Starring: Dennis Quaid, Giovanni Ribisi, Miranda Otto
Director: John Moore
Rated: M15+
THOSE with long memories and those who enjoy movies on television may have strong impressions of Robert Aldrich’s 1965 Flight of the Phoenix with James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine and a strong male supporting cast.
A plane crashes in the Sahara and a passenger (Hardy Kruger) claims that they could rebuild the plane.
Forty years on, the crash is in the Gobi desert in a hot July (but filmed in the dunes of Namibia).
Dennis Quaid is the gung-ho pilot and a blonde and bespectacled Giovanni Ribisi, like a cross between a Gestapo interrogator and Dr Strangelove, is the aviation expert.
Along for the ride from an unprofitable oilfield that is being closed down are the accountant, Hugh Laurie, and the manager, Miranda Otto.
The rest are a motley lot of survivors.
The interactions of those stranded in the desert are par for the course, generally the expected fights, quarrelling, pep talks and motivations (better to do something than nothing), exhilaration in building the plane again and dismay at the accidents that hinder the rebuilding (and the threatening roving smugglers).
Where the film takes off (or rather comes down) most effectively is in the flight sequences through the sandstorm and the crash.
This is where effects and stunt work combine to jaw-dropping effect.
Irish director John Moore also made Behind Enemy Lines, which was better on the action than on the drama, and is an avowed ‘plane freak’.
Those who share his passion will best appreciate his film.
Otherwise, it is big and loud and best during the action.
