• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Michelle Dockery as Madolyn and Mark Wahlberg as Daryl in "Flight Risk" (Lionsgate). OSV News classification, A-III -- adults. Motion Picture Association rating, R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (OSV News photo/courtesy of Lionsgate)

Movie Review: ‘Flight Risk’

January 29, 2025
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

NEW YORK (OSV News) – Although it’s mostly set high above the mountains of Alaska, the crime drama “Flight Risk” (Lionsgate) cannot be said to soar.

It’s a reasonably suspenseful yarn, and reflections on morality add some weight to the proceedings. Yet the villain of the piece displays a degree of sheer wickedness that strains credulity. Since one aspect of his iniquity is a taste for perverse sexual cruelty, moreover, director Mel Gibson’s thriller is strictly for grown-ups.

Fugitive accountant Winston (Topher Grace) is hiding out in the wilds of the 49th state when federal marshal Madolyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) catches up with him. They quickly strike a plea bargain deal based on his willingness to testify against the criminal kingpin for whom he’s been cooking the books.

The next step is to transport Winston, handcuffed and shackled, to Anchorage and then on to Seattle. However, Daryl Booth (Mark Wahlberg), the pilot hired to make the first leg of the trip, turns out not to be what he initially seems. That development leaves both Madolyn and Winston facing mortal peril.

Their jeopardy inspires introspection even as the balance of power onboard shifts back and forth. But there’s something of a low-rent feel to the project and screenwriter Jared Rosenberg’s script comes larded with obscenities as well as threats of perverse depravity that threaten to overshadow underlying lessons about compassion and conversion.

Thus, overall, viewers of “Flight Risk” can expect to find themselves traveling in tourist rather than first class. Given that they’ll also be facing some ethical and verbal turbulence during their voyage, many may, in fact, prefer to stay home.

The film contains distasteful themes, some scenes of gory violence, a few uses of profanity, several milder oaths, pervasive rough dialogue and much crude language. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Read More Movie & TV Reviews

Fox Nation announces second season for ‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘The Phoenician Scheme’

Television Review: ‘Patience,’ June 15, and streaming, PBS

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Copyright © 2025 OSV News

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prodigal son to priest

  • Deacon Alex Mwebaze is happy to call Maryland home

  • Deacon O’Donnell’s ‘normal’ faith life led to priestly vocation

  • Thank you to a one-of-a-kind teacher

  • Need for more Catholic Army chaplains to serve military flock as great as ever, say two priests

| CURRENT EDITION |

| Vatican News |

Bomb Iran

Trump orders US attack on Iran nuclear sites, as Pope Leo, bishops plead for peace

JUBILEE

Finance experts launch report at Vatican on foreign debt relief

Latin Mass

Traditionalist Catholics see evangelization potential of Latin Mass

POPE LEO XIV

Liturgical music can teach value of unity in diversity, pope says

Pope: Resist the ‘temptation’ of embracing weapons

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

Fox Nation announces second season for ‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Movie Review: ‘The Phoenician Scheme’

Television Review: ‘Patience,’ June 15, and streaming, PBS

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

| En español |

‘No tengan miedo de hacer lo que El Señor quiere para nosotros’

Dios quiere ayudar a las personas a descubrir su valor y dignidad, dice el Papa

El ‘Padre Migrante’ nos relata su vida sirviendo a comunidades inmigrantes

El ‘Obispo Bruce’ forjó fuertes lazos con Baltimore en tiempos difíciles y tenía corazón de pastor

El Papa León comienza su pontificado pidiendo una ‘Iglesia unida’ en un mundo herido

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Trump orders US attack on Iran nuclear sites, as Pope Leo, bishops plead for peace
  • We are part of the miracle
  • Visiting Upstate New York’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs
  • Washington Roundup: Trump weighs options in Israel-Iran conflict, CLINIC condemns expanded ICE raids
  • Malta in the Jubilee Year: A quieter pilgrimage of hope
  • Finance experts launch report at Vatican on foreign debt relief
  • Hundreds of thousands march in Poland’s Corpus Christi processions
  • Traditionalist Catholics see evangelization potential of Latin Mass
  • Juneteenth seen as day to reflect on freedom, ending racism and Black Catholics’ contributions

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED