Josh Hartnett’s Fight or Flight fails to land on satisfying action movie terrain

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It’s been a while since I’ve felt so annoyed by a movie’s initial 20 minutes as in Fight or Flight. Director James Madigan, along with writers Brooks McLaren and D. J. Cotrona, seem to fire off a relentless series of F-bombs, vulgar humor, and snappy comebacks right from the start. They’re trying to convey how desperately powerful character Katherine Brunt (Katee Sackhoff) needs the help of her ex-Secret Service agent/lover Lucas Reyes (Josh Hartnett). In fact, even a simple phone call ID is used as an excuse for another F-bomb. On the surface, this heavy use of profanity seems to suggest that Reyes is furious with Brunt for leaving him stuck in Bangkok or that Brunt’s enforcer Aaron Hunter (Julian Kostov) has a tough-as-nails demeanor.

In action, Madigan’s production seems uninspired in its attempt to emulate the profane humor popularized by Deadpool in contemporary R-rated films, similar to Novocaine, Boy Kills World, Bullet Train, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Guns Akimbo. It appears that everyone is trying to imitate Ryan Reynolds, which leaves me feeling drained. I encourage you to find alternative ways to create an “adult” ambiance and other role models to follow. Fortunately, the excessive “edgy” dialogue in Fight or Flight becomes more subdued once Reyes arrives at a Bangkok airport. Brunt’s mysterious superiors require the capture of a target known as The Ghost, who will soon be on a flight bound for America. It is now up to Reyes to apprehend this elusive figure.

One hitch has arisen: an individual has informed assassins globally that The Ghost is on this plane. Now, with the aircraft flying high, these ruthless killers are eager to seize their quarry and reap a substantial reward. However, Reyes must bring in The Ghost safely as he’s under orders to do so alive. This predicament leads to thrilling scenes of fight or flight, primarily consisting of conflicts between Reyes and various intriguing assassins. One advantage that Madigan and their team have when comparing Fight or Flight to recent R-rated action films is the use of more unique adversaries compared to Novocaine.

The opening combat scene features Reyes squaring off against Chayenne, who surprisingly breaks into song before resorting to vicious roundhouse kicks. Even when sitting casually, Marko Zaror exudes humor. His extraordinary athletic skills, especially his powerful kicks, make him even more captivating. It’s great that director Madigan and cinematographer Matt Flannery focus the camera on Zaror’s agile movements to fully appreciate them.

In the movie “Fight or Flight”, there are extended periods where the intense hand-to-hand combat seems to pause unexpectedly. The storyline between Reyes and the flight attendant Isha (Charithra Chandran) that unfolds later becomes quite predictable, attempting to evoke emotions that the film has yet to genuinely earn. Additionally, a significant amount of screen time is dedicated to scenes of Brunt and Hunter discussing their pasts in a rather unengaging manner. The early use of profanity gave an impression (albeit misguided) that “Fight or Flight” aimed for some form of rebelliousness. However, this evolves into a rigid adherence to conventional narrative cinema norms instead.

For about ten years now, movies like “The Raid,” “Dredd,” and “John Wick” have been beloved for their simple yet elegant action sequences. However, films such as “Fight or Flight” seem to complicate their storylines with unnecessary subplots and forgettable plot devices. Additionally, the overly polished cinematography makes the movie surprisingly dull. Despite Josh Hartnett’s energetic performance as a character reminiscent of Kurt Russell’s Jack Burton, “Fight or Flight” fails to capture audience interest.

Before reaching its peak (I’ll explain that later), reading the script for “Fight or Flight” felt dull, but I managed to find amusement in minor details to make it less tedious. In other words, I grasped at any straws to make the duration more manageable. Some characters, such as Isha, Brunt, and Hunter, casually dropped phrases like “safe space” and “participation trophy”, which were intended as jokes for the audience to laugh at. However, these common right-wing derogatory expressions for liberal college students, last popular in 2018, seem a bit outdated. Was this script written during the heat of 2016 and only recently produced? I found myself amused imagining this hastily put together script sitting idle and somehow attracting enough interest from a producer in the 2020s to be made.

It’s obvious that the thoughts action films should evoke aren’t those portrayed by “Fight or Flight”. Instead, movies like “John Wick: Chapter 4”, “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In”, “Rebel Ridge” from the past two years kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. On the other hand, “Fight or Flight” only managed to keep my attention sporadically. Fortunately, its ending is quite grizzly and impressive. Both Cotrona and McLaren deserve recognition for integrating a chainsaw into their hand-to-hand combat scenes, which I always enjoy. I’d love it if more films could find a way to incorporate such scenes, as “Mandy” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” have done so effectively. Despite this, “Fight or Flight” offers a commendable representation of chainsaw fights.

In this action-packed finale (with an assortment of assassins engaged in intense combat on the airplane), it’s not only thrilling but also visually pleasing due to the vibrant and distinct outfits worn by each character. The different combatants are easily discernible from one another, and their wardrobes add a stylish touch to the scene. Some creatively choreographed death scenes (including one using a flare gun) make this part of Fight or Flight particularly engaging. Regrettably, this intense fight leads to an unsatisfying climax that leaves the audience hanging, hinting at the upcoming sequel, 2 Fight 2 Flight.

The ending of Lucas Reyes’ latest adventure hints at more stories to come, mirroring numerous contemporary films (such as Artemis Fowl, Skyline, or Mortal Kombat) that seem designed primarily for sequels. Leaving Fight or Flight viewers with such a bitter taste. Maybe it’s an appropriate finale, considering the movie started off with cringe-worthy profanities. The sequel setup is unwanted, yet there are occasional good fight sequences and a strong Hartnett performance. However, these brief moments of quality aren’t enough to justify enduring so much cinematic turmoil.

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2025-05-06 16:14