Review: 7500

7500 is the type of film that’s set exclusively in one location. These kinds of pictures are always tricky to make. If they fail to achieve their goal, we’re left with something that’s usually severely lacking in energy while we’re also forced to look at a bland movie set the entire time. However, when done correctly, these movies can feel like unique experiences that have some legitimate value for viewers.

In this film, we join our protagonist in the cockpit of a commercial aircraft. When operating these things, the best thing you can ask for is a routine day. That’s how everything felt for a young co-pilot named Tobias (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as he prepared for his flight from Berlin to Paris. However, shortly after takeoff, all of that changes when an armed group of terrorists suddenly attempt to take over the plane.

Predictably, 7500 gets straight to the point for the most part. After brief introductions, we get the typical rundown you’d anticipate in the beginning. During this time, not only are they allowing us to learn a small bit about the important characters we need to know, but they also make sure to get us to feel like we’re actually in the cockpit preparing for a flight that’s about to take off.

In doing these two things, we never feel as if nothing is happening even though things aren’t quite as interesting as they’re going to get. What makes this work is that although what we get during this period is fairly basic, some of it includes stuff that the vast majority of us will never experience. This makes things more intriguing and gives us a reason to pay close attention to what’s taking place.

Everything that follows is laid out in a very simplistic and straightforward manner as well. The only major difference between the first two acts is that what we receive in the second act is not a part of everyday life for anyone getting on a plane. Other than that, even the structure is similar since nearly every specific event is given to us one piece at a time with very little overlap.

As things begin to pick up in the story, the excitement and tension increase. Some of it is believable, but some of it is purely here for cinematic purposes. What I mean is there are a few things happen that probably wouldn’t happen in real life in these circumstances. Instead of remaining logical all the way through, we get this instead for a brief period to keep things interesting.

This kind of thing usually doesn’t work, but I was able to make an exception here and give these events a pass. The reason behind that is due to the fact that I don’t have to suspend my disbelief too often or for too long. Plus, there’s at least a small chance that some of this could happen in a situation like this. It would just come down to a lap in judgment if you want to completely excuse it.

Plus, having certain characters act exactly like a logical person would in real life either creates a lot of empty space or makes a 90-minute movie much shorter if you eliminate one specific plot point altogether. By including it, you maintain a level of anxiety and intensity that wouldn’t exist otherwise unless you were in this position in reality. It’s partially because of this that most people won’t care how believable it is if they even notice in the first place.

With the help of a small cast led by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Patrick Vollrath manages to take a small budget and construct a tension-filled thriller that remains consistent throughout. Ultimately, I finished 7500 being satisfied with the work that just about everyone involved had done. And as someone who hates it when movies are longer than they should be, I’m also grateful that they don’t waste time getting us to where we need to be.  

Rating: R

Director: Patrick Vollrath

Screenwriter: Patrick Vollrath

Cast:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Omid Memar
Murathan Muslu
Aylin Tezel

Film Length: 92 minutes

Release Date: June 18, 2020 (Prime Video)

Distributor: Amazon Studios