“Flight” Film Analysis Essay

The movie Flight is based on a real life story of a United States air crash that took place in 2000. It has been directed by Robert Zemeckis. The starring character is Captain Whip Whitaker a role played by Denzel Washington.

In the movie, the pilot is a functional alcoholic who manages to miraculously land a plane that was destined for doom. The cause of the plane crush is said to be either the irresponsibility of the pilot or a technical error. It is for this reason that the N.T.S.B launches an investigation on the condition of the pilot when he was flying the plane.

The pilot union representative, Charlie Anderson has full knowledge on the fact that Whip was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine while flying the plane. He however, chooses to make the toxicological report go away and at the same time hires a defense attorney, Hugh Lang who will represent Whip in the N.T.S.B hearing. Charlie together with Hugh take extreme measures in an attempt to ensure Whip does not end up in prison.

The endeavors are rendered vain by Whip himself who in the face of impending freedom chooses to own up to his actions and admit his was under the influence of alcohol while flying the plane. This confession earns him jail term which he takes positively. His rehabilitation is evidenced in the fact that he admits to his fellow inmates about not regretting his choice in telling the truth and it is also in jail hat he mends his relationship with his son (Zemeckis, 2012).

The main theme in the movie is personal growth. Personal growth is defined as an individual’s ability to demonstrate accountability and responsibility on any actions undertaken. At the same time, the individual should be able to make healthy choices and decisions that contribute to a positive lifestyle. The theme in the movie is further developed not only be the actions of the actors but also through the elements found in the movie. There are two elements in the movie that play a vital role in the development of the theme, these are religion and journey.

Throughout the movie, the element of religion is alluded to in a number of ways. Through the use of religious icons like Jesus and Lord, Religious symbols are also evident in physical forms like the church where the plane crushed and the crucifix hung in the co pilot’s hospital room.

Finally, there are religious actions like baptism which was disrupted by the plane crush. In the movie, actors that have embraced religion seem to have a positive attitude towards life in that their religion enables them see things clearly and make positive healthy decision. For those characters whose life is in turmoil, religion is seen as the only thing that will help them get out of their miserable life and achieve personal growth (Gross, 2006).

The second element that recurs throughout the movie is the journey. The characters that undertaken a journey consciously or unconsciously experiences a change in life. The journey acts like an eye opener where the character is forced to begin a new life.

Every individual has a weakness and there are those who have addictions that undermine any efforts to change their lives. However, there is hope for every individual to better their lives by utilizing events and signs that rarely occur in their lives. These events are considered turning points. Basing on the actions that occur in different scenes in the movie, we will establish how these elements contribute to personal growth while at the same time establish the fact that every human being should look forward to rectifying his or her life by holding onto something that is of great significance in life.

Towards the end of the movie, in the federal hearing scene chaired by NTSB, Whip who has been priory convinced by Hugh and Charlie to deny the fact that he was under the influence of alcohol on the fateful plane crush day is faced with the choice of telling the truth or lying.

Hugh and Charlie expect Whip deny the fact that the two bottles found in the cabin’s trash can had been used by him and he should instead lay the blame on his dead colleague Katerina Marquez. He is asked several questions to which he provides false answers. When he is asked about the alcohol bottles, he hesitates.

Whip is addicted to drugs and alcoholic and lying is not a big deal to him, but when the element of religion is introduced in the scene, he finally tells the truth. He says, “God help me”. Then he takes responsibility for his own actions. He shocks the hearing committee together with other members present in the hearing room when he admits his mistakes and even goes ahead to reveal the fact that he was currently under the influence of alcohol (Gross, 2006).

It is the first time in the movie where we see Whip acknowledging the existence of God without mocking or questioning his will. He is used to lying and has never felt any need to admit that he is an alcoholic. However, it can be ascertained that he sought the help of God when he finally gave God the respect that is due and allowed himself to accept his help. He for the first time made a conscious decision to face the consequences of his actions.

The consequences of his action s were severe but his initial fear of facing them all disappeared. We witness a significant positive growth in the personal character of Whip, he willingly tells the truth not only by owing up to the vodka bottles but also by providing the right answers to the questions asked before. He also admits he has a problem. This is the first step to straightening the life of a crocked individual. He says, “I am drank now, because I am an alcoholic” (Zemeckis, 2012).

Characters like Margaret and the co-pilot who are believers in Christ seem to lead a more responsible and sober life. They seem to have a hold of their lives and have a desire in them to introduce Whip to the new religion. This is due to the fact that they believe God is the only person that can change him. When whip visits the co pilot in hospital, the co plot tells Whip that the crush was the work of God and was meant to happen.

He says, “I prayed for you the night before and the crush was pre ordained”. Religion is seen as a tool through which fate is defined and in this case the defined fate was meant to change the life of Whip and turn him into a responsible human being. It is the events that occur after the crush that push Whip into embracing Christianity and finally finding the need to change his life. This is a remarkable growth in personality.

Characters that undertake a journey in the movie are either in a conscious search of a better life or in an unconscious endeavor that leads to a miraculous change of their life. The result of the flight undertaken by Whip is a plane crush. However, the crush opens up his eyes to the realities of life and he begins to see the need for changing his life style.

In the scene at the hospital, Whip who has now regained his consciousness turns down Harling May when he offers him a bottle of vodka. He is shaken by the crush to the point where he decides to stay away from alcohol. He tells Harley May “take the vodka with you, am not drinking anymore”. Even though he fails to adhere to his abstinence, the result of his journey has a significant effect on him, a foreshadowing of the big changes he makes later in his life.

In the undertaking the journey, the characters are in a search of a better life, a demonstration of a willingness to embrace personal growth by expressing a desire to leave behind a reckless lifestyle. In the scene where Nicole and Whip argue, he later remorsefully reveals to her his fear of the judgment that will be passed on the impending case.

He expresses a desire to start a new life away from Georgia. He says to Nicole, “I want to take a journey to Jamaica and there I will visit a clinic in order to seek help with my addiction”. Whip’s action is an act of responsibility and an expression of a lingering desire to not only mend his problems but at the same time start a new life devoid of reckless and irresponsible behaviors.

In the same scene where Whip admits to Nicole his fears, Nicole also admits her fear of going back into alcohol and drug addiction it can be argued that her decision to go away in search of a better life is not originally hers but she gets it from the conversation she shares with Whip.

She is a recovering drug addict who has a sponsor to see her through her recovery process. She runs away from temptations since she is afraid of going back to the same old irresponsible lifestyle. We notice a Nicole that has a desire to improve the quality of her life by distancing herself from unhealthy activities. We hear her tell Whip, “I m afraid of using again”. This fear cannot be compared to the strong urge that pushed her into injecting herself with strong doses o f heroine that led to her hospitalization (Jackson, 2000).

In conclusion, the movie utilizes the elements of religion and the journey to develop the theme of personal growth. Each individual has a different life but there will always come a time when life will present an opportunity for growth. It is important for an individual to seize this opportunity since It will enable an individual improve the quality of his life while at the same time develop into a responsible and accountable individual.

References

Gross, D. (2006). Film’s untimely flight plan. Philadelphia Daily News, p. 27.

Jackson, D. (2000). Ground flight-film gunplay: Final Edition. Times – Colonist, p. A.6.

Zemeckis, R. (2012). Flight. Web.