“FIGHT OR FLIGHT”
Building on a resurgence that began last year with “Trap” and continues with this weekend’s “Fight or Flight,” Josh Hartnett has been getting his groove back, taking roles that are quirky and offbeat and making them entirely his own.
He’s not an actor you’re going to build a franchise around but he is someone with his Midwest work ethic who is going to get the job done. Being a mainstream Hollywood star has never been Hartnett’s goal anyway. He doesn’t even live in Hollywood. He lives in Surrey, England with (gasp) his wife Tasmine Egerton and his three kids. Not that he has ever taken many of those franchise tag opportunities anyway.
This time he plays Lucas Reyes, a man with nothing to lose and everything to gain, summoned by the government who screwed him over to board a plane filled with assassins and uncover the identity of a terrorist named Ghost and bring them back to the States, alive.
And that’s all you need to know.
Assassins, fuel filled plane screaming across the ocean. It’s a great setup.
Action is dictated by the use of spaces and once “Fight or Flight” gets going, it begins to take advantage of them. Confined spaces are even more fun and Director James Madigan uses what’s available to good effect. Hallways, bathrooms, a cargo hold, service elevators, the cockpit become an action lover’s playground with various unlikely instruments of death.
Supported by a very game Katee Sackhoff, who convinces Lucas to return to the fold and a solid Julian Kristov who I would watch just to keep cussing and berating people again and you have a fun action movie that works despite a few narrative flaws.
Josh Hartnett is having a great time onscreen and his enthusiasm is infectious. His charisma, charm and fight skills carry the movie even when it hits some sporadic turbulence. The final fight sequence left me howling and is worth price of admission alone. There were a few other fun kills that made the audience uncomfortable, which for me is just filmmakers doing their jobs.
“Fight or Flight” is like one of those crazy dates everyone has been on at some point. A little apprehension, plenty of good tension, lots of laughter and some memorable thrills. Maybe unlike your date, this movie actually sticks the landing. And it’s glorious.
In short, some dirty fun that’s going to leave a smile on your face. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2. See this in a theater, on a big screen with total strangers. It’s a blast.
Add this one to the list of “Please Make a Sequel.” I would love to spend time with these characters again.