The Flight of the Phoenix

7.4

It's unfortunate that many stars' prominent hits overshadow their lesser work. Case in point, the 1965 adventure The Flight of the Phoenix. It is in no way any of the actors' best work, but an enjoyable ride nonetheless. James Stewart and Richard Attenborough are obvious stand outs, excelling in many scene-chewing dramatic bits. Hardy Kruger is the lesser-known stand out. The face-offs between his character and Stewart's are some of the most memorable. The best dramatic scenes are saved for the last act, where the pace thankfully quickens.

Running at 2 hours and 22 minutes, the film is massive. In attempting to tell a conventional adventure story on a massive scale, the film flounders as often as it flies. There is just too much movie here. The majority of which involves a long list of obstacles the characters brave in order to survive. They all add dramatic tension here and there but never amount to anything more. A sexy mirage in the desert, a stand-off with radiers; any number of these can be cut. The subtractions could make for a leaner, more enjoyable film. The cinematography and sound are solid but nothing special. It is a strong adventure film with an outstanding cast that will leave you as weary as the stranded characters by the time its over.