I haven't seen the original FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX - I'm still waiting for it to show up on television - but when I saw this remake was on I decided to give it a go. I wish I hadn't bothered.
The 2004 FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX is a dog of a film. It's as vapid, dull and uninteresting as the worst of Hollywood, an exercise in money-grubbing throughout, that never raises the tempo or provokes a moment's interest. Everything in the film is clichéd: the characters, the situation, the events that take place. It's all been done before; more than that, it's all been done better before.
Dennis Quad is the belligerent pilot who crash lands his plane in the Gobi desert and who must lead a group of survivors in a battle against the elements. For some reason, there's a huge cast, most of whom get barely more than a minute or two on camera, which leaves them faceless and bland. Characterisation beyond stereotypes is zero, and the politically correct convention of throwing in a token female character (the unfortunate Miranda Otto) is irritating.
The survival story lacks any kind of tension whatsoever; the characters never feel in any danger, or like they're a step or two away from death. The plane-building stuff is routine and boring, and even established actors like Hugh Laurie are given nothing to do. Giovanni Ribisi continues his tradition of playing exceptionally irritating characters, although he does get one decent twist involving his character. But the ending is pure hokum and the silly CGI effects spoil any attempts at credibility the film tries to muster.
The 2004 FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX is a dog of a film. It's as vapid, dull and uninteresting as the worst of Hollywood, an exercise in money-grubbing throughout, that never raises the tempo or provokes a moment's interest. Everything in the film is clichéd: the characters, the situation, the events that take place. It's all been done before; more than that, it's all been done better before.
Dennis Quad is the belligerent pilot who crash lands his plane in the Gobi desert and who must lead a group of survivors in a battle against the elements. For some reason, there's a huge cast, most of whom get barely more than a minute or two on camera, which leaves them faceless and bland. Characterisation beyond stereotypes is zero, and the politically correct convention of throwing in a token female character (the unfortunate Miranda Otto) is irritating.
The survival story lacks any kind of tension whatsoever; the characters never feel in any danger, or like they're a step or two away from death. The plane-building stuff is routine and boring, and even established actors like Hugh Laurie are given nothing to do. Giovanni Ribisi continues his tradition of playing exceptionally irritating characters, although he does get one decent twist involving his character. But the ending is pure hokum and the silly CGI effects spoil any attempts at credibility the film tries to muster.