CHARLIE VICTOR ROMEO Review

Courtesy of Charlie Victor Romeo LLC

CHARLIE VICTOR ROMEO

2014, 80 minutes

Not Rated

Review by Joshua Handler

CHARLIE VICTOR ROMEO is now playing at Film Forum in NYC.

Based on a stage play of the same name, Charlie Victor Romeo is quite a unique film.  It is a series of minimalist reenactments of airplane emergencies using a small cast of actors and dialogue taken straight from black box recorders on the doomed flights.  Every scene takes place inside the cockpit.  While the acting isn't as strong as I would have liked (it diffuses some of the tension), this is a fascinating film with some scenes that genuinely shook me up.

If you don't like flying, this isn't the film for you.  I neglected to mention, the movie is also in 3-D.  There is never certainty as to whether anyone will live which drives up the tension.

This is an unusually short review because there really isn't much more to say about the film.  It is a tragic, intense, original piece of filmmaking that was an experience to watch.  While the 3-D isn't completely necessary, it did bring me into the world of the film and I appreciated that.  Again, if you fear flying, don't see it.  If you don't fear flying, see it.

3/4