Flight of the Phoenix (2004)

Director:

John Moore

Writers (WGA):

Lukas Heller (1965 screenplay)
Scott Frank (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 December 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The only way out is up

Plot:

Survivors of a plane crash in the Mongolian desert work together to build a new plane.

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Stranded | Remake | Airplane Accident | Sandstorm

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Dennis Quaid	...	Frank Towns
Tyrese Gibson	...	A.J.
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Elliott
Miranda Otto	...	Kelly Johnson
Tony Curran	...	Alex Rodney
Sticky Fingaz	...	Jeremy (as Kirk Jones)
Jacob Vargas	...	Sammi
Hugh Laurie	...	Ian
Scott Michael Campbell	...	James Liddle
Kevork Malikyan	...	Rady
Jared Padalecki	...	John Davis
Paul Ditchfield	...	Dr. Gerber
Martin Hindy	...	Newman (as Martin 'Mako' Hindy)
Bob Brown	...	Kyle
Anthony Wong	...	Lead Smuggler

Also Known As:

El vuelo del Fénix (Argentina) (video title) (Spain) [es]
Le vol du Phoenix (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Aavikkolento (Finland) [fi]
Anka'nin uyanisi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Der Flug des Phoenix (Germany) [de]
Fööniksi lend (Estonia) [et]
I ptisi tou Foinika (Greece) [el]
Il volo della fenice (Italy) [it]
O Vôo da Fênix (Brazil) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language, action and violence.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

UK:12 (video rating) (2005) | UK:12A (original rating) | Canada:14A (DVD rating) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #41095) | Taiwan:PG-12 | Norway:11 | Iceland:14 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Germany:12 | Ireland:12A | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M (DVD rating) | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Greece:K-13 | Peru:14 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Africa

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The model used for the crash sequence cost $250,000 and was so perfectly built it actually flew further than the crew and testing had predicted. In fact it flew so far it hit the camera filming it and broke the cameraman's leg.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When the left engine fails, the torque gauge falls well below zero instead of stopping on it. A short time later, the hydraulic gauge is shown also to drop below zero, and actually spins down below the 4000 and 3000 PSI marks.

Quotes:

[preparing for takeoff]
A.J.: [as Bill Cosby] OK, all set, Mr. President. I think it's about time that we do the checklist as the two Bills. What do you say, buddy?
Frank Towns: [as Bill Clinton] Why change a good thing? Go ahead.
A.J.: Allow me to grab my bulletin. Seatbelts.
Frank Towns: I always like to have a little something strapped to my lap. Check.
A.J.: Windows, doors and hatches.
Frank Towns: Closed and secure, so no-one can disturb us.
A.J.: Water injection.
Frank Towns: That's what she said. Check.
A.J.: Gyro.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Remake of The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

Soundtrack:

Hey Ya

A classic example of how NOT to do a remake.

I have the greatest respect for producers and directors. Regardless of the quality of their work, they must struggle to bring their personal vision to film, and this requires intelligence, technical proficiency, artistic sense, and the skill of a great storyteller. So why do so many directors do remakes of classic movies that deliberately do away with the qualities that made the earlier version(s) as great as they are? Why not fiddle with the less important aspects of the movie? In the original "Flight of the Phoenix", there are several aspects of the film that are essential to the movie; the complete absence of women, the contrast of the claustrophobic setting of the crash site against the vastness of the desert, the lack of backstory for the characters, the revealing of the hidden hopes and fears of the characters through pure dialogue, and the total isolation of the men from outside influences (with the exception of the encounter with the Bedouins.) The 2004 version of the movie basically does away with all of these elements, and the result is not positive.

The original movie was basically a stage play, with limited special effects and a setting that could easily be reproduced on a stage. I don't believe that John Moore improves the movie in any way other than the introduction of some brief, but impressive, special effects.

I also have to point out that some of the reviewers have obviously never seen the original 1965 version, or, if they did, they paid little attention to it. One reviewer, for example, observes that the pilot, Frank Towns, has to be talked into leading the effort to rescue themselves, suggesting that this was somehow a new element in the story. Fans of the 1965 version will recall that this was a major plot element, wherein Towns did not wish to be responsible and did not believe that the effort to rebuild the plane would be successful.

As many others have said, see the original first. Then, if you really want the 21st century special effects, see the 2004 version.

Additional Comment: I just watched this again because a friend had not seen it. These people were the dumbest fools that ever got stranded anywhere. Not to mention that, aside from a minor touch of sunburn,they stay in miraculaously good shape without hats, sunscreen, or any other significant protection.

** out of *****