Sully

WARNING: This review is hidden because it reveals the content of the film.
Click here to show this review. Whenever I see that a film is based on a true story, I’m optimistic but wary. There’s always a need to expand on some characters, combine others, create new bits of dialogue and alter timelines, that’s fine. My issue is when the story gets too Hollywood-ized to the point where you can tell which parts have been made up. Even worse, the story can turn out to like last year’s “Joy” for example, which was good but nothing special) “Sully” is a film that feels completely genuine. You can’t distinguish the facts from the fiction. More than that, it’s an emotional story that will resonate with audiences.

On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549, piloted by Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) hits a flock of birds which disable both of the plane’s engines. Miraculously, Sully is able to land the plane on the Hudson River and there are no casualties. But was the water landing the right call? Is there blame to be dispensed despite the happy ending?

This picture’s a drama. There’s a lot of emotion on the surface as Sully (expertly brought to life by Hanks) has to deal with the traumatic experience, fame suddenly being thrust upon him, and the alienation he now feels. It’s also, in a way, a horror movie. I don’t know about you, but I’m not kept up at night by the idea of accidentally inviting a vampire into my house or exposing myself to some alien virus. If there’s anything that causes me distress during an average day, it’s work. The idea that if I take a chance and submit a project in a slightly unorthodox way, or of cutting a corner to ensure that I meet a deadline and it coming back to bite me? That’s something to be worried about. This film is about a man that is a hero to us regular people. Landing a plane after losing two engines? Woah. Landing it on the Hudson River?! That’s never been done before. All the passengers survived with only minor injuries?!!! That’s a miracle! But once the exhilaration leaves, you begin having doubts. Sure things went right, but what if? What if they hadn’t?

“Sully” is about an act of heroism turns into a nightmare, a legendary feat now being scrutinized under a microscope. What’s even more distressing is that the people checking and re-checking his actions are just regular people. They’re not villains, they’re genuinely concerned that he recklessly endangered innocent people by not following protocol. Sully has to defend his choices against the National Transportation Safety Board and, like all higher-ups, they don’t see people as people, they see them as cogs in the machine. It taps into a bigger fear. People are afraid of what they can’t control. Jet engines, those are safe. They’re mechanical. Protocols are set in stone. The cold calculations of a machine feel safe compared to human pilots which are prone to rash decisions. There’s a lot to think about here and as it sinks in, you’ll wonder where the story is going. Were Sully’s actions the best choice? If you think they were, are you just saying that because everyone made it out ok?

What I wondered when I walked into the theater was how tense the film would actually be. You know that the passengers survive. Despite this, “Sully” fills you with anxiety. You like Hanks and Eckhart (who also does a wonderful job here) You want them to receive the royal treatment not only from the masses but also from their co-workers. The idea that they wouldn’t is absolutely devastating. Even a compromise where Sully gets fired but gets to keep his pension wouldn’t do. What we have here is a little guy against a big machine. If only they could understand what it feels like being up in that plane when you realize that everything has gone wrong, they’d get it. But they don’t. You do. Thanks to the cinematography and the structure of this story, you feel like you were there.

Come to think of it, “Sully” is also a thriller in a way. The conclusion is exhilarating. You’re on the edge of your seat, praying that evidence, the testimonies, the math and the simulations will confirm what you want to believe in your heart. Director Clint Eastwood allows you to immerse yourself fully in the story. You forget about everything else, you’re so engrossed in the movie. I found “Sully” moving, relatable and genuine. It’s a great time at the movies, but don’t make the mistake that I did. See this one in IMAX, not at home, or in a small theater. The recreations and flashbacks of the legendary crash would’ve been breathtaking on that big of a screen. (Theatrical version on the big screen, September 26, 2016)