---
title: "Plane"
year: 2023
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/plane"
fi1m_id: "plane"
imdb_id: "tt5884796"
tmdb_id: 646389
wikidata_id: "Q108131599"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_score: 62
critics_reviews: 22
published: "2026-10-05T16:50:42.812577+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T16:50:43.263562+00:00"
region: "ZA"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Plane (2023)

Directed by Jean-François Richet · 1h 47m · FPB 16 · Action, Adventure, Thriller

## Identity

Plane

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/plane
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** plane
- **IMDb ID:** tt5884796
- **TMDB ID:** 646389
- **Wikidata ID:** Q108131599
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884796/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/646389, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108131599

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 62 from 22 reviews

*In a sentence:* We would trust Gerard Butler with the aircraft, but somebody else should choose the destination

> *Plane* is a sturdy, satisfying thriller with a tense emergency landing and an appealing partnership between Gerard Butler and Mike Colter. The supporting characters are thin, but the leads give the danger enough weight.

## Synopsis

A storm turns a flight into an emergency for Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler), Samuel Dele (Yoson An) and Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter). In the cockpit, the immediate task is to get the aircraft down with the people aboard still alive. An emergency landing brings them to Jolo, where reaching the ground does not guarantee safety. Torrance has to protect the people who have survived the flight, and Gaspare becomes an unlikely ally as they face the prospect of violence on the ground.

## Review

*Plane* is a solid action thriller, helped considerably by Gerard Butler’s willingness to look as though the job might be beyond him. Jean-François Richet directs with a sensible grasp of what matters: we need to understand the danger and believe that surviving it takes effort. The film delivers that, even when the writing settles for familiar threats and thin supporting characters. It is worth an evening if straightforward action is what we are after.

The storm and emergency landing are the strongest stretch, because the film gives us time to sit with the problem. Brendan Galvin’s cinematography makes the cockpit feel restrictive without making the action impossible to follow. David Rosenbloom’s editing allows the crisis to build rather than hurrying through it. Mailara Santana’s production design helps establish the cockpit as a workplace, which gives its occupants something more useful to do than look frightened. We were properly tense during the descent; the patience with the people at the controls made the danger feel immediate.

Gerard Butler gives Brodie Torrance a welcome degree of uncertainty beneath the determination. He seems shaken by what happens, and that matters more than another demonstration that an action hero can take punishment. Mike Colter’s Louis Gaspare supplies a steadier, more imposing presence, and the difference between them makes their cooperation worth watching. Neither performance needs a laborious explanation of the men’s pasts to establish why we might want to spend time in their company.

The direction is equally effective when the violence gets close. A sustained hand-to-hand fight gives us enough uninterrupted time to register the effort involved, rather than relying on cuts to manufacture force. The blows have weight, and the people delivering them appear to be working for it. The shooting is less distinctive: once the film is dealing mainly in gunfire, its pleasures become more ordinary. The music by Marcus Trumpp and Marco Beltrami reinforces the danger but makes little distinction between the gripping confrontations and the routine ones.

The screenplay by J.P. Davis and Charles Cumming gives the leads enough to work with, but the people around them are less fortunate. Supporting characters are defined so quickly that there is little to hold on to beyond their immediate usefulness. The middle stretch also loses some of the urgency of the landing. Jolo is reduced to a source of danger, with little interest in anyone who might live there outside the needs of an action scene. The villains are broadly drawn even by the standards of a film asking for modest expectations.

For much of its 107 minutes, *Plane* remembers that watching somebody work through an emergency can be entertainment enough. Action thrillers do not always let their heroes look this uncertain. There is pleasure in seeing it taken seriously here, even when the plot is taking shortcuts. Save it for a night when a worried man doing his job is more appealing than another invulnerable hero.

*Fi1m score 72, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find Plane an entertaining, predictable action thriller that succeeds with modest ambitions. Praise centres on Gerard Butler’s committed performance, with several reviews finding warmth and vulnerability beneath the familiar action-hero role. His pairing with Mike Colter is another consistent strength, giving the film an appealing double act. The cockpit tension, emergency landing and straightforward physical action draw much of the remaining praise, though enthusiasm for the staging is not universal.

The spread runs from confident recommendations to firm dismissals, with disagreement over whether the familiar formula provides enough entertainment. Reservations cluster around implausibility, thin supporting characters and repetitive gunfire; even favourable reviews concede some of these weaknesses. The Guardian finds the pacing weak and the suspense lacking, despite Colter’s presence. Empire shares the appreciation for the leads and emergency landing but objects more strongly to the portrayal of Jolo and the reliance on clichés.

## Straight answers

**Is Plane worth watching?**

*Plane* is worth watching for straightforward action with vulnerable-looking leads, and we score it 72 out of 100. The tense emergency landing and Gerard Butler’s partnership with Mike Colter give the danger weight, though thin supporting characters and a slower middle stretch keep it from being more than a solid evening’s entertainment.

**How long is Plane, and what is it rated?**

*Plane* runs 1h 47m and is rated 16 by the FPB in South Africa. It is an action and adventure film.

**Where can I watch Plane in South Africa?**

*Plane* is not on any streaming or rental service in South Africa at the moment. It is available in 30 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Plane, and is it suitable for children?**

*Plane* has a UK 15 certificate and is not suitable for children under 15, with a tense emergency landing, gunfire and a sustained hand-to-hand fight. We find the descent properly frightening and the close combat forceful because the blows register, making it better suited to older teenagers and adults comfortable with physical violence and prolonged danger.

**How does Plane compare to The Wages of Fear?**

*Plane* offers more conventional action than [*The Wages of Fear*](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear), which we recommend more strongly for patient, sustained suspense. Both give men doing dangerous work enough time to show their fear, but *Plane* moves from cockpit tension into more ordinary gunfire; the earlier film makes a truckload of nitroglycerine frightening, though its long opening wait in town demands patience.

### Reviews we read (22)

- **Little White Lies**, Rafa Sales Ross (3/4/3): The critic finds the thriller an entertaining, confidently executed example of its genre, despite its predictability. They praise the storm sequence and Gerard Butler’s appealing performance. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/plane)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh (75/100, inferred): Walsh finds the film satisfying as lean, pulpy action entertainment, though it offers little political nuance. She praises the appealing, masculine pairing of Gerard Butler and Mike Colter and the film’s taut, gritty action. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-01-11/review-in-plane-action-star-gerard-butler-once-again-sticks-the-landing)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (75/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the film an enjoyable, unpretentious action movie that delivers on its promise of cheap thrills. He singles out its visceral violence and the compelling pairing of Gerard Butler and Mike Colter. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/plane-review-cheap-thrills-for-your-lizard-brain.html)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B-): Ehrlich finds Plane a sturdy, entertaining action vehicle that delivers on its straightforward promise. He praises its patient cockpit sequences and Butler’s well-suited, sincere performance. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/plane-review-gerard-butler-1234798015/)
- **The AV Club**, Jordan Hoffman (B-): Hoffman finds the film entertaining if plainly conventional, recommending it with moderate expectations. He singles out the tense, well-edited plane-crash sequence for praise. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/plane-movie-review-gerard-butler-mike-colter-1849965805)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Frank Scheck (70/100, inferred): The critic finds Plane a routine but effective action thriller that delivers on its genre promises. He praises Jean-François Richet’s clearly staged action, especially a sustained hand-to-hand fight filmed in one take. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/plane-gerard-butler-1235293390/)
- **The i Paper**, Francesca Steele (70/100, inferred): Steele finds the film silly and implausible but ultimately entertaining, an easy popcorn watch. She praises Gerard Butler’s watchable, committed performance, while noting the weak plot and poorly choreographed shoot-outs. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/plane-review-pass-popcorn-they-dont-make-silly-blockbusters-like-this-anymore-2102786)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (70/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the film an entertaining, sturdy action picture whose shifting genres work to its advantage. He especially praises Gerard Butler’s charismatic, resolute performance, which helps carry the film through its implausibilities. [Read](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/plane-review-gerard-butler-mike-colter-1235485213/)
- **Radio Times**, Patrick Cremona (3/5): The critic finds the action film suspenseful but generic. They praise the engaging dynamic between Gerard Butler and Mike Colter’s mismatched characters. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-t72nyf/plane/)
- **Time Out**, Olly Richards (3/5): The review calls the film dumb but fun, with brisk, bruising action. It singles out Gerard Butler and Mike Colter for delivering entertaining in-flight thrills. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/plane-2023)
- **The Guardian**, Benjamin Lee (2/5): Lee finds the thriller only just diverting, with weak pacing and suspense that never properly arrives. He praises Mike Colter’s movie-star presence, while criticizing the repetitive shooting and shaky plane scenes. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jan/13/plane-review-gerard-butler)
- **The New York Times**, Jeannette Catsoulis (40/100, inferred): The review’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be verified from the accessible page. The page exposes only a JavaScript and ad-blocker message, so its critique is unavailable. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/movies/plane-review-flight-camera-action.html)
- **Empire**, John Nugent (30/100, inferred): Nugent finds the film a mostly generic and insensitive action thriller, though Gerard Butler keeps it watchable. He praises the tense emergency landing and Butler and Mike Colter’s action-star appeal, while faulting the film’s portrayal of Jolo and its clichéd finale. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/plane/)
- **/Film**, Ryan Scott (7 out of 10): Scott finds the film a satisfying, effective throwback that delivers the straightforward thrills it promises. He especially praises the chemistry and charm of Gerard Butler and Mike Colter as an unlikely action duo. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1163562/plane-review-gerard-butlers-90s-throwback-is-a-breath-of-fresh-air/)
- **Paste**, Jesse Hassenger (7.0): Hassenger finds Plane a likable, steady January action thriller that stays pleasantly between a streaming programmer and a theatrical movie. He praises Gerard Butler’s warmer performance and the film’s refusal to force canned character arcs. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/gerard-butler/plane-review)
- **Film Stories**, Mark Harrison (72/100, inferred): Harrison finds Plane a satisfying, enjoyable example of the three-star action movie, despite a lull in the middle. He praises Gerard Butler’s emotionally grounded performance and Richet’s handling of the opening and closing set-pieces. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/plane-review-gerard-butler-sticks-the-landing/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (70/100, inferred): Hammond finds the film predictable but entertaining, and says it succeeds within its modest ambitions. He particularly praises Gerard Butler’s command of the action-hero role, while noting the supporting characters lack depth. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/01/plane-review-gerard-butler-pilots-this-serviceable-but-fun-b-movie-style-action-flick-1235220152/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (70/100, inferred): Nayman finds Plane a likable, predictable action movie that benefits from Gerard Butler’s familiar strengths. He singles out Butler’s quiet dignity in the closing moments as giving the film a final shot worthy of its star. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2023/01/12/movies/gerard-butler-plane-action-hero)
- **NME** (65/100, inferred): The critic finds Plane an enjoyable, solid throwback despite its familiar clichés and limited thrills. They praise its brisk direction and unfussy action scenes, especially when Butler and Colter are fighting rather than thinking. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/plane-review-gerard-butler-3386620)
- **The Playlist** (64/100, inferred): The review’s verdict cannot be established because the page is blocked by anti-crawler protection. Its specific praise or criticism is unavailable. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/plane-review-serviceable-no-frills-action-movie-audience-to-their-destination-20230112/)
- **Eye for Film**, Andrew Robertson (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film functional but pedestrian, with familiar action-movie conventions limiting its impact. They praise the construction of the circumstances that bring the characters together, while faulting the thickly drawn villains and lack of satisfying substance. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/plane-2023-film-review-by-andrew-robertson)
- **The Wrap** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film overstuffed, undercooked, and too formulaic to be engaging. They praise Gerard Butler’s humane, visibly shaken action hero, while faulting the thinly established characters. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/plane-movie-review-gerard-butler-mike-colter/)

## Details

- **Director:** Jean-François Richet
- **Director:** Jean-François Richet
- **Screenplay:** Charles Cumming, J.P. Davis
- **Story:** Charles Cumming
- **Cinematography:** Brendan Galvin
- **Editor:** David Rosenbloom
- **Music:** Marco Beltrami, Marcus Trumpp
- **Production design:** Mailara Santana
- **Costume design:** Erinn Knight
- **Producer:** Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian, Marc Butan
- **Cast:** Gerard Butler as Brodie Torrance; Mike Colter as Louis Gaspare; Tony Goldwyn as Scarsdale; Yoson An as Samuel Dele; Evan Dane Taylor as Datu Junmar; Paul Ben-Victor as Terry Hampton; Daniella Pineda as Bonnie Lane; Lilly Krug as Brie Taylor
- **Runtime:** 1h 47m
- **Certificate (FPB):** 16
- **Release (South Africa):** 26 January 2023
- **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Thriller
- **Budget:** $25 million
- **Box office:** $75 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-6_Ulo7mdk

## Where to watch in South Africa

Not streaming, renting or buying in South Africa at the last check.

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, SE, TH, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Flight of the Phoenix* (1965): Stranded men argue over survival in a harsher, more patient adventure.
- *Assault on Precinct 13* (1976): An uneasy alliance defends a confined space against an increasingly frightening siege.
- *A Hijacking* (2012): For a slower, more troubling account of people bargaining over captive lives.
- *The Wages of Fear* (1953), Fi1m 90: Men doing dangerous work, with enough time to understand their fear. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear.md)
- *Unstoppable* (2010): Another transport emergency improved considerably by a convincing pair of working men.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/plane