Synopsis
When an oil rig in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia proves unproductive, an aircraft crew are sent to shut the operation down and fly them out. On the flight out over the desert on the way to Beijing, Capt. Frank Towns and co-pilot A.J. are unable to keep their cargo plane, a C-119 Flying Boxcar, in the air when a violent sandstorm strikes. Crash-landing in a remote uncharted part of the desert, the two pilots and their passengers -- a crew of oil workers and a drifter -- must work together to survive by rebuilding the aircraft. Soon, low supplies and a band of merciless smugglers add even greater urgency to their task.
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Cast
- Dennis QuaidFrank Towns
- Tyrese GibsonAJ
- Giovanni RibisiElliott
- Miranda OttoKelly
- Tony CurranRodney
- Sticky FingazJeremy
- Jacob VargasSammi
- Hugh LaurieIan
- Scott Michael CampbellLiddle
- Kevork MalikyanRady
Recommendations
- 80
Washington Post
This is high-carb filmmaking at its finest. When it's all over, you'll have a knot in your stomach. - 80
Los Angeles Times
An excellent job of retaining key elements of the original plot but have created a whole new set of characters that gives the film an entirely contemporary feel. - 75
Entertainment Weekly
Refreshingly, it's actually about action, albeit arbitrary action, and how it defines us and keeps us alive. - 75
Christian Science Monitor
Effective action, solid suspense, excellent Ribisi, plus enough clichés to equal the grains of Gobi sand that fill the screen. - 50
Dallas Observer
This half-hearted, half-witted remake of Robert Aldrich's compelling 1965 tale of survival, ingenuity, and teamwork generates no heat. - 50
The Hollywood Reporter
While it certainly looks swell thanks to director John Moore's striking visuals, the wings of this rebuilt "Phoenix" have been clipped by generic scripting and a short supply of dramatic tension. - 50
Variety
Shows both how far Hollywood's tech departments have advanced in 40 years and how shallow the pool of solid action thesps has become. - 38
ReelViews
This remake replaces suspense with boredom and witty dialogue with lame lines any self-respecting actor should be embarrassed to utter.
