This review was previously published in the theatrical section of HDD. Click here for that review.
Jean-Francois Richet turned heads with his remake of John Carpenter's classic Assault on Precinct 13, which he followed that film up with the Mel Gibson vehicle Blood Father a few years later. Richet knows how to build suspense and action for sure, but it's almost non-stop in Plane as Gerard Butler Captains up as a pilot hilariously and appropriately named for an action film - Brodie Torrance, for a commercial airliner on New Year's Eve. There are only about a dozen people on his international flight along with an inmate named Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), who is being transported for his murder conviction some fifteen years earlier.
Richet builds this film as an action/survival film set in the sky where the first twenty minutes or so deliver some exquisitely suspenseful turbulent weather as the plane and its passengers brace for a crash landing. As the plane lands on a remote island, it's quick to reveal that the island is not friendly and that it's run by a murderous militia who are quick to kill anyone that doesn't belong on their island. Of course, there is more than meets the eye with both inmate Gaspare and Brodie Torrance, which is where the film switches gears into a buddy action film with highly violent sequences which include a 50 caliber sniper rifle, a sledgehammer, and machetes allowing both leads to save the day and protect the other passengers.
This could easily be a run-of-the-mill action movie with no spark of life whatsoever, but Gerard Butler always comes through with sincerity and ferocity to each role as his protagonistic ways walk that line into the anti-hero territory. And he's pitch-perfect in this role. Mike Colter is just as great here as the mysterious inmate who might just need a sequel film just for his character. But what makes Plane rise above the rest are its little differences in how the film is told. For example, the first fight scene with Butler is filmed in one shot and lasts about 90 seconds! For this type of film, that is surprising as every slice and punch is felt with force. Butler's Torrance character doesn't always make the right move, but sometimes it has hilarious effects in a good way where Gaspare has to take him down a peg or two.
Plane also has weight and stakes because it doesn't shy away from showcasing some of the more brutal and bloodier death scenes which will cause some cheers. And of course, as an homage to those epic '80s action movies, that main antagonist has a superior and wonderfully glorious end that even Schwarzenegger would appreciate. Plane doesn't try to be something it isn't. It knows exactly what it should be and it succeeds and delivers in a short amount of time rather than the normal two and a half hours some recent films would like to slog through. Butler and Colter are a fantastic duo and let's all hope they team up for another trip.
Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Plane flies its way to 4K + Blu-ray + Digital Code via Lionsgate. Both discs are housed inside a hard black plastic case with a cardboard sleeve. The artwork features Gerard and Mike on the cover looking for a way to survive. There is an insert for a digital code.
Plane comes with a beautiful looking 2160p UHD 4K transfer with HDR/Dolby Vision that enhances the color palette and detail from the 1080p version.
The color palette is natural and has two separate colorways. The first is inside the plane where the colors are cooler with shades of blue, gray, purple, and other icy colors. But once the plane is on the ground, the image transforms to a more tropical setting. The greens really come out to play in the leaves and grass surrounding the plane. The brown and tan dirt and sand look amazing against the blue sky and white clouds with the many shades of green surrounding the metallic plane. The Dolby Vision upgrades those nuanced greens in the villain uniforms and backdrop of shrubbery. The red blood pops perfectly too during the more violent scenes. Black levels are deep and inky without any big evidence of crush or murky shadows. The skin tones are natural as well.
The detail is sharp and vivid, even more so with the 4K presentation that accentuates closeups of facial lines, wrinkles, pores, individual stubble and hairs, and even gory wounds. Wider shots never go soft either. The CGI effects are never pixelated or unrealistic. Everything looks natural, making this one great visual image. There are no major issues with banding, aliasing, or heavy noise. There is a small digital grain element that keeps the movie looking filmic.
This release brings the Dolby Atmos track to full force with some engaging sound effects, a decent score, and some wonderful height elements. The sound effects are always robust and loud. The sounds at the airport, along with the smaller more nuanced noises on the plane sound fantastic and well-balanced. When the turbulence kicks in, the low end of the bass comes with it. Once back on the ground, the boisterous fun blasts and vehicle engines give the audio track a nice whirl with some impressive bass and punches.
The transition from one speaker to the next when a gunshot goes off sounds amazing. The bass never crosses into a rocky territory and the music cues always add to the suspense of the film. The dialogue is clean and free of any audio problems. The height speakers bring down debris and weather during the first few minutes of the movie. This is one excellent audio presentation.
There are about 45 minutes of bonus features located on both discs, including some fun interviews with the cast and crew and some behind-the-scenes footage on the heavier action moments.
Plane is a sweet surprise of a movie. It's well-acted, violent, quick, and a ton of fun. it brings those vintage action films back to the forefront with charm and brutality in all the right places. The 4K with Dolby Vision video presentation is exquisite and the Dolby Atmos audio track sounds amazing. The bonus features are a little better than the average EPK footage. Highly Recommended!
