Metacritic reviews

The images portray a weightless crisis, and the film’s emotional narrative feels similarly insincere, with the balance of fate seeming to sway on the placement of a well-timed prayer.

Like “Soul Surfer” before it, On a Wing and a Prayer clearly aims to appeal to audiences seeking faith-based entertainment; but just because its story is based on events that are technically true, that doesn’t mean that ticket buyers should be subjected to a version of them that’s executed too predictably to believe.

The best preachers always know how to tell a story and tie it back to a Biblical lesson, but director Sean McNamara has less than a youth pastor’s grasp on his main character’s crisis of faith.

On a Wing and a Prayer will certainly find its audience and pays respect to a man who did the impossible, but as a viewing experience, it misses the mark at every turn.

This is the film: Constantly rendered emotionless by decision-making both numbingly predictable and entirely inexplicable.