Turbulence (1997)

I watched this because I thought it was a film version of the John J Nance novel. Thank God it wasn't or my perception of said novel would be ruined forever.For those of you considering watching this, save yourselves an hour and a half and pick something else.That or go to the store and pick up "Turbulence"Also, if you opt to watch this, bring a barf bag... I'm a pilot and it still made me airsick!Better hijacking movies include Cliffhanger, Captain Phillips, Non- stop, The Taking of Pelham 123 (Also a great adaptation of a novel), Speed, Air Force One, and even Speed 2....Basically anything but this waste of film.

Before there were snakes on a plane, there was a charming serial killer named Ryan Weaver (Ray Liotta). We meet Ryan as he's about to go on a blind date with a cutie, and he seems like your average sweet guy. The scene plays out in romcom mode... until a SWAT team led by a veteran detective (Hector Elizondo) busts in and arrests Weaver, apparently just minutes in time. We then learn that Weaver is an extremely dangerous Ted Bundy type of dude who suckers women in with his flashy grin and good looks, only to murder them soon after. With the big bad wolf now in chains, Elizondo can rest easy, as it becomes clear he has been hunting him for some years now. The last step: transporting him by plane to the state where he will be tried and senteanced. Naturally, every security protocol is rigidly in effect, right down to Elizondo stubbornly accompanying the flight. And, naturally, Weaver finds a harebrained way to break his shackles and terrorize the nearest thing to him, which in this case happens to be a gorgeous flight attendant (Lauren Holly). Now they're 30,000 feet in the air with not a cop in sight but the aging Elizondo, and Weaver free to roam about as he pleases, teasing and taunting Holly with both mirth and menace. The film hinges on an actor's ability to be convincing, and Liotta is downright perfect in the role. He's played so many nut jobs and angry lunatics he could do it in his sleep by now, yet he still manages to give each baddie their own unique flavor and flourish. He is downright scary here, geniunly winning you over with his dapper gentleman act, then pouncing like a lion. He's a one man Con Air, and means business, piloting the movie with a sure hand and leading man talents. I consider this one of the great overlooked thrillers of the 90's, and certainly my favourite one set on a plane. Watch for appearances from Rachel Ticotin, Ben Cross, Jeffrey Demunn and Brendan Gleeson. Now there's two sequels: one with Tom Berenger and Jennifer Beals, which I still have to see, and another called 'Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal', which is a demented little flick with Rutger Hauer and Gabrielle Anwar. Neither have Liotta on their side, but the third is worth a watch just for its unintentional hilarity. This first one is the real deal, though.

Airplane thrillers - it's a common plot line. Whether it's a hijacking by a villain or simple mechanical malfunction, there have been several types of films that run in a similar fashion. Airport (1970) or Executive Decision (1996), just to name a couple, all take place on a plane with the possibility of it crashing and killing a ton of lives. Unfortunately, there are only so many ways something can be done. And as for this production, nothing really stands out.This story is about a female flight attendant who gets caught in the crossfire on a moving plane that's transporting two dangerous criminals to another city jail. Problem is, she's the only person left alive to fly the plane. It would be OK if this was the only focus but the writer, Jonathan Brett decided to include another subplot - the plane is headed into a level six storm. Thus the name of the title. Not impressive. I'm sure a better title could've been created even if the subplot of the storm wasn't included.The writer, Jonathan Brett isn't a truly established professional. None of his work is well known and for the films he is given credit for, isn't considered to be even mediocre. For example, why would anyone have two licensed criminals board a passenger airplane? And, when they do get on the plane, there are only 10 passengers,….so why is it so empty? What kind of writing is this? That's not a good sign and it shows throughout the film. The cast may surprise people though. Ray Liotta, Hector Elizondo, Rachel Ticotin {Melina from Total Recall (1990)}, Catherine Hicks and John Finn all have number of scenes long enough for viewers to appreciate their presence. However, this doesn't mean their performances are good or even close to being any different than their past roles in films.One of the criminals who is the main antagonist is played by Ray Liotta. This isn't a surprise. Liotta proved he could play a scary character in Unlawful Entry (1992) and it was much more realistic. Here, Liotta still can be scary but his performance is either underdone or overdone. Almost like he has a split personality. That would've been more entertaining if that had been written into the screenplay. As for the other actors mentioned, they just play minor characters which is nice when they're on screen but when they aren't, the plot runs extremely slow. Lauren Holly, who plays Teri, the flight attendant isn't entertaining either. Her fear looks real but her voice is irritating and can make it hard for people to sympathize with the character.I'm honestly surprised that the direction wasn't better. The movie is directed by Robert Butler who has 3 Primetime Emmys and a few other awards. The special effects aren't bad either, they at least matched the era of the decade. At least that worked as well as Shirley Walker's score to the film. It wasn't memorable and didn't have a theme but at least it corresponded at all the right moments of each scene. There definitely was the right emotion for each particular segment. But that is it.For a thriller with a B list cast of actors from the small and big screens, one would think this would turn out at least somewhat watchable. It has OK music and special effects but the writing isn't special or even close to being a little different and the acting is poor.

Well, I don't like Ray Liotta. Luckily he's a mad bad guy. Lauren Holly does an alright job. All elements are average, but it comes together and many would be entertained. There's a slight ironic distance, some of the things are rather stupid, keeps things exciting, and then Lauren Holly is always good looking.Technically things works alright. However, a very low flying 747 too often travels at a ridiculous low speed. Also there's a fighter plane shooting debris off of the landing gear. Very funny.Well worth an afternoon ...:-)