Chariot (2013)

Nederlands hier ...

Genre : Thriller/Drama
Country : USA

Cast :
Anthony Montgomery : Cole
Michelle Sherill : Genevieve
Brina Palencia : Emily

Director: Brad Osborne

Summary
Seven strangers wake aboard a passenger jet in mid-flight, with no idea how they got there - and no idea where they are headed. Cut off from the cockpit and with a dying smartphone as their sole source of communication, they learn the U.S. is under a devastating attack... and they might be the only survivors.

My opinion

“Nobody thought 9/11 could happen either.”

Sometimes there are such movies that keep me glued to the screen, claim my full attention and are so intriguing that the sense of time is off and I wholeheartedly admit afterwards that the movie I just saw was excellent. ˝Charity˝ is one out of that category. A low-budget Indie thriller that only costed a small $ 42,000 (that´s actually unbelievable) and was made in mere 12 days. The fact that it all takes place in one location, namely a Boeing 727, probably also ensured that the cost of this film was so low. The biggest drawback is that it surely needs a peerless script since there aren´t a lot of action elements (although ˝Non-stop˝ actually proved the contrary) or breathtaking locations. And according to my opinion this script was of a high entertainment level. A level many blockbusters could learn something from. Obviously that's my personal opinion.

Seven people wake up in a Boeing 727, not knowing how they ended up there and what´s the destination. Together they try to figure out what the purpose is of them being trapped there. After finding a cell phone, because apparently theirs are gone, they discover that the U.S. was massively attacked and cities such as New York, Washington and Houston vanished off the face of the earth. After a while they realize they were destined to be on this flight.

Despite the limitation of taking place in one single place the entire movie, namely aboard a Boeing, the director Brad Osborne still managed to keep the suspense. And this because of the sustained pace and the brilliant camerawork. The topic seems unlikely and the story also has some flaws. And yet it´s not unthinkable that the U.S. authorities worked out a similar scenario in case such a situation would arise. And now certainly in the aftermath of 9/11. As the team of ˝Chariot˝ formulated it : ˝Chariot paints a cautionary tale of what can happen when the good intentions of the U.S. government are poorly executed.˝

But the things that made it an entertaining movie were the insightful elaborate dialogues, the amusing interactions and the brilliant performances. Michelle Sherrill as Genevieve, contractor for the U.S. government. Brina Palencia who once worked as interim for the White House. And Leslie Hippensteel also got a moment to excel in her role as the alleged housewife. But especially the acting by Anthony ˝Star Trek: Enterprise˝ Montgomery as the seemingly misplaced truck driver Cole was a hit and he was the star of this movie. Forthright and determined he tried to point everything in the right direction. He was alternately straightforward and extremely funny.
Cole : ˝You wanna try the cockpit door ? Maybe it'll open up for a woman.˝
Emily : ˝What makes you think it's not a woman flying ?˝
Cole : ˝Well, maybe she likes girls.˝

Even David DeLao as Ra was extremely funny.

˝I look like a terrorist. I know. It's okay. You can stop pretending.˝

It´s thanks to the talented and highly motivated cast this was a captivating film.

As the film progresses the tension increases. In retrospect, the fact that you are a spectator who´s unaware of the real situation is a plus. Everything stays mysterious and you continue to follow the developments cause it stays fascinating. Perhaps the film is abruptly broken off and it makes you wonder how it ended. But ultimately this was the most logical way to end it. I expected such a final but the way all the puzzle pieces fell together was extremely surprising.

˝Chariot˝ is an exciting, entertaining, intense and successful thriller. A film that also appeals to your imagination. It makes you wonder if this could be a true story and what the ultimate result was after the denouement. A successful experiment with a low budget. This proofs again that even with limited resources, wonderful things can be achieved. Highly recommended !