Sully, A Movie Review

If you’re like me, than this movie is the first of you hearing about Flight 1549. The Miracle on the Hudson, as it has come to be known. On January 15th of 2009 commercial airline US Airways, flight 15 49, hit a flock of Canada Geese only three minutes after take off. The Geese sadly got caught up in both engines causing total failure. After realizing there was no engine power, and no way to fly the plane, pilots Chelsey Sullenburger and Jeffery Skilles glided the plane to a “controlled ditching” on the Hudson River (between NY and NJ). That’s right, on it.

 

Tom Hanks plays the ever famous “Sully.” Depicting not only his acts of heroism that saved all 155 souls on board that day, but the strenuous state in which it left him after wards. Thanks to the long experience Hanks has had in Hollywood he unsurprisingly masters this performance.
I’ve always, always been a huge fan of Tom Hanks and have yet to be disappointed with a single film he’s been in.
As the time shifts back and forth between present time and the past we see just how incredibly difficult it is for two men to continue bearing the weight of it all. All of NY, heck the US, is calling Sullenberger a Hero! Meanwhile we see him alone in his hotel room. Wondering. IS he a hero? Or did he put those people in unnecessary danger?

The films run time sits at a meager 95 minutes. Which for a film of this stature is pretty limited, especially given the potential the arc contains. So if you’re hoping to see a plane that is fully ablaze in the air only to come crashing down in a fiery explosion, then you should consult with Micheal Bay. In this film director Clint Eastwood displays the utmost respect to the incident and to Sullenberger. I have always admired the way he directs his movies. He has a way of taking real life events and making them human, rather than just theatrical. There is just enough detail in all the right places that nothing overpowers the other. However, while I can appreciate that there was no “over acting” in this film, it would have been nice to connect a little bit deeper with the characters. It’s almost as though were just getting the information, and none of the feel. You have to actually take the time to put yourself in one of those seats in order to feel the fear of the passengers. You have to place yourself in the room with the NTSB in order to get a real sense of the stress that comes with those who cause you to question your own actions.

So I did, and it was scary as hell! When one minute you’re chatting with the person in seat B and the next you feel a significant halt in the sky. Then the horrifying words “This is your Captain, brace for impact.”
………..Wait what???
Now everyone is definitely in a raising panic, looking to one another for reassurance that you heard him correctly. Now that stewards are telling you to “Brace brace brace! Head down. Stay down!”
Just imagine to where your mind goes. How does anyone prepare for such something like that? They didn’t know they were going to land in water. For all they knew at that moment the plane was going to crash into the hard surface of the earth leaving them all, for dead.
Then, the sweet euphoria of great relief as you stand on solid ground after being rescued. Realizing that…….you’re alive!

After that it was a little more difficult to try and be in Sully’s shoes. Though I imagine it’s no easy feat to stand behind the belief of your quick but certain decisions when authorities are telling you that, you were probably wrong. And they have evidence! How do you convince them other wise? While I would have loved to have seen more about Sullenberger himself, this movie revolves solely around the incident. From the take off, to the court hearings after.

Despite the short time and limited detail I thoroughly enjoyed it. No really. It was quite an amazing movie to watch. What Sullenberger and Skilles did for all those people, it’s incredible. I feel a little traumatized as it is getting on any airliner. Now? Well now actually I feel a little bit better. Especially if there are other pilots like Sullenberger in the cockpit. I’ll probably be watching this movie again very soon.

A whopping 4 out of 5 stars for me! If you haven’t seen this yet then I highly advise you you give it a chance and watch it.