What is it about flights that make people lose all sense of basic courtesy and decorum? It’s as if traveling at rapid speeds at high altitude triggers that fight or flight (pardon the pun) response, and people suddenly become devoid of any rationale. The serial armrest-hoggers, the bickering couple you’ve conveniently been placed in-between, the loud-talkers, the forever-crying baby (isn’t that what the hold is for, to store screaming infants?), the aisle-blockers who overeagerly occupy the aisle when the plane lands despite the cabin doors remaining closed for another 20-minutes, or the absolute worst, the window-lickers that clap when the pilot lands the plane (do they applaud the postman when they deliver their post, too)? There is a special place in the departure lounge heading to Hell for those types.
The pilots are those that get the free ride, both metaphorically and literally, secluded in their own private quarters, navigating the aircraft from the comfortable confines of their cockpit, while the chaos ensues out in the cabin and the despairing flight attendants desperately attempt to babysit a 200-passenger Boeing 737. Pilots don't always have it easy, though, and have been the subjects of some extremely suspenseful and masterfully exciting movies. With the recent release of the highly-anticipated and wonderfully reviewed Top Gun: Maverick in cinemas, here are the best films about pilots…
6 Sully
We all know about “The Miracle on the Hudson,” and it was indeed quite miraculous when Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River after a double-engine failure he was heralded a hero. Despite the initial commendation from both the public and President Obama himself, Sully came under intense scrutiny following an inquest into the plane's failure and descent.
Unquestionably the true king of biopics, Tom Hanks takes on the titular role in Sully, and his steady hand in frenetic circumstances provides the film with a smoother landing than that of Flight 1549. However, that being said, director Clint Eastwood’s desultory approach to the plot strips it of some of its preternatural potency, and at times, turns an enthralling tale into an unstimulating chore. While not nearly as exciting as it could have been, Sully is a generally interesting watch nevertheless and a surprisingly glum one, and certainly deserving of a place on this list.
5 Flight
Denzel Washington stars in Flight as Whip Whitaker, an alcoholic, drug addict, and airline pilot. After a night of cocaine abuse, Whitaker pilots a SouthJet flight to Atlanta and, encountering severe turbulence, is forced to crash-land the plane, killing six people in the process. Whip’s desperation in his attempts to conceal his alcohol-induced state from the relevant authorities sees him spiral further down the self-destructive rabbit hole of increased alcohol and drug dependency, taking its toll on his young family.
As with any Denzel Washington performance, a certain degree of poise is expected, and is most definitely delivered in Flight; he commands the role as a man governed by his insatiable appetite for escapism via alcohol and drug use and evidently battling inner demons. For all of his apparent depth, there is a palpable sense of emptiness in his disposition, and perhaps the one point where the plot fails is in character development. Overall, this is a gripping ride that has a middle-aged pilot nosediving into the abyss.
4 Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan’s 2017 war-epic Dunkirk provides a cinematic representation of the onerous mission to evacuate half a million Allied troops from the beaches just north of Normandy, France during WWII. While the screenplay doesn’t solely revolve around piloting, the substantial incorporation of the RAF, and Tom Hardy’s Farrier, means that Dunkirk explores the narrative from the air and provides a tense, insightful view into proceedings above head. The airborne layer helps to sustain the almost tangible suspense, and imminent threat of danger on land, sea, and in the air.
3 Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can remains the one and only time the cinematic titans of Spielberg and Di Caprio have crossed paths, and their collaboration culminated in a brilliantly orchestrated piece of cinema. Following the true story of a charmingly presumptuous adolescent, Frank Abagnale (Leonardo Di Caprio), who runs away from home after the revelation of his parent’s divorce disrupts his seemingly idyllic family life. The decision to cast the fresh-faced Leonardo Di Caprio was a stroke of genius, he plays the role of the young conman who rises to notoriety after posing as a PANAM Airways pilot, as well as a doctor and lawyer, with such authority and brings with it the youthful audacity that the real Abagnale undoubtedly possessed when pulling off such brazen stunts.
The picture seldom deviates from its convivial tone and seems to mirror the attitude of a sprightly, exuberant, and roguish teen, whose exploits drew the attention of FBI agent, Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks). While the themes explored are in their very nature serious, Di Caprio’s portrayal is facetious and whimsical, and the movie is directed in such a way that It's seen through the lens of this jovial, affable, albeit confused young man, which makes the combination of Di Caprio’s performance and Spielberg's tone a joyous, harmonious, and belly-tickling experience.
2 Top Gun: Maverick
It has been 36-years since Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell took to the skies in Top Gun, and as of just last week, Tom Cruise returned to the role in this year’s sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. From director Joseph Kosinski, the new installment of Top Gun follows Maverick as he trains a daring group of graduates for a particular assignment while operating as a fearless test pilot. Miles Teller almost died making this epic legacy sequel which, like the original, refused to use special effects and instead delved into the actual experience of flying these amazing machines.
1 Top Gun
Top Gun cemented a cinematic legacy that has fared well as an iconic classic through four decades, and oddly, despite racking up 36 years on his clock, Tom Cruise’s appearance has withstood the wrinkle test, and he’s aged like a fine wine. Following the story of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell a supremely talented Navy pilot, he embarks on a challenge at the world-famous Top Gun elite fighter school, where he competes with Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer) for the prestigious “Top Gun” award. This is the sort of role Cruise has built his highly-established career from, the aviator shades, that ugly leather bomber jacket, the pretty woman, and of course, the action-packed occupation.