Reviewed by Jami Ferguson
The friendly skies take a dark turn in Flight 7500, arriving on DVD (plus Digital) and Digital HD on April 12 from Lionsgate. From the director of The Grudge comes this spine-chilling journey into fear. On a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo, a plane is shaken by severe weather. When the turbulence subsides, a passenger suddenly dies — and a supernatural force is unleashed, overtaking the passengers as they desperately fight to figure out what it is and how to stop it. From the producer of The Ring, Flight 7500 stars Leslie Bibb, Jamie Chung, Jerry Ferrara, Ryan Kwanten, Johnathon Schaech, and Amy Smart. Featuring a look behind the scenes at the making of the film (the “Inside Flight 7500” featurette),
Film (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Vista Pacific Flight 7500 if headed from LAX to Tokyo. Flight Attendant Laura (Leslie Bibb) is on board preparing for boarding as friend and fellow flight attendant Suzy (Jamie Chung) rushes to make the flight. Laura hopes that three days in Tokyo with the flight’s pilot (Jonathan Schaech) will result in him leaving his wife for her.
A group of 4 friends boards the plane. Brad Martin and his wife Pia are taking the trip to Tokyo with another couple. Their friend has used his frequent flier miles to upgrade them to first class, and Brad and Martin plan to repay them with drinks and a spa day when they arrive in Tokyo. The other passengers are the expected mix of travelers.
There is a newlywed couple, a lady with a baby and an edgy young girl with a ring in her lip and spikes on her boots. The newly married woman prays out loud that the overweight man won’t sit next to her. Other passengers seem to have a story, including a young girl who is clearly having boyfriend issues and a creepy man who has brought a wooden box as a carry on.
When someone mysteriously dies during the flight, something supernatural threatens the remaining passengers. There will be a loss of cabin pressure, the kind of turbulence that could kill people, a strange mist and even disappearances. Without discovering the supernatural mystery unfolding on board, no one will make it to Tokyo.
Flight 7500 doesn’t have an A-list cast, but they all authentically deliver both fear and drama. Many people will be happy to know this is a true thriller, with very little blood and gore. With only one set, the airplane, the sense of claustrophobia adds to the tension. Even if you think you know where the story is headed, you might be surprised by the twist ending.
Video (3 out of 5 stars)
Flight 7500 is unfortunately, not available on Blu-ray. Considering it’s a DVD, the film looks better than expected. In a dimly lit cabin, after the lights go out, or even in the cargo hold with a flashlight, you can always pick out the important details. There are a few items you’ll see in a shade of white that can only represent death. The film, presented in a widescreen 16x9 (1.78:1) format certainly isn’t perfect but none of its issues jumped out at me while I was enjoying the movie.
Audio (3 out of 5 stars)
The English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio handles the dialogue and even the whispers from the dark. The screams and chills some through clear and powerfully in this DVD.
Extras (1 out of 5 stars)
The DVD contains only a single special feature if you don’t count trailers.
- Inside Flight 7500 (4:41) – A brief making of featurette including cast interviews and the Director’s opinions delivered by a translator. Learning that this ghost story originated as an alien movie was interesting. At less than five minutes long, I wished for more.
- Also from Lionsgate – Preview trailers for The Last Exorcism Part 2, Knock Knock, Z for Zachariah, The Duff and Maggie.
- Digital Copy of the Movie
Summary (2 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Flight 7500 is a solid 3 ½ star film. It’s overall rating decreases dramatically based on the lack of special features and no available Blu-ray. At times it feels a little bit like The Grudge at 30,000 feet, but that didn’t bother me much. There is genuine tension and suspense – which is something the Director is obviously comfortable working with. While you’re trying to decide who or what is haunting the passengers, you might not even see the twist coming.
Order your copy today!
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