landing, the wind, the crashing, the pilot thrown out, run over by the vehicle?
9. Landing, the hospital for Winston, her meeting Hasan? The threats by Coleridge, her recording them? Vindication?

BANDIT

Canada, 2022, 126 minutes, Colour.

Josh Duhamel, Mel Gibson, Elisha Cuthbert, Nestor Carbonell, Olivia D’Abo.

Directed by Arthur Unger.

An unexpectedly enjoyable action film.

A Canadian production, this is a story of a bank robber nicknamed the Flying Bandit. In the mid-1980s, he was able to rob 60 banks without detection. He was a young man in detention in the United States, escaping to Canada, finding an identity, discovering a talent for robbing banks after exact and minute observation of how each bank worked, the personnel,, timing, even going in disguise to discuss the running of the bank as if he were a supervisor.

And, with his many disguises and meticulous planning, especially for getting out of the bank, he could achieve the robbery within three minutes. At one stage, the robber, played with quite some charm by Josh Duhamel (a kind of tongue in cheek Bruce Willis role) makes a bet with the local bar owner who is also a fence for stolen jewellery, and played by Mel Gibson, that he can rob the bank across the street within three minutes. He does. He frequents the bar, sometimes disguised, sometimes as himself, which initially confuses the detectives on surveillance outside the bar.

But, he also has a personal life. Initially he pays a beggar on the street $20 for his identity card, assumes his name, takes refuge in the local house for the homeless, becoming very friendly with the woman on desk, Andrea, played by Elisha Cuthbert. They move in together, his not explaining the money coming in, having plausible reasons for his absences, going to various Canadian cities for the robberies.

And, in the background, the detectives, first wanting to arrest the bar keeper.

Eventually, Andrea discovers what her husband has been doing, actually helping him. And, they are able to escape to a small town for 18 months, Andrea giving birth to a daughter.

However, a special squad is formed to track down the bank robber and he is eventually caught, sentenced, serves a prison term. This information is given during the final credits – with the information that the bar keeper was eventually arrested and also served a sentence.

1. The title, true story, the Flying Bandit? Final information about the bandit at the end?
2. 1988, Robert, the smooth bank robbery, disguise, escape, decoys, Snydes in pursuit?
3. The back story, father in prison, mother gone, juvenile detention, the escape, going to Canada? Identity, the beggar and the card, payment, getting into the centre, Andrea and her leniency, his smooth talking?
4. Robert, decision to rob banks, the number, he is doing his homework, scouting out all the information, smooth talking, observation, discussions?
5. The range of robberies, their being listed and numbered, the personnel, the ladies and his charm, his return, pretending to be testing, friendly with the staff, getting the information? The various devices, ways of escape, his timing, the smoke bomb, dressed as a fireman…?
6. Andrea, her job, the shelter, outings with Robert, his charm, the living together, time passing, his absences, force explanations for his work? The money, the house? Her pregnancy, his enthusiasm about being a father?
7. The best about robbing the bank, Robert winning? Time passing, the invitation to rob the jewellery store? To make the money, Robert and Andrea to go to the Bahamas?
8. Snydes, detective, confrontations with Tommy, challenges, the bar, suspicions, the partner, the budget, talking with the chief, the project cafe, information, Robert and his car, his disguises, the one person?
9. Robert and Andrea disappearing, the house in the country, 18 months, Tommy’s visit? The truth to Andrea, her enjoyment of the money, accompanying him on the robberies? Her giving birth, love for the children?
10. The detectives in pursuit, the helicopter flight, giving them the slip? Their eventually catching him, surrounding him, in prison, ordering a pizza, interrogations, meeting Andrea? Not giving Tommy away? (Yet Diamond Dave giving Tommy away?)
11. The final information, Robert and his prison sentence, the interview with the actual Robert and his having no money, divorce from Andrea, Tommy and his jail sentence?