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Flightplan

(2005, Rated PG-13, Thriller, Starring Sean Bean, Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Tense but riveting thriller, best for teens+.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 13 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Villains are tricky, authorities (the captain and flight attendants) are slow to pick up on villainy, and mother is admirably resolute throughout.
  • Violence:

    A father's suicide referenced at start; action picks up later including physical fights and a bomb ticking.
  • Sex:

    Brief flirtation between flight attendants.
  • Language:

    Tense arguments, no cursing to speak of.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some drinks discussed by flight attendants.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Flightplan

Parents need to know that the film's premise is a missing child, a timely topic but also potentially disturbing for younger viewers. The film focuses on the mother's panic when her 6-year-old daughter disappears midflight on an airbus, which offers up plenty of high-techy, brightly-lit space to be searched. The mother displays tears, fear, and rage at the crew, who question her sanity. There is an apparent suicide (the film includes discussion of a fall off a rooftop, and some flashbacks/dreams of the victim's last night alive). The movie also features some violence, as the mother fights crew members and an air marshal, as well as threats of a hijacking and a bomb on the plane. Most important, parents should know that the tension is frequently very taut; be aware of what your child might tolerate and understand.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the portrayal of Kyle's evolving distress: how is she sympathetic in her fear and anger? How does her briefly sketched relationship with her daughter Julia help to establish this sympathy, even when everyone else on the plane thinks she's lost her mind? And how does the film use racial profiling of "Arab" passengers (in Kyle and other passengers' accusations)? Is this reasonable or unreasonable under these circumstances?

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See all 28 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    A Tense, Riveting Thriller...

    FLIGHTPLAN would be a good thriller for teens and preteens who are eager to see more mature films but who aren't quite ready for the content. Jodie Foster is perfect in her role, and she makes the movie great fun to watch. Violence is the only issue in the movie. A person is scratched in the face after hitting an armrest, and another is hit in the face with a fire extinguisher. There is some blood in the resulting cuts. The overall tone of the movie is threatening and intense, but it never gets edgy or creepy; it's just enough to give the movie an edge-of-your-seat feeling. Language consists of some "godd**n"s and one or two "h*ll"s.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Kentucky
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 4.0

    Great Movie!

    This movie was great I really got into it! The guy below me is right. Its not good for younger kids because it can get a little creepy at some times. I really liked this movie and got a copy to add to my collection.

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    Absolutely astonishing

    This movie was so beyond amazing, and I LOVED Peter Sarsgaard. Wicked cool guy! Anyway. Sex: Nothing really. Violence: A person hits an armrest and gets a scratch on her face, another gets hit with a fire extinguisher, and there is blood on his ear and face. Language: A dozen profanities include several s-words and abuses of God’s name (“g--d--n,” “Jesus,” “Christ”). This was a really good movie, and I highly recommend it, particularly on ClearPlay DVD Player (clearplay.com)

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    One of my favourite thrillers

    This is one of my favourite thrillers, it was very well done, Jodie Foster was fantastic, and it keeps you on the very edge of your seat. There is a bit of language, but other than that, the only iffy thing is the tense situations.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Maryland
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

  6. I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0

    good thriller

    If you want a suspensful thriller without gore and disturbing images this is a good choice.

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 5.0

  8. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 2.0

    Not that bad

    At first i could not stand it but as you got farthr into the movie it got a little better. it i really violant. not for kids under 12.

  9. I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    A very suspenseful movie...

    I saw this movie at a sleepover with some of my friends. I really wanted to watch a scary movie, but a lot of the people there were "scardy cats" so we decided to watch Flight Plan. It was just perfect for them, not very scary at all and very interesting to watch. I kept wanting to scream at the people that she was telling the truth about her daughter being on the plane! It made me angry that no one would believe her until I found out why...This is a must-see!

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    I cried at the end, Flightplan a thriller!

    I am 10 years old, and when I first saw the preview, I thought "Wow, scary and intense, but a good movie for my dad." Well, I came home one day and found out my Mom and Grandmother were watching 'Flightplan'. My mother said it would be okay if we watched it together. I loved it! Yes, it's true, Jodie Foster spit out some crude words in the search for her daughter, but it is a fact that it ends just perfectly, with a rich plot and and deep action. Some ten-year-olds might not like or understand this, and for some parents, watching thsi langyuage and action is just to intense. My parents have always said I have an odd taste for movies.

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    What a ride!

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    Entertaining, worth renting

    Flightplan was an entertaining movie, but do not expect a great movie. Do not worry about it being scary. It is suspenseful, but nothing is freaky or anything like that. There is one 'b' word, but other than that there was no bad language. The violence is only at the end when a gun is shot at the main character. No one is hurt. I recommend this movie to families who are looking for a fun, suspenseful movie. Recommended for ages 10+

  13. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 4.0

    Very Good

    This was a great its better to rent it.

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Mile a Mintue

    This movie would be good for kids ages 12 if it weren't for some violence. It is a movie that you have to pay extra clsoe attention to. Every word they say plays a major part of the climax of the movie. It was a really good mystery movie I think teens my age would enjoy.

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Wisconsin
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    exciting

    this was a fantastic movie very well thought out i would say 12 and up (i know it says i'm 11 but i grew up since then i'm 13)

  16. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

  17. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in California
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Best Movie Ever

    I thought that this movie was good but very suspensful. Although I figured out the kidnapper from the first seen they did a good job at hiding it later on here was some mild swaring. There was also a big scene were it looks like a plaine crashes

  18. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 3.0

    Clean suspense thriller, PG-13 a good rating

    All about a mom's love for a daughter. The plot leaves a little to be desired. This is one of the few suspense thrillers you can watch with a little one older than 12. No drugs (one brief reference, but not abuse), no sex, and a brief gunfight at the end, no blood. It is implied that one person dies of an explosion, but this was not graphic at all. Nice & clean.

  19. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 4.0

    Great story line, maybe too intense if afraid of flying

    My family saw this movie together (kids ages 11 and 14), and we all liked it. It is intense, the buildup of fear when the daughter can't be found is strong. I liked that there was resolution at the end, and my 11-year-old understood the story line. She is a little nervous about flying, but this movie did not affect her in that way. The movie keeps you interested every minute.

  20. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

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