If you wondered why you don’t get meals on flights you might want to check out “Fight or Flight.â€
There, Josh Hartnett uses every possible item on a plane to thwart potential assassins.
That wine glass? That tray table? That arm rest? That necktie? All lethal weapons when the killers start moving through the aisles.

Josh Hartnett plays a mercenary hired to protect a passenger aboard a flight in "Fight or Flight."Â
Hartnett plays a mercenary who’s hired to board a plane bound for San Francisco to protect an unidentified criminal. In the process of determining who that "ghost" might be, he’s attacked by countless passengers, including the guy in the seat next to him. On a trip to the restroom, he takes care of other business, then realizes what he’s in for. One by one, the ship of fools begins to weigh in. One by one, he takes them out, getting help from flight attendants who know the layout of the plane. (Where is John McClane when you need him?)
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On ground, he’s guided by a government agent (Katee Sackhoff) who can get whatever he needs during the 16-hour flight. She stays in contact (sitting in one of those darkened nerve centers) by phone, while he stops, drops and rolls during inner turbulence.
Directed by James Madigan, “Fight or Flight†moves quickly — not unlike Brad Pitt’s “Bullet Train.†It accomplishes plenty in a confined space and lets your mind wander if, indeed, you were placed in this kind of situation.
Hartnett is a bit more rough-and-tumble than he has been in other films, taking a quiet demeanor and turning it up to 11. He has a boozy attitude that serves him well with people who might not trust his judgment. When it’s time to do an all check in First Class and Economy, he’s ready to crack heads and break bones.
What’s fascinating is how he can determine who’s a killer and who’s an entitled traveler.

Any passenger could be a potential assassin in "Fight or Flight."Â
Thanks to excellent stunt work, “Fight or Flight†doesn’t seem like it’s an interminable flight.
When Hartnett’s Lucas Reyes gets blood on his traveling clothes, he’s forced to don undersized pajamas and still kick as high as the seats. Charithra Chandran, as an extremely helpful flight attendant, manages those impressive moves, too. The two don’t even bother asking about refills. They're too busy collecting trash.
Before the flight is allowed to land, Madigan has exhausted every possible hazard known to sky marshals. There are a few “Airport†moves, too, and a pointer or two for passengers who have anxiety.
Sackhoff’s scenes on the ground rely on her barking orders to others who have, in turn, barked at others. It’s a power play of sorts but it works nicely, particularly since she’s never face-to-face with the man she’s trying to guide.
An unstated motive behind the mission (at least initially) isn’t explained enough to get full buy-in. Still, when Hartnett wields a broken wine bottle and has a laptop for backup, it’s hard to bother with motive.
“Fight or Flight†moves, no matter what.Â