Plane

Plane (2023) is a lean, efficient action thriller that pairs Gerard Butler with Mike Colter in a story about a commercial pilot forced to land on a hostile island in the southern Philippines. Directed by Jean-François Richet, the film wastes no time getting to the point: a routine New Year's Eve flight from Singapore to Tokyo is struck by lightning, knocking out navigation and communications, and the pilot, Brodie Torrance, makes a split-second decision to set the damaged aircraft down on a remote island near Jolo, a region known for insurgent activity. What follows is a tense survival story that pits the passengers against a ruthless militia, with Torrance and a convicted murderer named Louis Gaspare forming an unlikely alliance to rescue the hostages.

The film was produced on a modest budget of $25 million by MadRiver Pictures, di Bonaventura Pictures, and Butler's own G-BASE, among others. It grossed $74.5 million worldwide, a solid return that reflects its appeal as a no-frills, old-school action picture. Critics were largely favorable, with the Rotten Tomatoes score sitting at 76% and the audience score at 94%. The movie's success led to a sequel, Ship, released in 2025, though that follow-up did not match the original's box office performance.

Richet, known for the Mesrine films and the 2005 remake of Assault on Precinct 13, brings a grounded, practical approach to the action, using real aircraft and stunts wherever possible. The screenplay, credited to Charles Cumming and J.P. Davis, keeps the plot straightforward, allowing the chemistry between Butler and Colter to carry the emotional weight. The film also features Tony Goldwyn as a corporate executive coordinating a private rescue, and a supporting cast that includes Yoson An, Daniella Pineda, and Evan Dane Taylor as the militia leader. Plane is a reminder that sometimes all you need is a good premise and two charismatic leads to deliver a satisfying thriller. [edit]

Captain Brodie Torrance, a former Royal Air Force pilot now flying for the fictional British carrier Trailblazer Airlines, is still haunted by an incident from his past that grounded him. He accepts a routine New Year's Eve flight from Singapore to Tokyo, carrying fourteen passengers and a small crew. Among them is Louis Gaspare, a convicted murderer being extradited to the United States under the watch of two federal marshals. The flight is uneventful until the aircraft encounters a violent electrical storm over the Pacific Ocean. A lightning strike disables the navigation and communication systems, leaving Torrance with no choice but to attempt an emergency landing. He sets the plane down on a remote island in the southern Philippines, near the volatile Jolo region.

The crash is brutal but survivable. The passengers and crew emerge shaken but alive in the dense jungle. Almost immediately, they are confronted by a local militia led by the ruthless Datu Junmar, who takes the passengers hostage, intending to ransom them. Torrance manages to escape capture, and he finds an unexpected ally in Gaspare, who also evades the militia's grasp. Despite their differences, the two form an uneasy partnership. Gaspare possesses survival skills and a willingness to use violence that Torrance lacks, and the pilot reluctantly relies on him to navigate the treacherous jungle and rescue the hostages.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Trailblazer Airlines executive David Scarsdale coordinates a private military extraction mission, hiring mercenaries to retrieve the passengers and neutralize the threat. The film cuts between Torrance and Gaspare's jungle trek, the militia's brutal treatment of the hostages, and Scarsdale's efforts to secure a rescue. As the pair fight their way toward the militia's compound, they encounter booby traps, ambushes, and the harsh realities of the Philippine jungle. The central conflict is twofold: Torrance must overcome his guilt and self-doubt to lead the rescue, while Gaspare must prove that he is more than his criminal record.

The film also introduces subplots involving the passengers, including Samuel Dele, a young father traveling with his daughter, and Bonnie Lane, a flight attendant who takes charge of keeping the hostages calm and organized. The story builds toward a climactic confrontation at the militia's compound, where Torrance and Gaspare must free the hostages before the mercenaries arrive, or before the militia decides to execute them.[edit]