TMS Movie Review: Fight or Flight

(Vertical Entertainment)

In the grand tradition of schlocky, high budget action movies from the 1980s-1990s, James Madigan’s Fight or Flight takes the concept of David Leitch’s Bullet Train (2022) and only changes one thing: the train is now an airplane. What’s funny is, while Bullet Train left a lot to be desired in my opinion, I actually might have ended up preferring Fight or Flight. Both are ridiculous in tone and plot, but Madigan’s film not only seems to try to be nothing more than ‘mindless entertainment,’ but is even more self-aware of its silliness than even Bullet Train.

While hiding out in Bangkok, Lucas Reyes (Josh Hartnett) is recruited by his former colleague and ex-girlfriend, secret government agent head Katherine Brunt (Katee Sackhoff), to locate and deliver a rogue vigilante who has been dangerously sabotaging crime lords and corrupt corporations. If he takes on the job, Lucas’ name will be cleared as a former secret agent who lost control during a past assignment. The only problem is, once he’s on the plane where his target is also supposed to be, he discovers there are dozens of other secret assassins as passengers, and one of the flight attendants, Isha Mallik (Charithra Chandran) is actually the vigilante.

(Vertical Entertainment)

Fight or Flight was co-written by Brooks McLaren and actor D.J. Cotrona, and is Madigan’s official directorial debut following a career as a 2nd unit director and VFX supervisor. Needle drops such as Lesley Gore’s ‘Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows’ and Elvis Costello’s ‘Pump It Up’ appropriately let the audience know this isn’t going to be a serious endeavor, and it’s confirmed during the final act when he can clearly hear the famous ‘Wilhelm Scream’ sound effect. Like Bullet Train, there are a lot of flashy, over the top action and fight sequences in Fight or Flight that in general feel like a callback to Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor’s Crank (2006-09) movies and Summit’s John Wick (2014- ) franchise. Although I’ve been amused by Hartnett’s ‘unhinged’ project choices lately between this and M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap (2024), I didn’t find the characters very memorable or interesting here. If you enjoy well directed and executed choreography, don’t want any complicated storylines, and don’t mind transparent ‘plot armor’ and blatant exposition [i.e. nearly all of Sackhiff’s scenes], Fight or Flight could be a decent viewing for you…just like Bullet Train.