Sully (2016) Review

Based on the miraculous true story of an American pilot who safely crash-landed a domestic passenger airplane carrying 155 people in the Hudson River, Sully is an emotional journey of a man struggling to come to terms with just how close he came to losing everything and everyone.

Image via Forbes

Sully (Tom Hanks) has flown airline planes for nearly 40 years. In this time, he has piloted over a million passengers on their journeys. But when a flock of birds takes out both engines shortly after take-off, he makes the split-second decision to do what no pilot has ever done successfully before—land the plane on New York’s icy Hudson River.

Miraculously, the plane lands safely. In the minutes that follow, an incredible rescue takes place, to ensure the 155 people he has safely brought to ground are able to survive the freezing cold water. It’s a close call, but every person survives—and Sully is hailed as a national hero.

When an investigation into the crash begins to raise doubts about his decision-making, Sully and his co-pilot (Aaron Eckhart) face intense scrutiny from the powers that be. Their computer-based predictions fly in the face of his instincts and his actions, and despite having saved 155 lives, it’s possible he may lose everything—from his job to his house—if the findings suggest he took unnecessary risks.

Wanting to get home to his wife and family, while contending with the horrific nightmares that follow the waves of shock, Sully also begins to question whether or not his actions were right. It is this struggle that the film—based on true events—chooses to focus on.

Despite being a story about an incredible event, Sully is more of a human story about one man’s grapple with his conscience, his memories and, ultimately, his pride. The pairing of Eastwood (as director) and Hanks makes for a slowly unfolding emotive piece, which at times is a little patchy, but that generally succeeds in conveying the magnitude and miraculous nature of what occurred.

Seeing planes crashing into buildings in New York will always have a more frightening edge to it post-9/11, and it’s clear that the setting for this film is a core part of the sub-plot.

There are touching moments, and there are frustrating ones, but ultimately if you enjoy the dramatic moodiness that Eastwood evokes, you too will find enjoyment.