TURBULENCE
A film review by Laura & Robin Clifford
Copyright 1997 Laura & Robin Clifford
(This review is an excerpt from Reeling, a movie review show hosted by Laura and Robin Clifford, running on Boston Cable TV. Note that the film descriptions vary in completeness due to the fact that they're actually intros for running film clips.)
TURBULENCE ----------
In "Turbulence", it's Christmas Eve and only a handful of passengers are on board the 747 bound for LA from New York. I t looks like an easy flight for the crew, until four federal marshals, accompanying psycho serial killer, Ryan Weaver, played by Ray Liotta, and psycho bankrobber, Stubbs, played by Brandon Gleeson (Mel Gibsons sidekick, Hamish, in "Braveheart") arrive on board, dampening any holiday cheer.
As the flight approaches a Level 6 (on a grade of 1 to 6) storm, things get interesting in the passenger cabin as Stubbs decides to change the order of things. The ensuing melee results in the death of Stubbs, the four Feds and both pilots, leaving Weaver to stalk the kind of prey he likes - the frightened, confused flight attendant, Teri Halloran, played by Lauren Holly.
A cat and mouse suspense story follows with Teri desperately trying to land the plane, while Weaver, just as desperately, trying to crash the 747 into LAX and go out in a blaze of glory.
ROBIN:
Well, there are bad films and there are "bad" films. The former kind, films like "Jingle All The Way", "Dear God", "High School High" or "Mixed Nuts" are just plain bad. If you saw them, unless I warned you first, I feel sad for you. You wasted your time and money.
Then there are "bad" films, such as "Turbulence" and last year's "The Substitute", starring Tom Berringer. These movies stack implausibility upon implausibility in such a god-awfully groaning way that you simply have to laugh. Coupling the real humor the filmmakers were injecting into the story and dialogue with the silliness of the scripts stupidity makes this a not bad bit of mindless entertainment.
To its credit, "Turbulence" spends a good amount of the on-screen cash on the terrific special effects, from the computer derived external shots of the 747 flying through a most violent storm, to the giant gimbals used to turn a life size 747 passenger cabin a full 360 degrees - with actors on board!
With the exception of Ray Liotta, who seemed to have a hell of a good time mugging it up for the camera, there really is not a lot of substance to the acting here. Lauren Holly, too often, gives the image of a deer caught in the headlights on the road - her performance will be compared with Karen Black's from "Airport '75".
"Turbulence" is a no-brain hoot if you have absolutely nothing of worth to do as an alternate choice. Go to a matinee to see it on the big screen, or wait for rental.
Teri Halloran, in the end, does find her man, you'll be glad to know.
I give "Turbulence" a guilty C+
LAURA:
This film's been panned, but I thought it was a hoot! "Turbulence" is one of those so-bad-it's-almost good kind of entertainments. In fact, it's far funnier than most of the so-called comedies that ended the year ("Dear God," "Jingle All the Way").
The stage of unbelievability is set when a Christmas Eve 747 flight from New York City to L.A. has only about a half dozen passengers. Until, that is, a convicted armed robber and a lonely-hearts serial killer (Ray Liotta) are brought on board by four federal marshalls.
Flight attendant Lauren Holly, just dumped by her fiance, is vulnerable and only wants to meet a nice guy - why, just the type of woman Liotta's serial killer preys on!
The dumb-as-a-post pilot and co-pilot are killed in short order while the plane's heading into a level 6 storm with a serial killer who means to thumb his nose at the autorities by ensuring the plane will crash into a heavily populated area. This, of course, results in officials making a decision to send out a jet fighter to shoot the commerical airliner down. As if she doesn't have enough problems on her hands, Lauren Holly must attempt to land the plane safely with the radio assistance of a noble and handsome British pilot played by Ben Cross.
The special effects are pretty good for such a silly plot, especially during the hilarious climax when Holly's first landing attempt is aborted after a low swoop over a parking garage gets a Ford truck stuck to the plane's landing gear.
Ray Liotta chews scenery and swills Mumm Cordon Rouge throughout! Lauren Holly looks terrified! The ground crew is conflicted!
It may have been dumb, but it was a guilty pleasure.
C+
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