(Review originally written at 14 May 2006)
This is one of those typical movies that is predictable in many ways and everything that occurs doesn't come as a real surprise. You know how this movie is going to end (especially when you have already seen the original of course) before you even start watching the movie. All of this however doesn't really matter and it's no complaint, for "Flight of the Phoenix" is well made, fun entertainment.
Of course the movie doesn't come close to the original from 1965 with James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Hardy Krüger and George Kennedy. But then again, this movie doesn't try to surpass the original. Instead it simply uses the ingredients and concept of the original to make a fun and entertaining movie with, by modern 2004 standards. It's a movie made without much ambition or potential, it's just made for the simple reason to give us the viewers, a fun 113 minutes.
The movie is pretty well made and it has a good action movie style all over it. The special effects are great and so is the sound. There are some spectacular and well made sequences in the movie, of which the plane crash itself is of course one of the highlights. It's like a long, never ending action sequence in which a lot is happening and everything looks quite impressive and spectacular. It's a well constructed action sequence that on its own is reason enough who this movie is a watchable one. The editing is a bit lacking at times and some of the techniques used are just plain weird. Luckily the musical score by the underrated action-score composer Marco Beltrami is quite good one, on the other hand.
There are some well known names in the movie and they all do their job well. Nothing really spectacular going on acting-wise but the actors are good enough to give the shallow, underdeveloped characters still a humane face and a more overall realistic feeling. Giovanni Ribisi was perhaps the only actor that really truly surprised me. This is a sort of role we haven't really seen him in and he did an amazing job and he really deserves credit for his performance.
Will people still remember this movie in 10 years from now? Probably not. Will people still enjoy watching this movie in 10 years? Most definitely!
7/10
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