Josh Hartnett’s ‘Fight or Flight’ Struggles to Take Off

Josh Hartnett stars in Fight or Flight, an action thriller that promises sky-high suspense but delivers a familiar, lackluster ride. Despite solid fight scenes, the movie falls flat with a weak script and a recycled plot.

‘Fight or Flight’ Review: A Turbulent Ride with Little Lift

In the crowded airspace of action cinema, a high-concept pitch can sometimes feel like enough to get a project off the ground. Such seems to be the case with Fight or Flight, a mid-budget thriller that imagines what might happen if you packed a commercial airliner full of assassins, a mystery target, and one grizzled mercenary trying to keep it all from descending into chaos. Directed by James Madigan and headlined by Josh Hartnett, the film flirts with tension and spectacle but ultimately crash-lands into the realm of forgettable B-movie fare.

A Familiar Setup Without Much Innovation

At its core, Fight or Flight delivers a premise so easy to summarize, that you can practically hear the elevator pitch: Speed at 35,000 feet meets Bullet Train with fewer colors and considerably less style. Unfortunately, as gripping as that concept sounds on paper, the execution feels uninspired. Instead of embracing the claustrophobic setting for creative storytelling, the film relies on well-worn action clichés and undercooked character arcs that struggle to hold the audience’s attention.

Josh Hartnett steps into the boots of Lucas Reyes, a mercenary down on his luck and hiding out in Bangkok after a mission gone sideways. The audience first meets Lucas passed out in a haze of booze and regret—a familiar opening shot for a genre that loves its brooding anti-heroes. But when his ex-lover, now working with a vague peacekeeping organization, pulls him back into the game with a new assignment, Lucas finds himself boarding a San Francisco-bound flight to locate and neutralize a shadowy figure known only as “The Ghost.”

A Plane Full of Killers: Good Setup, Weak Payoff

The film’s most intriguing idea—that nearly every passenger on the flight is an assassin chasing the same target—initially promises a chaotic, suspense-filled showdown. It’s the kind of setup that demands clever choreography and sharp dialogue. However, what could have been a tension-laden chess match between killers quickly devolves into generic gunfights and predictable betrayals.

Where films like John Wick or Bullet Train lean into their world-building to elevate the action, Fight or Flight leaves much of its narrative scaffolding underdeveloped. The assassins, largely interchangeable, lack the personality or backstory that might have made their interactions memorable. Even the titular Ghost, presumably the prize everyone is chasing, remains a vague plot device rather than a compelling character.

Hartnett’s Comeback Effort: Committed but Limited

For his part, Josh Hartnett does what he can with the material. Known for his early 2000s heartthrob status and more recent attempts at serious dramatic roles, Hartnett carries the weary charisma required for the role of Lucas Reyes. His performance hints at the depth of a man haunted by past choices, but the script gives him little room to explore beyond surface-level gruffness.

There are brief moments where the film gestures toward a deeper emotional core—suggesting that Lucas’s exile was driven by a moral code at odds with the mercenary life—but these threads are left dangling. Hartnett’s ability to project vulnerability beneath the hardened exterior is one of the film’s few strengths, though even his commitment can’t overcome the thin writing.

Supporting Cast and Performances: Mostly Forgettable

Charithra Chandran of Bridgerton fame plays a stewardess whose loyalties remain ambiguous for much of the film. While she brings a subtle intensity to the role, the screenplay doesn’t give her enough substance to work with, relegating her to the “potential double agent” trope without meaningful development.

The remaining ensemble—including the pilots, who serve as occasional comic relief—feels like sketches of characters rather than fully realized players. In one of the film’s more absurd moments, the pilots debate whether to ground the hijacked plane or wait it out in hopes of landing a movie deal about the ordeal. It’s a jarring tonal shift that undercuts what little tension the movie manages to build.

Action Sequences: Well-staged but Routine

If Fight or Flight succeeds anywhere, it’s in its action choreography. The fight scenes, though formulaic, are competently executed and refreshingly clear. Unlike many modern action films plagued by choppy editing and shaky cameras, the filmmakers here at least respect the audience’s ability to follow the geography of the action.

However, the limitations of the film’s budget are apparent. The confined airplane setting—which could have been a playground for inventive, close-quarters combat—rarely feels as claustrophobic or dynamic as it should. The movie’s flat lighting and uninspired production design sap the energy from scenes that should otherwise pop with adrenaline.

Borrowed DNA: Living in the Shadows of Better Films

It’s impossible to watch Fight or Flight without noting its obvious influences. The setup borrows liberally from the likes of John Wick, Bullet Train, and even Clint Eastwood’s Sully—which gets name-dropped in a meta-commentary by the film’s pilots. But where those films managed to either lean into their camp or build compelling cinematic worlds, Fight or Flight simply rehashes familiar beats without adding anything new.

The movie’s inability to commit to either full-throttle seriousness or tongue-in-cheek self-awareness leaves it stranded somewhere in the middle, lacking the charm of a true B-movie and the polish of a higher-tier action flick.

Final Verdict: Forgettable at Best, Frustrating at Worst

Clocking in at a brisk 90 minutes, Fight or Flight is mercifully short but still feels longer than it should. Despite a promising setup and a committed lead in Josh Hartnett, the movie never finds the altitude it needs to soar. Thin character development, a recycled plot, and uninspired direction ground this thriller before it ever takes flight.

It’s the kind of film you might stumble upon while flipping through the in-flight entertainment menu, only to decide that rewatching Friends for the hundredth time sounds like a much better use of your time.

(Disclaimer:  This review is based on an independent critique of the film Fight or Flight and reflects the author’s analysis. All opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.)

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