Jeri
Jacquin
Coming
to Amazon’s own channel Amazon Prime this Thursday from writer/director Patrick
Vollrath is a dilemma that one man must face when calling 7500.
Captain
Lutzmann (Carlo Kitzlinger) and co-pilot Tobias Ellis (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
are flying an Airbus A319 from Berlin to Paris. Sharing the ride is stewardess Gokce
(Aylin Tezel) who is mother of Ellis’ young son. Keeping work and home life
separate, a very few know they are a couple. The take off goes smoothly and
they are quickly in the air.
Within
minutes of the flight, a disturbance happens outside as terrorist Kalkan
(Passar Hariky), Kenan (Murathan Muslu) and young Vedat (Omid Memar) attempt to
gain entry to the cockpit. The pilot is wounded as Ellis manages to keep two
out and knowing out the third. Trying to help the pilot, it becomes clear that
Ellis is going to have to fly the plane.
Kalkan
and Vedat continue to pound on the door making it clear they are going to do
whatever it takes to gain entry. Kalkan goes as far as to threaten the lives of
passenger’s if the door isn’t opened. Vedat translates to Ellis but one thing
is clear – Ellis can not open the door.
Knowing
that it is Kalkan who is in control, Ellis tries reason, but it only agitates the
situation. Now Ellis must rely on his composure when everything seems out of
control and do everything possible until they are able to land. Each moment
brings the flight closer to being able to land – but will it?
Gordon-Levitt
as Ellis brings a powerful performance to a frightening story. Making plans for
his young son’s education seemed to be the only care he had. When the hijacking
starts, Gordon-Levitt is uber-focused, and it shows every frame of the film. The
power in each thing that happens is intense, yet this actor adds a drop more
for good measure until you realize you have blinked in a while. Excellent
performance with an topic that is difficult to address.
Hariky
as Kalkan is determined and nothing or no one will get in the way of his
ultimate goal. Even when it seems everything is falling apart, Hariky’s
character stares into the camera outside the cockpit with a glare that exudes
fear and says, “try me!”.
Memar
as Vedat is a young man that is absolutely troubled by what is happening but
also feels a sense of hopelessness when he realizes this is not what he
expected. Wanting to do what’s right as a person and what he’s been told is
right as a hijacker, I think Vedat becomes more and more dangerous because of
the fear he feels. There is a moment when the phone rings and Vedat falls apart
that is nothing short of heartbreaking.
Other
cast include: Hicham Sebiai as Hopper, Paul Wollin as Daniel, Cornel Nussbaum
as Peter, Max Schimmelpfennig as the student and Nathalie (Aurelie Thepaut).
Amazon
Prime offers television shows and original content included in its Amazon Prime
subscription. Original programs such as CARNIVAL ROW, THE MAN IN THE HIGH
CASTLE, and THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL are hit shows. Coming soon is the next
series with GOLIATH starring Billy Bob Thornton and it promises to another
successful and intense series.
7500
brings every bead of intensity and it is palpable from start to finish. It
twists, turns and does not go the way that is expected but, then again, that would
make for a movie of the week instead of a well-done film by Amazon Studios.
Shot
in real time and an amazing set that feels and looks like the cockpit of an
airplane only lends believability to the story. Even the sounds of the aircraft
and the lights lend itself to a character that the story is trying to tell.
What
starts as a five man show whittles its way down to a one on one and who can
keep it together until the situation is resolved. That is when the minutes drag
by so slowly and it is Gordon-Levitt as Ellis who the viewer counts on to do
what is right and make the hard choices– no matter the cost. When they refer to
the people as “souls on board”, this films situation brings that more into
focus.
Watch
on a big screen, watch with the lights down and watch performances that will
stay with you long after the story ends.
In
the end – the distress code is only the beginning!
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