Touted as one hell of a ride, Fight or Flight stars Hollywood heartthrob Josh Hartnett and the dazzling Charithra Chandran in a sky-high thrill fest for all action fans that pushes danger to new altitudes.
When a Hollywood veteran known for psychological thrillers and dramatic roles decides to jump back into a full stunt-heavy action movie, you pay attention. In Fight or Flight, Josh Hartnett takes center stage—not as a brooding bystander or supporting player, but as a full-blown, bruised-up, wisecracking action hero. Playing mercenary Lucas Reyes, he anchors the chaos with surprising charm and a wild energy that makes this movie his most unhinged performance in years.
The film follows disgraced former secret service agent Lucas as he boards what should’ve been a routine flight—until he discovers the plane is crawling with competing assassins, each one hunting the same mysterious passenger known only as “The Ghost.” What begins as a simple assignment erupts into an airborne war zone filled with bone-crunching brawls, overhead-bin ambushes, improvised weapons, and mid-air betrayals. Fight or Flight blends pure action with a comedic streak, making it a ride where absolutely anything can happen.
What sets the film apart is its commitment to practical action. Directed by James Madigan in his feature debut, the movie doubles down on real stunts and real sweat. And according to the team, there was no cutting corners.
Talking about the stunts in the film, Josh Hartnett said, “I was able to do my own stunts for it, which I haven’t been able to do since I was in my 20s, and it’s a lot different when you’re in your 40s, but I thought that would be an interesting challenge.”
Talking about one of the shots in the film, Hartnett said, “There was a bit where I come in like two thirds of the way through with a drinks cart. Then we sort of go through a series of different people fighting, and they shot all of that in one long tracking shot and then we turned around, we did another tracking shot for the other side of the plane. I think in the edit, they end up coming in and popping different shots, but we tried to keep the sequences as intact as possible.”
He continued, “We would work them out as though it was a theatrical stage performance. We wanted to make sure that we could actually do it. It wasn’t just one punch at a time or one kick at a time, it was much more than that and so that sort of choreography, that dance was fun to create.”
Alongside Hartnett, Fight or Flight features a sharp supporting cast including Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran, Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff, and Shadow and Bones’ Julian Kostov, each adding their own spark to the film’s claustrophobic, mid-air chaos.
Whether you’re here for Hartnett’s comeback, the airtight action, or the ensemble’s amusing offbeat chemistry, this is one ride that refuses to level out.
Strap in for turbulence and carnage because Fight or Flight is about to land on Lionsgate Play this December 5.
