Mark Wahlberg’s ‘Flight Risk’ Crashes in Cinematic Misfire

LOS ANGELES — Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, and Topher Grace star in “Flight Risk,” a new thriller-comedy that critics are calling a cinematic disaster. Directed by Mel Gibson, the film debuted in theaters Friday to scathing reviews, with many labeling it as one of the worst releases of the year.

The movie follows U.S. Marshal Madelyn Harris (Dockery) as she transports a fugitive-turned-witness (Grace) to testify against a mob boss. The duo hires a pilot (Wahlberg) for a small plane journey to Anchorage, Alaska, but soon discovers he is an unhinged assassin. What ensues is a chaotic mix of brutal violence, awkward humor, and a plot that critics say fails to take off.

“Flight Risk” has been criticized for its inconsistent tone, with Dockery playing a serious federal agent, Grace delivering sitcom-style one-liners, and Wahlberg portraying a menacing, wig-wearing sociopath. Screenwriter Jared Rosenberg‘s reliance on scatological humor and flabby dialogue further detracts from the film’s potential, according to reviewers.

“You’ll be shaking your head at the sheer ludicrousness of it all,” wrote Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter, one of the few critics to offer a positive take. However, most reviews were less forgiving. Variety‘s Todd Gilchrist called it a “crude, unimaginative, suspenseless adventure,” while The Globe and Mail‘s Barry Hertz described it as a “C-grade thriller dumbed down to dunce-cap calibre.”

Gibson’s direction, while competent in capturing the claustrophobic tension of the plane’s interior, couldn’t salvage the film’s weak script. The movie’s bizarre twists, including a flirtatious radio exchange between Dockery’s character and another pilot, left audiences baffled. “The screenplay is all over the place, in a way that feels tired and halfhearted,” noted Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times.

Despite its flaws, some critics found moments of entertainment in the film’s absurdity. “It’s methodically, even artisanally stupid, built in accordance with the classic thriller rules,” wrote Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph. However, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 25%, “Flight Risk” is unlikely to soar at the box office.

“Flight Risk,” rated R for violence and language, runs for 91 minutes and is now playing in theaters nationwide.