Blu-ray Review – Flight (2012)

      Flight, 2012.

      Directed by Robert Zemeckis.

      Featuring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, and Melissa Leo.

      SYNOPSIS:

      While Flight may not be the first title that comes to mind when discussing Robert Zemeckis’ filmography, it is a noteworthy work that merits the restoration by Kino Lorber available on this new Blu-ray edition. Additionally, it includes a substantial collection of bonus features.

      Before watching it for this review, I had not seen Zemeckis’s 2012 film Flight, scripted by John Gatins, so the content resonated with me emotionally. More on that later.

      Denzel Washington plays William “Whip” Whitaker, a drug addict and alcoholic who works as a pilot for the fictional SouthJet Air. During what seems to be a standard flight from Orlando to Atlanta, he is hungover after a night of drinking with flight attendant Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velazquez). When a disastrous incident occurs, he manages to crash-land the plane with few casualties, though Katerina is among those who perish.

      He awakens in a hospital, where he meets pilots union representative Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood). After Charlie departs, Whip’s drug dealer, Harling Mays (John Goodman), arrives with some "treats." Initially, Whip is celebrated as a hero for safely landing the aircraft, including flying it upside-down to stabilize it. However, inquiries into his sobriety that morning begin to overshadow the positive media coverage.

      Pilots union attorney Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle) enters the scene next. He is straightforward regarding Whip’s toxicology report, prompting Whip to escape the media frenzy alongside Nicole Maggen (Kelly Reilly), a fellow addict he encountered in the hospital. They go to Whip's father's farm, where their mutual addictions exacerbate one another, leading Whip down a perilous path as a National Transportation Safety Board inquiry into the crash looms.

      Flight resonated with me personally because my father, who passed away in 2022, struggled with alcoholism for many years. He was functional—until he wasn’t—and raised my siblings and me for a significant time following my parents’ divorce, due to my mother's mental health issues, which created ongoing chaos in her life. He was also a pharmacist, which likely meant he filled many prescriptions while under the influence, though to my knowledge, he never made a mistake that harmed anyone. However, no one would want a drunk pharmacist handling their medications, just as no one would want an intoxicated pilot at the controls, regardless of how well they might perform. Ultimately, my father's drinking caught up with him, resulting in forced retirement due to the threat of being fired.

      It’s unfortunate that his career concluded as it did; he later hit rock bottom before finally achieving sobriety for the remainder of his life. I suspect Whip experienced a similar journey after the credits rolled in Flight. I believe everyone is deserving of a second chance (or even more, depending on circumstances), and despite its predictable plot, the film left me feeling satisfied in the end.

      Kino Lorber has released this film on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD—I received the Blu-ray for this review. They commissioned a 4K restoration that presents Flight exceptionally well on any system, along with an attractive set of bonus features. I’m uncertain about what is new and what has been carried over from prior home video releases, but here's what you can expect:

      • Audio Commentary: Film historian/writer Julie Kirgo and filmmaker/writer Peter Hankoff discuss their personal views on flying, the real-life airline crash that inspired the film (which sadly did not involve a heroic landing), and provide plenty of information about this film and everyone involved.

      • Impact: Interview with Director Robert Zemeckis and Screenwriter John Gatins (28:57): This new interview features the duo reflecting on the film, from its development to shooting and release to its reception.

      • Origins of Flight (10:30): This feature focuses on the film's development, including lots of behind-the-scenes footage.

      • The Making of Flight (11:32): Given that this was Zemeckis’s first live-action film in nearly a decade, this segment provides a light recap of the process.

      • Anatomy of a Plane Crash (7:47): As the crash is easily the most intense segment of the film, it receives an in-depth examination.

      • Q&A Interview Highlights (14:18): Highlights from a post-screening Q&A in 2012, featuring responses from Zemeckis, Gatins, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, and others on the panel.

      The trailer for this film and five others available through Kino Lorber conclude this package.

      SUP