In the opening scene, Whip wakes up in a hotel room heavily intoxicated and drugged. Later that morning, he is piloting a plane scheduled to fly over 100 people to Atlanta. He casually mixes vodka into his orange juice as he makes a few announcements to everyone on-board. Somehow, despite his sleep deprivation and substance abuse, Whip is able to fly smoothly and alertly when piloting the plane.

Just when everything seems to be working perfectly in Whip’s favor, the plane suddenly plummets uncontrollably. He thoughtlessly maneuvers the plane to safety, relieving the passengers and crew.

The plane crash is almost too realistic – a camera zooms down an aisle of the crashing plane, immersing the viewer (along with every passenger on the flight) in the heart-racing scene.

Whip is immediately showered in praise. However, he soon finds out that the deaths of multiple passengers require someone to be held accountable.

Whip’s blood-alcohol count was taken when the plane was down, and he received foreboding results. Will his bravery be overshadowed by his failed toxicology test?

Whip fails to sober up, with the typical mentality of an addict — if he wanted to stop, he could. A National Transportation and Safety Board investigation is undertaken, and if the investigation does not end in Whip’s favor, he will be convicted of homicide and serve a harsh prison sentence.

Flight is an action-packed thriller worth watching. The image of Denzel Washington strutting down the street with aviator sunglasses with “Feelin’ Alright” by Joe Cocker playing in the background is unforgettable. After watching his complex character unfold, it’s safe to assume the sunglasses are used to cover his bloodshot eyes and weary expression, but to everyone else he looks like a man on top of the world.