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The Captain

Play trailer Poster for The Captain 2019 1h 51m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 96% Popcornmeter 50+ Verified Ratings
Passengers and crew aboard a Chinese airline start to panic when the windshield shatters shortly after takeoff. As the temperature plummets and people lose consciousness, the strong-willed captain does whatever he can to land the plane safely.
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The Captain

Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Screen International 11/18/2019
A corny but enjoyable disaster flick which makes up for what it lacks in polished CGI with a rattling pace and plenty of bracingly authentic scenes of screaming passenger panic. Go to Full Review
Richard Kuipers Variety 10/18/2019
Though riddled with wobbly dialogue and wafer-thin characters, this patriotic thriller is easy enough to enjoy if you don't look too closely. Go to Full Review
Leslie Felperin Guardian 10/04/2019
3/5
A proper nail-biter even if you already know what happens in the real life story. Go to Full Review
Frank Ochieng Flick Feast 04/03/2020
3.5/5
...[a] hair-raising, high-in-the-sky action thriller. Lau's action-adventure spectacle that feels as unapologetically loose and unrestrained as a defective seat belt. Go to Full Review
Daniel Eagan Film Legacy 10/21/2019
Passengers on a flight to Tibet survive accidents and weather in a disaster pic that's become a blockbuster hit in China. Go to Full Review
Frank Swietek One Guy's Opinion 10/19/2019
C
Essentially 'Sully' without the nuance, a throwback to the disaster-movie formulas of pre-'Airplane!' days. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Brad Lee D 10/25/2019 What a wonderful surprise this movie was I was a little bit weary about it being in Mandarin and watching subtitles- but because this film is based off of a true story it was very compelling. This film takes you on a journey of a day in the life of a pilot and the crew from takeoff to landing and the incredible true story of one captain and the crews courage to get through impossible odds See more Michelle L 10/22/2019 Love this movie! Well done! See more Tan T 10/21/2019 Very good suspenseful movie, well made. The ensemble cast was very good See more Ding Ding W Jul 16 My opinion: VERY GOOD MOVIE. "quotes everyone elses reviews" Go watch it... if you like plen (plane) :D See more Ruth F 06/12/2024 First of all, I am not usually a fan of catastrophe movies because I get fed up with the angst and melodrama. This film, however, is a thrilling re-enactment of the airline catastrophe that really happened in China on a routine Sichuan Airlines flight from Chongqing to Lhasa on May 14, 2018. The story focuses on the struggle for survival, and is not diluted by backstories intended to make you care about anyone in particular. The plane was only about 40 minutes into the flight and had just reached 30,000 feet altitude and the Tibetan Plateau, when cracks first appeared in the cockpit's two front windscreen windows, followed immediately by their being shattered and blown out. It was horrifying to see one crewmember pulled out of the empty window frame, and thrashed mercilessly by the wind while his seatbelt prevents him from being completely sucked out. Then the fight for survival begins as the plane depressurizes and loses its oxygen, and chaos ensues. Scenes switch between (1) the cockpit and Captain's struggle to keep the plane under control and the co-pilot inside, (2) the passengers' cabin where the flight attendants live up to their professional training to get the panicking passengers calmed down and as safe as possible, and (3) outside views of the plane flying over spectacular mountains, and after turning the plane around to head back to safety, flying through a turbulent storm that makes weapons out of baggage and loose objects. In my opinion the special effects were good enough that I never felt that what I was seeing wasn't real. I appreciated the real pilots and stewardesses being shown at the end. Nice touch. Also, the music supported the action, and patriotic song at the end made me smile. In my opinion, it is a good thing to see people, regardless of country, portrayed as courageous, professional, heroic, and human. When we are being our best selves, we really are all that. See more Steve C 06/01/2024 Don't expect anything like Denzel Washington's Flight film. This film's plot projects an air of unauthenticity even though it was inspired by true events. The mediocre acting of the passengers and laughable attempts to create dramatic situations, like the delayed response of KO'd flight attendant, made it worse. See more Read all reviews
The Captain

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Movie Info

Synopsis Passengers and crew aboard a Chinese airline start to panic when the windshield shatters shortly after takeoff. As the temperature plummets and people lose consciousness, the strong-willed captain does whatever he can to land the plane safely.
Director
Andrew Lau Wai-Keung
Producer
Zhiyong Xu
Screenwriter
Yonggan Yu
Distributor
Well Go USA
Production Co
Alibaba Pictures Group, Bona Film Group, Emei Film Group, Huaxia Film Distribution Company
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 18, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 24, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$702.9K
Runtime
1h 51m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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