Flightplan

Jodie Foster is the ultimate paranoid airline passenger in her latest hit, "Flightplan". The question that quickly becomes apparent is not about her paranoia, but rather about her level of delusion. Is her daughter really missing on the flight, or did she never have a daughter on board in the first place?

Foster plays Kyle Pratt, a recent widow flying her husband's body from Germany to New York. With her is six-year old daughter Julia, or so we are lead to believe from the start. Initially we don't know how her husband died, but from both Kyle and Julia's behavior you gather that something very bad and sudden had occurred. Julia is instantly amazed at the size of the ultra-modern plane they are about to board. Momma Pratt explains to Julia that she actually designed the plane. This little bit of info comes in handy later on.

Exhausted from their recent ordeal, both Pratt women fall asleep on the flight. When Kyle awakens, Julia is missing. After a few frantic searches, she insists that the captain (Sean Bean) do a full search of the entire airliner. It's at this point that no one on board even recalls seeing her with a child. As she becomes more frantic, everyone else becomes more wary of her state of mind. Trying to help her, while keeping her under control is air marshal Carson (Peter Sarsgaard).

Initially filled with intensity and intrigue, "Flightplan" becomes a psychological mystery as to what's really going on. However, after an outstanding first hour, the last thirty minutes take such a jumbo jet sized plot twist that seems even more unlikely than a girl going missing on an airplane that it loses any sense of believability. I can't say much more without giving away too much, so I'll leave it at that. Suffice it to say, Foster is great and the movie is solid except for the turbulence at the end with a bumpy landing. All in all, "Flightplan" gets a B.

"Flightplan" is rated PG-13 with a running time of 117 minutes.