A high-stakes action thriller that faced a real-world diplomatic crisis over its setting
In short: When a commercial pilot makes an emergency landing on a rebel-controlled island, he must team up with a fugitive to survive. While the film Plane became a surprise box-office success, its depiction of the Philippines sparked intense political backlash, leading to a voluntary withdrawal from local theaters.
Directed by Jean-François Richet and starring Gerard Butler as pilot Brodie Torrance, Plane follows a harrowing journey after a lightning strike forces an emergency landing on Jolo island in the southern Philippines. Torrance, a former RAF officer, finds himself forced to ally with a homicide suspect named Louis Gaspare, played by Mike Colter, to protect his passengers from a local warlord. The film, which was shot in Puerto Rico, blends traditional action tropes with a crisis management narrative led by David Scarsdale, the airline's emergency response chief.
The film’s production was a complex journey, often described as a case of high-profile Hollywood volleyball. Originally pitched by novelist Charles Cumming in 2016, the project moved between studios, with Lionsgate eventually re-acquiring the rights in 2021 after Solstice Studios abandoned the project due to concerns over production insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these hurdles, the film was released in January 2023, grossing $74.5 million worldwide against a $25 million budget and earning a net profit of $35 million.
The film's release triggered a significant controversy in the Philippines. Senator Robin Padilla and other officials condemned the movie for its portrayal of Jolo as a lawless territory and for allegedly depicting the Philippine Army as cowards. This criticism prompted the local distributor, Pioneer Films, to voluntarily pull the movie from exhibition to avoid further conflict. While the Directors' Guild of the Philippines argued that banning the film constituted censorship, the incident highlighted the tension between artistic expression and national representation. Following the film's success, a sequel titled Ship was announced, though it was later cancelled after Gerard Butler exited the project.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Plane (film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-plane-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
