Nearly 20 years ago, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez produced a couple of grind-house films, reflecting back to the exploitation flicks of the 1970's, flicks that were bloody and violent, as well as dirty and disgusting. They were raunchy or sexy too. This film, directed by James Madigan in his debut feature, ditches the raunchy and the sex, even though his leading man could have absolutely delivered, but yet it still feels as if it could fit in that grindhouse-style or genre. As the opening scene suggests, this narrative is going to revel in murder and mayhem, sensational violence to the max. The week prior, Gareth Evans' Havoc (2025) with Tom Hardy hit Netflix and could be considered grind-house too, but Evans' film is rather humorless and Hardy lacks the charm or comedic disposition that the leading man here does. Madigan leans into zaniness and madcap or cartoon-like violence with obviously laughs intended.
Josh Hartnett (Oppenheimer and Pearl Harbor) seems primed for his performance here. Having recently been featured in two Guy Ritchie flicks, Hartnett could have easily walked off Ritchie's sets and into this one without having to make much difference at all. In fact, if Madigan's name wasn't on this film, I might have guessed Ritchie was at the helm. Ritchie's recent work has only been a step above grind-house. Madigan at times could seem like he's trying to be a step above with his tackling of serious issues, but people will mainly be treated to Hartnett being a wacked out action star, engaging in brutal martial arts with a fast rising body count that moves this film more toward Evans than Ritchie.
Hartnett stars as Lucas Reyes, a former Secret Service agent who is living in exile in Bangkok, Thailand. He's a wanted man and is currently on a no-fly list, so he's stuck in Southeast Asia. He's highly trained in fighting and shooting, one of the best, but he's currently a drunk, practically living on the streets. Strangely, he's supported by a female bar owner. One day, he's told that he can clear his name and return to the United States, if he accomplishes one last mission. That mission involves apprehending a terrorist who is hiding on board a double-decker airplane flying from Bangkok to San Francisco.
Katee Sackoff (The Mandalorian and Battlestar Galactica) co-stars as Katherine Brunt, a woman who worked in the government at top levels. She knows the backstory of Lucas and why he's exiled. She's the head of a new organization that is hunting a terrorist that has been spotted in Thailand. She has soldiers and various teams, but, unfortunately, her soldiers aren't able to get to Bangkok to catch the terrorist in question. She calls upon Lucas to be her Hail Mary.
No one knows what the terrorist looks like, so the film seems like it's going to be a mystery where Lucas has to determine who the terrorist is among a plane full of passengers. It seems as if he's going to meet some of those passengers and then suss out which one is the person he wants. It would essentially make this film akin to that Liam Neeson flick, Non-Stop (2014), which has the same premise. Neeson's character is even an alcoholic, much in the way Hartnett's Lucas is a drunk. Comparatively, that film was way more grounded and realistic, despite the ridiculousness in that thriller.
Charithra Chandran (How to Date Billy Walsh and Bridgerton) co-stars as Isha Mandhal, a flight attendant on the same plane who ends up getting pulled into Lucas' mission. When it comes to this film tackling serious issues, Isha is the one who introduces it. She's the one who makes the case against child trafficking and slave labor, particularly that of phone companies. This issue is connected to the terrorist and becomes a way of understanding the terrorist's motives. While Lucas is motivated selfishly, to some degree, it's Isha who helps to remind him that some act selflessly.
Otherwise, this film is a series of fight scenes that get increasingly crazier and more over-the-top as the narrative goes along. If one saw Brad Pitt in Bullet Train (2022), this film is similar except it's on a plane not a train. That Pitt action vehicle had way more in terms of visual effects, especially in its climax. Madigan's film here doesn't have a lot in VFX, at least none that's obvious. This is odd, given that Madigan has mostly worked in VFX, winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Visual Effects for Rome (2005). The VFX here is probably the tons of blood and gore, including a chainsaw sequence following a hallucinogenic trip that sees tons of splatter and sparkle on the screen.
Finally, shout-out to Julian Kostov who plays Aaron Hunter, a subordinate of Katherine who is also searching for the terrorist. He's called cutthroat in what he'll do to get the mission done. He's also a hothead. He'll easily fly off the handle and curse up a storm. Kostov is notable because he had a rather memorable role in the recent season of the Emmy-winning series The White Lotus (2021), playing a sexy yet shady Russian. He's also equally memorable here.
Rated R for strong bloody violence, some drug material and language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 42 mins.
In theaters.
