In the tradition of hilariously bad movies like "Roadhouse" and "The Postman", "Turbulence" truly delivers the goods. Convicted serial killer, Ray Liotta, is on his way to LA to take up residence on death row. What follows makes one wonder if they're watching a twisted remake of "Airplane." After the lampooning that air disaster movies took with that landmark spoof, you would think filmmakers would be wary about returning to the skies with such a half-baked, over the top implausi-fest. I get the feeling that after a while they realized the comic potential of the movie and started playing it for laughs. How else to explain the truck stuck on the landing gear sequence, the "she's not a stewardess, she's a flight attendant" quote, and the plugging of a gun fire induced hole in the fuselage with a briefcase. Of course, my favorite is when Liotta finds himself in the avionics bay, and discovers what appears to be a tomahawk like ax. Ground control notes his presence and gasps that "He may take out the autopilot." Cue the next shot, a sign on a panel "Caution: Autopilot controls" which is dutifully smashed by our ax wielding friend. The landing sequence is hilarious as well. If you're looking for a serious, thoughtful action movie, skip this one. If you're looking for a few good laughs, check it out.
Review of Turbulence
Turbulence
(1997)
Move over "Roadhouse"--another contender in the riotously bad category
21 January 2006