"Crash" is a not-so-smart action movie with Gerard Butler for those who miss the 80s

On January 26, the Russian premiere of the film "Crash" took place. The film was directed by Jean-Francois Richet, the author of two parts of Enemy of the State No. 1 and a remake of Attack on the 13th precinct. Starring Gerard Butler, Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Yoson Anh (Mulan), Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Domination).

On a plane flying over the Pacific Ocean lightning strikes. Because of this, all electronic devices on board stop working. Pilot Brody Torrance makes a difficult landing on an island ruled by armed bandits. While the pilot is trying to find a way to contact the airline and report his location, the locals take captive passengers and crew. To save them, Torrance asks for help from Gaspar, a criminal who was extradited on the same flight. Meanwhile, the airline hires a private military organization to rescue the crew and passengers from the bandits' lair.

Structurally, Crash is the simplest movie possible. Airplane takes off, lands with difficulty, then criminals appear, and the hero enters into a fight with them. These four passages are roughly equal in length, about 25 minutes each. Each of them is built according to the simplest dramatic scheme: plot, confrontation and denouement. There is nothing special about this. Another thing is surprising: in the script there is nothing but a plot, confrontation and denouement. Dialogues, personal characteristics of the characters, action - all elements of the film do not matter, because the plot is always in the foreground.

"Crash" cannot be unpredictable, because there is no room for an unexpected moment in it. In 100 minutes, the film shows two more or less normal dialogues: one at the beginning of the first act, the second at the beginning of the third.

The lack of normal dialogue simplifies all the characters. The heroes of "The Crash" are so empty that you can carry water in them. From the very beginning they are divided into good, bad and hesitating.

Torrance, Gaspard, the leader of the bandits and one employee of the airline - there are only four people in the film who make at least some decisions. Toward the end of the picture, it becomes obvious that this is an illusion, since only the criminal Gaspar is endowed with the will of choice - the rest just roll along the storyline.

Perhaps the main advantage of Gasper is the minimum amount of information about him. Was a military man, easily kills, does not want to prison - that's the whole biography. And he is constantly silent, that is, he does not discredit himself (in this film, the lines make the characters worse). Only once does he crack a joke about Christian redemption, simply because a classic action movie should have a reference to the Bible.

But Gerard Butler, who doesn't really pretend to be Brody Torrance, talks a lot. He is cool, temperamental, courageous and in general he is well done. Butler is ready to sacrifice himself because he feels responsible for the passengers and plays a major role. In the first (and penultimate) normal dialogue, the pilot says that his wife died a few years ago. Subsequently, it turns out that this fact does not affect the hero in any way. He might as well talk about how he likes pistachio ice cream or what he did as a child. tennis.

However, against the background of nameless barmaley running through the jungle with rifles, Butler seems to be a deep personality and intellectual. For example, criminals can guard the hostages in a crowd, and then just turn away for a few minutes and not notice that someone is sneaking up on them. And they are also obsessed with the iPad - for some reason, it is their villains who are looking for passengers in things along with jewelry.

Creepy and dirty gangsters have a head - though he looks like Metrosexual Rocky in Indian movie. So, Butler landed the plane in a strange place.

By the way, in the office of the airline bandits are constantly called "separatists". Adding that there is no and never was a state on the island. From whom they “separated” is a mystery.

Agenda witnesses counting the number of people of different races in the films will love Crash. A black criminal, an electronically savvy Asian, a bold white man and weak-willed women - everything is like in action movies of the 80s. Is it not enough kiss from the most beautiful lady in the film, but Gerard Butler is too passionate about himself, so he can handle it himself.

"Crash" is the clearest example of the "so bad it's good" formula. He does not try to be a drama and does not pretend to be a good action movie. The film is funny even in scenes that do not contain jokes. If "Crash" came out in the 80s, then it would be remembered approximately on a par with "Commando", "Red Heat" and other "Cobras". In 2023, it looks like a cute postcard delivered very late.