Movie - Flight Risk (2025)

 

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Plot

Madolyn Harris, a U.S. Marshal, arrests an accountant named Winston while he is hiding out in a remote part of Alaska after turning informant against his former employer, the Moretti crime family. Madolyn charters a small private airplane to take them to Anchorage so they can transfer to New York City, where she intends for Winston to testify against the Morettis. The plane is piloted by Daryl Booth, a Texan living in Alaska, who explains that the vehicle's radio is broken.

While manacled in the middle of the plane, Winston spots Daryl's pilot licence under the seat in front of him, noticing that the photograph is a different person to "Daryl". He tries to warn Madolyn, who has a headset on and cannot hear him. After a brief conversation with Madolyn, the pilot's accent slips, revealing himself to be a hitman using Daryl's identity with orders to kill Winston. Madolyn manages to subdue him with a taser, and takes over piloting the plane.

Using her satellite phone, Madolyn manages to explain the situation to her direct superior, Caroline Van Sant. Caroline tells her that Winston must be kept alive at all costs if the Morettis are to be brought to justice. It is revealed that Winston had skimmed one million US dollars from the Morettis during his time working for them. Caroline tells her that the real Daryl Booth had been tortured to death by the pilot, and that she will arrange for another pilot to call her to help navigate them to safety. Madolyn begins to grow suspicious of Caroline when she seems reluctant to send help directly, so she gets in touch with Director Coleridge to explain her suspicions. However, Coleridge gives himself away as being on Moretti's payroll when he mentions his beach house, as Winston recognizes the address from a past payment he made for Moretti, putting Caroline's life in danger.

The pilot wakes up, shackled to the overhead rack, and taunts Winston, promising to make him suffer, as well as to kill his mother, whose address he knows. He also reveals that Madolyn had been put on desk duty for several years after her neglect had caused the death of a witness in her custody during her last field mission; Madolyn handcuffed the witness in a bathroom while she was taking a shower before the hotel was firebombed and Madolyn fled while forgetting the witness.

Hasan, a pilot on the ground in Anchorage, calls Madolyn and teaches her how to use the controls of the plane; his tactic to keep her calm is to charm her and promise to take her for a drink when they land safely. The pilot manages to free himself from his handcuffs and attacks the pair. He stabs Winston twice, and strangles Madolyn with the seatbelt. She is about to pass out when Winston removes the knife from his chest and cuts the belt, allowing Madolyn to shoot the pilot with a flare gun, incapacitating him at the back of the plane. When Coleridge calls Madolyn and tells her that Caroline has been killed in a car accident, she vows to bring him down alongside the Morettis.

With Winston now in dire need of medical attention, Hasan guides Madolyn into landing the plane as quickly as possible by burning through their remaining fuel supply. On the approach, the pilot regains consciousness and attacks, but is shot by Madolyn, and is thrown from the plane to his death during the landing.

Winston is rushed into an ambulance by the ground crew as Madolyn is greeted by a smiling Hasan. However, Madolyn notices a suspicious-looking police officer entering the ambulance, following and shooting him dead as she catches the latter trying to asphyxiate Winston. Madolyn picks up the corrupt officer's phone and tells Coleridge, who was on the other end giving the order, that he will be going down for a long time. Madolyn shares a smile with Winston as the ambulance leaves for the hospital.