Sully Review

So with all my reviews thus far, my process has been to go see a movie the weekend it comes out and then review it the next Thursday, however this week is different. This week, I got to see the movie of choice right when it came out (as in an hour before I'm writing this review). So let's look at the new Clint Eastwood film about the Miracle on the Hudson; Sully.

Story: So this is pretty straight forward...in a way. The movie follows Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and the crash of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River and the ensuing investigation by the NTSB. The problem is the story is not linear; it generally follows Sully going through the aftermath of the crash and the investigation yet skips around a lot through flashbacks. Despite the weird zig-zaging plot, it does a good job of showing not only the crash, but also the investigation afterwards. It's kind of boring but it's not a bad boring. I guess low key would be a better term than boring. 

Acting: I was expecting a lot from Tom Hanks as I had just seen Captain Phillips, where his performance is nothing short of incredible, and I was expecting a performance just as good. Yet what I got was a resounding kinda. Overall, Hanks once again delivers a top notch performance; everything about his acting is damn good and makes me care and relate to Captain Sully. However, it is just not as good as some of Hanks' past performances. Still good. Don't get me wrong. It's just not what I was expecting and hoping for. As for the supporting cast (highlighted by Aaron Eckhart), there are no other really great performance but they do help complete the film and they all work really well together.

Presentation: I'll qualify this by saying that I saw this in IMAX so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt but this film looks good. Like really damn good. From shots of Hanks and Eckhart running through NYC to the plain crash itself, it looks spectacular and makes you feel like you were there. There are some odd shots during some of the scenes, but it is easily overlooked. This is what I expect out of a modern film. Directors, take note.

Effect: This is where the film shines. This film does well to show just what made the Miracle on the Hudson a miracle. It goes to show not only Sully's heroic actions but that of the flight attendants, the First Officer, and of course the first responders. It also shows a bit of the BS investigations that our government goes through after events like this. It shows what kind of awful things the government (in this case the NTSB) will do to prove their point is right. Additionally, the film also dives into the problem of doubt in people and even when the entire country is telling you you're a hero, there is still some part of you that feel like you could've done better. I

Other: Despite my praises, the film is kind boring. The way they handle the crash is done in a manner that takes a lot of the suspense out of it (though I guess that makes sense since everyone survives but whatever). However the film is short (a little over 90 minutes) so it is excusable. This is a solid film to go see. 

While Sully (this film that is not the actual person) is not the amazing film I was hoping it to be (and not to mention what the advertisements say it'll be), it is a great movie and is highlighted by Tom Hanks being Tom Hanks (which is a good thing). If you need a movie to go see, this is it. 

Story: 7
Acting: 8
Presentation: 10
Effect: 9
Other: 7

Score: 8.2

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