Turbulence

Starring: Ray Liotta, Lauren Holly, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Hicks, Hector Elizondo
Directed by: Robert Butler
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Thriller
1997

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A fight attendant (Lauren Holly) must fight for her survival when a murder suspect (Ray Liotta) being transported on the flight breaks free.

Review:

Tim: I remember being maybe 16 years old, watching Turbulence, and thinking, "That was a pretty good movie." Fast forward another 16 years, and I saw it for a second time. This time around, I was older and wiser. I still don't think this movie is as bad as many people claim, but it's not as good as I originally believed. This is a goofy, over-the-top thriller, but there's something fun about it anyway. Maybe it's the cast that helps save it from a much worse fate.

The movie immediately requires some suspension of disbelief, as two murder suspects are being transported on a commercial airliner around the holidays that just happens to be nearly empty. Have you flown around Christmas? The planes aren't nearly empty and there certainly isn't a lot of murderers being transported. Plus, the plane in this movie seems like the biggest, most spacious plane I have ever seen. I fly a lot, and 99% of the flights I'm on are cramped with very close quarters. So, before we even get into the plot, this movie is already absurd. If you're looking for flaws, this movie will offer you a myriad of opportunities to hate it. At a certain point, you just have to go with it.

The cast is the best part of this film. Even though she hasn't had a very impressive career, I've always liked Lauren Holly. She's not spectacular here, but she's still fun to watch. She's at least somewhat relatable, which is good. Ray Liotta was a fun casting choice, but he gives such an absurd, over-the-top performance. He's in full on crazy mode and it is something to behold. I wouldn't say that he was especially good, but his insane performance is fun in a I-can't-believe-he's-really-going-for-it way. I really like Brendan Gleeson, and although I bet he wishes he had this film back, he still adds to the movie. Catherine Hicks and Hector Elizondo were nice additions, but they both looked silly at various points. Looking back on the cast, it's pretty average. But it also happens to be the best part of this movie. That's not a recipe for success.

I am a fan of movies that take place on airplanes, especially if they are thrillers. Planes fly at hundreds of miles an hour and contain extremely flammable jet fuel. It's a perfect setting for some nerveracking thrills. This movie does a good job of leveraging that setting to contribute to the excitement. The special effects look very dated today, but if you put yourself back in 1997, it's fairly intense.

As I mentioned, Turbulence has a ridiculous amount of plot holes and flaws. The direction was sub-par. It's way too over-the-top and occasionally laughable. This isn't a very good movie. That being said, this movie gets a really bad rap. I think it's average and disappointing, but not nearly as terrible as many people believe.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Air Force One, Dumb & Dumber, Con Air