By John H. Foote
(*)
Place your brain on pause for this one, put your suspension of disbelief on high, (for as long as you can), be willing to go along with every goofy plot device, especially the narrative, and just go along for the ride. Start picking at the plot, you might never stop, so again, do not think about this movie AT ALL … just go along for the ride. Seriously, because if for one second you think about the going on in this film, it will crash and burn around you.
Garrett (Chloë Grace Moretz) boards a plane in 1943, carrying a package with high priority orders from the superiors of the plane crew. Challenged by the crew, she is placed in a tiny bubble under the plane where the guns are.
It is there things begin to unravel, and to say much will ruin the film for you. Suffice to say there are dark surprises waiting for audience and the crew. To say much will not allow you to enjoy, as much as you can the film.
True Garrett is not what or who she seems, and among the things she may encounter are crew who see her as merely sexual, attacking Japanese planes, gremlins tearing the plane apart, marital troubles, nothing being as it seems.
Moretz has grown into a formidable actress, capable of carrying a film on her shoulders for hours at a time. This is a long way from Kick Ass (2010).
Messy but fun, that is, while it lasts.
John H. Foote is a well-recognized Canadian film critic/historian who has been an active critic for 30 years. His deep love for the movies began at a very young age. He began his career as co-host of the popular TV show Reel to Real where he remained for nine years. While on TV he began dabbling in education, eventually ascending to Director of the Toronto Film School, where he also taught film history. After leaving the college to care for his wife, he returned to teaching at Humber College where he taught both Film History and Method Acting Theory. John has written two books: “Clint Eastwood – Evolution of a Filmmaker” and the upcoming “Spielberg – American Film Visionary”. He is currently working on two books, one about the films of the seventies and another on the films of Martin Scorsese. Through his career he has worked in TV, radio, print and the web. John has interviewed everyone in the industry (more than 300 interviews) except Jack Nicholson, he says sadly. Highlights include Martin Scorsese, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep Robert Duvall, Jane Fonda, Francis Ford Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow.
