Tom Hanks might have bad luck when it comes to air travel. We’ve seen him survive a plane crash in Castaway, not make it past Customs in The Terminal and, this week, face an impossible emergency landing in Sully.
As Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the cool-headed veteran pilot who pulled off the impossible under immense pressure, Tom Hanks does a fantastic job portraying the main character. Sullenberger is an all-American hero who performs an extraordinary feat of bravery and skill.
Director Clint Eastwood exemplifies his taste in actors with the choice of Aaron Eckhart, who plays First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, adding an invaluable wise-guy repartee experience. Eckhart is accredited for his work in The Dark Knight and Olympus Has Fallen.
In this drama film, the story portrays the events and aftermath of the “Miracle on the Hudson” of 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing on the Hudson River after birds struck both engines. Captain Chesley Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles helped ensure every passenger survived the ordeal.
Being inside the cabin with Sullenberger and Skiles creates a thrilling experience, but this movie depicts much more. As he did with his Middle East missions in American Sniper, Eastwood puts the viewers right in the cockpit crisis, with the captain and co-pilot.
Before the ill-fated event, the film emits a mildly engaging bordering on sedate feel. One woman holding a baby warns others that her baby likes to “throw things.” The man next to her simply responds with “I like catching things.”
The film keeps the audience engrossed when the climax is reached. Although the rescue took a quick 24 minutes to complete and most know the ending to this near-tragedy is a happy one, the emotion of the pilots and passengers along with sound effects, builds suspense through the scene.
Towards the end of the film Sullenberger thanks the emergency services, the passengers and the control room responders who all played their part in what happened.
This film is truly inspiring, it provides an insight to a pilot’s and passengers nightmare. It makes sense to recognize the bravery of Sullenberger’s act, but most of the movie focuses on the aftermath of the event. The pilots are thrown in front of a National Transportation Safety Board to testify about their decision to land in the Hudson.
Sullenberger gains a serious case of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. If he did not land in the river, the airplane would have hit multiple buildings in New York City. Eastwood does a great job of capturing 9/11 imagery in those scenes.
Eckhart’s Skiles offers an edge to him, and alongside Hanks, they combine for a fantastic duo when they have to defend their actions.
When Hanks proclaims to the officials, “We all did it, we all survived,” it is not hard to feel proud of re-living this heroic moment of mankind working together.
The Hilights
Movie: Sully
Starring: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney
Genre: Drama film/Biography
Rating: 4/5 stars