Denzel Washington Takes "Flight"
HOLLYWOOD (WWJ) – The last time we saw Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington on the big screen was earlier this year in the action thriller "Safe House." Before that, he appeared in "Unstoppable" as a train engineer trying to stop a runaway freight train.
This weekend, Washington is back on the silver screen in "Flight," directed by fellow Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis. In his latest role, Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, an airline pilot for SouthJet Airlines. When we first meet Whitaker, it's clear that he's dealing with a lot of issues -- and also that he's pretty full of himself. But his life takes an unexpected turn following a mid-air catastrophe and he's forced to crash land his plane.
From that point on, Whitaker's life is never the same. He goes from being hailed as a hero for saving all but six of the 102 passengers and crew onboard the plane to answering tough questions about what really happened on that fateful day. And, while it seems that nothing much can shake Whitaker – after all, he has plenty of demons to help him cope – he has to ultimately make a choice that will change the course of his life forever.
While Whip is admired by his co-workers, his colleagues are also acting as a crutch – allowing him to continue his destructive behavior; certainly not something anyone should be doing, and especially not someone who has others' lives at stake. So essentially, Whitaker becomes a man you hate to love, but love to hate at the same time. Not an easy feat for an actor to pull off. But, a piece of cake for an actor of Washington's caliber. And, it's watching Washington in action that makes this movie worth seeing. While "Flight" is interesting enough and does a good job holding the audience's attention, it's just not a great movie. One of the biggest things I had a problem with was watching Whip wrestle with one vice in particular over and over and over again to the point that it eventually began to feel like overkill.
Aside from that, it would definitely be worth your while to check out "Flight." After all, who wouldn't enjoy another chance to watch Washington on the big screen. As we all know so well, in addition to his award-winning acting skills, Washington has plenty of charm and good looks – all of which have combined to keep him one of Hollywood's most sought-after leading men – and will undoubtedly, once again, get his female fans flocking to theaters in droves.
Catch your preview of "Flight" here and I'll see you at the movies!
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