Movie Review: Rough Air: Danger on Flight 534

Rough Air: Danger on Flight 534 a.k.a Rough Sky
Carlton America, Tele München Fernseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG)  USA, Germany, Canada, 2001.

First Officer Mike Hogan (Eric Roberts) has a trauma because of a failed crash landing years ago. He is assigned as replacement co-pilot on short notice as no one else is available. Flight attendants Katy (Alexandra Paul from "Baywatch" and "Melrose Place") and Tracey (Anne Openshaw) try their best to serve the spoiled passengers. There are students, soccer player Ty (Mark Lutz) and airplane engineer Roger (Russell Yuen). On the flight there is also convicted murderer Grant Blyth (Dean McDermott) on his way to prison escorted by Detective Muldoon (John Furey). 

Mike Hogan

Katy

Tracey

Captain Jack Brooks (Kevin Jubinville) is pompous and full of himself. Captain Jack (hey yo captain Jack!) believes in the flawless modern flight technology but Mike is an old school pilot (of the Real Men(TM) era) who believes that pilot's skills are important when the technology fails.

Detective Muldoon and Grant Blyth

Wrongly attached shipping container gets loose, breaks cargo bay door and causes a pressure leak. Storm hits the plane and Mike must get it to safety.  Heroics await for the brave passengers too.

Although it was meant to be a realistic drama about airplane passengers in dire situation, after the accident struck it went kind of silly. When Captain Jack got concussion, he was all like "lemme fly, lemme fly!" And Mike was like "Nope." Then Jack was tied to a seat to let Mike fly in peace.

Grant tries to escape, but where would he go? Worst of all, VIP Mr. Matthews (Carlo Rota) runs of whiskey. Grant has also piloting skills so he can help Mike. But the darn computer breaks and won't let the Real Men(TM) fly! (Unrealistic? Just wait when self-driving cars decide that the shortest route goes through a brick wall!)

Mr. Matthews

I won't let you fly!

There are also Real Women(TM). Katy and Tracey use their wits to calm the panicking or arrogant passengers and Icelandic air traffic controller Sara Lundattir (Leah Pinsent) has a rough night shift.

Sara Lundattir

Roger and Mike

TV-movie is quite light to watch, with some thrills, heroics and unintentional comedy. The traditional script could be from 1970s airplane disaster film, and it is just the type of film "Airplane!" parodied. Eric Roberts does a solid role and the other actors are decent too. As a TV-movie it goes but otherwise there's nothing too special.

Rating: Average

Starring: Eric Roberts, Alexandra Paul, Anne Openshaw, Kevin Jubinville, Russell Yuen, Mark Lutz, Sergio Di Zio, Carlo Rota, Dean McDermott, John Furey, Ryan Scott, Kelly Ivey, Susan Aceron, Eliza Roberts, Daryn Jones, Leah Pinsent, Andrew Gillies, Larissa Gomes, Alexis Cassar
Director: Jon Cassar