FLIGHTPLAN
A tense thriller that veers off course; better watched at home.
Should You Watch It?
FLIGHTPLAN begins with a strong source of fear: a grieving mother’s young daughter vanishes aboard a jumbo jet. Jodie Foster gives the role credibility as Kyle Pratt, an intelligent, panicky mother who believes her child is in danger while the captain and air marshal question what she knows.
The film’s tension is weakened by implausibilities and emotional manipulation. It plays on post-9/11 fears and the uglier side of crowd mentality, but its eventual vindication comes too cheaply. The movie also includes light obscenities, a few profanities, light violence, and a religious element involving prayer to a dead husband.
Because the source rates the film as only two stars and describes its ending as disappointing, watch it at home if you choose to watch it at all.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESKyle Pratt, a propulsion engineer and grieving mother, boards a multi-level jumbo jet with her six-year-old daughter, Julia. During the flight, Julia disappears.
Kyle is convinced her daughter has been abducted or has wandered somewhere on the aircraft. But the captain doubts that Julia was ever on the plane, and her name does not appear on the passenger manifest. As Kyle searches for answers, her fear begins to threaten the safety of everyone aboard.
Is It Any Good?
Two stars means FLIGHTPLAN has a promising thriller setup but does not sustain it convincingly. Jodie Foster brings credibility to the role, and the actors give the material their all. The premise also creates immediate anxiety: a child disappears in a confined space, while the adults around her question the mother’s judgment.
The weaknesses are in the writing and direction. Implausibilities pile up, the audience is repeatedly asked to suspend disbelief, and the plot hits “major turbulence.” The film takes the path of least resistance, then delivers vindication so cheaply that the emotional manipulation becomes difficult to ignore.
The Worldview
FLIGHTPLAN does not have much of a worldview. Its central concern is a grieving woman searching for her lost child while fear, suspicion, and public pressure grow around her. The story also plays on post-9/11 fears and shows, at times, the uglier side of crowd mentality.
The only possible religious element is the heroine’s prayer to her dead husband for help. That differs from a biblical view of prayer, which directs trust toward the living God rather than toward the dead. Still, the film’s portrayal of grief points toward a real human longing for comfort: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Light pagan worldview about a woman searching for her lost child in-flight, including woman prays to her dead husband for help; nine light obscenities, one profanity and three blasphemies or strong profanities; violence includes fighting, explosion, shootings, woman hits her head in slow motion, man hit in face with fire extinguisher, and man cuts himself on broken glass; no sexual content or nudity; some drinking and smoking, and woman takes prescription medication; and, grieving, loss, extortion, and deception.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Kyle’s grief and fear drive her search for her daughter. How can we bring fear and sorrow to God instead of carrying them alone?
Psalm 34:18 · Philippians 4:6–7The passengers begin to respond to Kyle through fear and suspicion. How should Christians treat people whose distress is difficult to understand?
James 1:19–20 · Galatians 6:2The film includes prayer to a dead husband for help. What does Scripture teach about whom we should seek in times of trouble?
Psalm 46:1 · Hebrews 4:16The Final Word
FLIGHTPLAN has a gripping premise and committed performances, but implausibilities and a cheap payoff send it veering off course. For teenagers and adults who remain interested, watch it at home, where you can control the experience. WAIT FOR HOME. For stronger family viewing, see.
