Netflix’s top 10 list is constantly changing as new movies are added to the streaming service each week. Now, Gerard Butler has another smash hit thriller that’s jettisoned to the No. 1 spot just a few short days after landing on the platform on June 12.
“Plane” follows a commercial airline pilot (Butler) who’s stuck in a desperate situation when a mid-air lightning strike forces him to land on a war-torn island. After local rebels start picking off passengers, he must team up with a fugitive who was being transported on board (“Luke Cage’s” Mike Colter) to save the rest of the survivors from the same gruesome fate.
Its buddy action movie premise isn’t anything original; the genre loves pitting two polar opposites together in a high-stakes scenario to make it out on top against all odds. In fact, we saw something similar in “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” another Butler-led thriller that topped the Netflix charts earlier this year.
But while “Plane” doesn’t break any new ground, it still manages to carve out its own space and stand apart in a crowded streaming landscape. It feels like a throwback to the sharp, no-frills action movies of the 2000s, and Butler shines as an aging action hero past his prime. All told, “Plane” delivers exactly what it sets out to: a tense, gripping experience that’s as thrilling as it is entertaining.
So, if you’ve seen “Plane” pop up on your homepage, here’s everything you need to know before adding it to your Netflix watchlist.
What is ‘Plane’ about?
“Plane” stars Gerard Butler as Brodie Torrance, a former Royal Air Force pilot now flying commercial planes. The movie opens with him looking forward to some quality time with his daughter once he completes one last flight from Hawaii to Japan. Among the passengers is accused murderer Louis Gaspare (Colter), a former French Foreign Legionnaire who is being extradited by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
What should have been a routine flight turns into every pilot’s worst nightmare when a lightning strike takes out the plane’s avionics. Though Brodie manages to land the plane safely, he realizes too late that they’re stranded on the dangerous, pirate-run Jolo Islands.
To protect the survivors, he’s forced to rely on his military training and team up with Louis to carve a bloody path through the island until an escape route can be secured.
‘Plane’ is a gritty, character-led action thriller
For years now, Gerard Butler has been a force to be reckoned with in the mid-budget action scene, delivering one entertaining film after another and winning over audiences on both the big and small screens. So it’s no surprise to see yet another Butler-led thriller dominating the Netflix charts again.
Like I said before, “Plane” follows a well-worn formula, but it’s still a thoroughly entertaining watch. What really puts “Plane” a cut above the rest for me is its character authenticity, something many modern action films fumble.
Butler may be the lead, and he gets his fair share of fight scenes, but the movie makes it clear that this is no unstoppable action hero we’re dealing with. He’s a soldier who’s seen better days, and “Plane” embraces that. Especially by pitting him alongside Colter’s Louis, a fighter still in peak condition and clearly the more lethal of the two. Instead of shoehorning Butler into every heroic moment, “Plane” lets him perform within the limits of who his character is, and it adds to the chemistry between him and Colter.
This grounded realism also plays out in the fight scenes, which are intense and well-executed, though they don’t quite reach the same heights as the “John Wick” or “Mad Max” movies. Director Jean-François Richet brought in real-life Navy SEALs as stunt performers and consultants to make sure the combat and tactics feel as realistic as possible — and it pays off in a big way. Each hit lands with enough weight to make you wince.
Stream ‘Plane’ on Netflix now
I’m not the only one who enjoyed watching “Plane.” The movie earned a solid 79% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences were especially hyped about it given its 94% Popcornmeter score.
The audience consensus reads: “Check your critical thinking at the gate: The plot’s preposterous and loaded with entertaining action, making ‘Plane’ plenty of good old-fashioned fun.”
I think that summarizes “Plane” perfectly. It’s not the best action movie out there, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s lean, focused, and delivers exactly what you’d expect from a fast-paced extraction thriller. So, whether you’re a devoted Gerard Butler fan or just looking for a high-octane watch that keeps you on the edge of your seat, “Plane” is worth adding to your watchlist.
Stream “Plane” on Netflix now.
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