Fight or Flight is a new film premiering in theaters in the United States this weekend. The film comes from director James Madigan in his directorial debut, and written by Brooks McLaren & D.J. Cotrona, the film stars Josh Hartnett, Charithra Chandran, Marko Zaror, and Katee Sackhoff. A mercenary takes on the job of tracking down a target on a plane but must protect her when they’re surrounded by people trying to kill both of them.

When I first saw Josh Hartnett return to acting back in 2014 with Penny Dreadful, I never would have imagined he would come back with such a strong force. Not only is he picking unique projects, he is picking the right roles that continue to showcase his talents over and over again. Like many, it was easy to compare this to 2022’s Bullet Train. At this rate, it begged the question if this would just be the same film, but in the air. Instead, what we get is a terrific directorial debut that manages to find its own identity through its humor and faced-paced action. I suppose that sounds like Bullet Train. True me, this manages to still find a way to be more original than you’d expect.

I think when the concept such as this is on a plane, it feels like there’s only so much the film can do before it starts losing space. Luckily, the film clocks in at around 100 minutes, so the film wastes no time catching you up to speed before chaos ensues. The dialogue can be exposition heavy and the plot can sure be convenient, but the film has a grand time doing it. It fully embraces its insanity from the jump that helps you be more on board with what happens next.

Josh Hartnett continues to be a force in this film as it captures more character than I think Trap ever could. Where Trap leans into Hartnett embracing a new type of character, this one has more character development that helps you care more anytime he is in action. Due to how much exposition there is needed throughout to help better understand motives, I feel like this could have been better serviced as a potential franchise. Instead of having to stop to explain backstory, the exposition that is given could have been awesome as a franchise starter where every sequel after would be Hartnett’s character jumping into action with a brand new scenario.

While I believe there was more potential to make this into the next Fast & Furious franchise, I don’t think that’s what is going to please viewers. What’s going to please viewers is the hardcore action that never lets up as soon as it starts. Much like Gareth Evans’ The Raid films, this one is one action set piece after the other. The camera acts as an additional character that follows the action and helps immerse you more in the action. The choreography is impressive, but the way the camera moves simultaneously is as equally impressive.

One of my concerns going into this is the feeling that the action was going to be limited due to the space. That is not the case. Just as Hartnett gets through one bad guys, five more show up. I never thought I’d see the day that Hartnett would be the next best action hero, yet here we are. The actor is 46, but still acts as young as he did when he was younger. You haven’t seen him go this hard before.

As much as the film embraces its action set pieces, it equally embraces the dark comedy. I don’t believe the type of comedy is going to be for everyone. I like shock value when it’s done right, and the film is consistent with that. Just when you think it can’t get any more outrageous, it goes even further. I think this approach helps viewers embrace the insanity better and accept the film for what it is.

As for other issues I had with the film, Katee Sackhoff does feel like lost potential. She’s a great actress, but the material she is given just didn’t feel that important to me. Maybe I was expecting more from her with the action. The film also ends on a cliffhanger that leaves it open for a sequel. I would be more accepting of that had this been the second film in a series. The first one covers all the exposition this one has. This one leans into the overall concept, and then that would effectively make me more confident that another film would be made.

Overall, it feels like this weekend isn’t offering the biggest of movies, but Fight or Flight fully embraces into what viewers may expect to warrant the price of admission. Hartnett is truly at the top of his game with this insane & fun role. The film does have its cliche moments, but there is no denying how fun this trip is.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)