Turbulence *** (1997, Ray Liotta, Lauren Holly, Brendan Gleeson, Ben Cross, Rachel Tricotin) – Classic Movie Review 975

Director Robert Butler’s 1997 airplane disaster movie is a most enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek action thriller, skilfully written by Jonathan Brett so that it is actually deliberately in the so-bad-it’s-good category. Now that is witty and clever!

Ray Liotta lands a hugely entertaining daft role – and makes a five-course meal of it – as a crazed killer aboard a storm-hit 747 jumbo jet. Lauren Holly is jolly in the Karen Black-style part (from Airport 75) of plucky stewardess saving the day.

An entry in the Airport series in all but name, Turbulence is handled with just the right kind of lip-smacking gusto, and the result is oddly both dumb and astute at the same time. Director Butler keeps the killer scare ride properly tense and thrilling. It looks as though it’s made on a B-movie budget, but it cost a staggering $71 million and took only $11 million at the US box office.

Brendan Gleason, Ben Cross, Rachel Tricotin, Jeffrey DeMunn, John Finn, Catherine Hicks and Hector Elizondo are in the fine cast.

Unrelated and unwanted sequels Turbulence 2 and 3 followed in 1999 and 2000, both with Craig Sheffer.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 975 derekwinnert.com