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Such a frustrating disappointment

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Implausible because:(1) No stewardess could ever be that naive/stupid/gullible/jittery. (2) Storms are not that kind of threat to a plane. (3) Funny how movie depictions of plane interiors always show inordinate amounts of space between rows, between seats, down aisles, in bathrooms, in cockpits... (4) Cops could not be that stupid. (5) Other things too numerous to bother with.Too bad movies are still being made with females that suffer from their supposed 'female ineptitude' - didn't we ditch females in movies who can't run 50 feet without tripping or continually pausing to turn around and look at their pursuer or worse, just freeze in panic? Or can't pull the trigger on the maniac who is about to kill them?

Airplane thrillers - it's a common plot line. Whether it's a hijacking by a villain or simple mechanical malfunction, there have been several types of films that run in a similar fashion. Airport (1970) or Executive Decision (1996), just to name a couple, all take place on a plane with the possibility of it crashing and killing a ton of lives. Unfortunately, there are only so many ways something can be done. And as for this production, nothing really stands out.This story is about a female flight attendant who gets caught in the crossfire on a moving plane that's transporting two dangerous criminals to another city jail. Problem is, she's the only person left alive to fly the plane. It would be OK if this was the only focus but the writer, Jonathan Brett decided to include another subplot - the plane is headed into a level six storm. Thus the name of the title. Not impressive. I'm sure a better title could've been created even if the subplot of the storm wasn't included.The writer, Jonathan Brett isn't a truly established professional. None of his work is well known and for the films he is given credit for, isn't considered to be even mediocre. For example, why would anyone have two licensed criminals board a passenger airplane? And, when they do get on the plane, there are only 10 passengers,….so why is it so empty? What kind of writing is this? That's not a good sign and it shows throughout the film. The cast may surprise people though. Ray Liotta, Hector Elizondo, Rachel Ticotin {Melina from Total Recall (1990)}, Catherine Hicks and John Finn all have number of scenes long enough for viewers to appreciate their presence. However, this doesn't mean their performances are good or even close to being any different than their past roles in films.One of the criminals who is the main antagonist is played by Ray Liotta. This isn't a surprise. Liotta proved he could play a scary character in Unlawful Entry (1992) and it was much more realistic. Here, Liotta still can be scary but his performance is either underdone or overdone. Almost like he has a split personality. That would've been more entertaining if that had been written into the screenplay. As for the other actors mentioned, they just play minor characters which is nice when they're on screen but when they aren't, the plot runs extremely slow. Lauren Holly, who plays Teri, the flight attendant isn't entertaining either. Her fear looks real but her voice is irritating and can make it hard for people to sympathize with the character.I'm honestly surprised that the direction wasn't better. The movie is directed by Robert Butler who has 3 Primetime Emmys and a few other awards. The special effects aren't bad either, they at least matched the era of the decade. At least that worked as well as Shirley Walker's score to the film. It wasn't memorable and didn't have a theme but at least it corresponded at all the right moments of each scene. There definitely was the right emotion for each particular segment. But that is it.For a thriller with a B list cast of actors from the small and big screens, one would think this would turn out at least somewhat watchable. It has OK music and special effects but the writing isn't special or even close to being a little different and the acting is poor.

I happen to love movies that take place on airplanes, maybe because they're usually, or always about the same thing: A terrorist (or more) hijacks the plane and threatens to kill the passengers, sometimes along with the pilot. Plus, there's a storm too, making matters worse. That's basically all you can do in an airplane movie. The only exception is "Snakes on a Plane". Anyway, I had a good time the whole way through, even though I think the film could have used more characters (and complications), and a flight attendant who is a lot more smarter. This flight attendant, played by Holly, isn't very bright, even for a victim. Maybe she should have been the one choked to death. The other stewardess, played by Hicks, is more interesting. Besides, aren't the victims killed off in horror movies usually the not-so-smart ones? I suppose I could give the movie credit for trying something a little different.*** out of ****

Distributor: HBO Home VideoPlot: When a 747 heading from New york to L.A. is taken over by a seductive psychopathic killer, and the only one who can stop him is a beautiful young flight attendant, you'd better fasten your seat belts because this trip is going to be a killer ride.Audio/Video: The VHS edition has perfect picture quality and has an excellent sound quality.Extras: No extras on the video.Final thoughts: Turbulence is a thrilling movie with great acting ans excellent special effects, but after watching it a couple of times, it really starts to get boring. The sequel is pretty good. I have yet to see the 3rd part, but part 2 is cool, check it out.