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4.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 4.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Happy Landing remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you dig old black-and-white aviation flicks where the planes look like they’re held together with duct tape and hope, you might have a good time here. It’s for the folks who like those dusty Saturday afternoon serials. If you’re looking for high-stakes drama or anything that actually makes sense, you’re going to be bored out of your mind. Honestly, half the time I wasn't even sure who was shooting at who. ✈️
Nick Ferris is the guy at the center of this mess. He's got that 'wrongly accused' look glued to his face for the entire runtime. It’s a bit exhausting, really.
The flying sequences are clearly the whole point of the budget. They’re charming in that 'I hope that guy doesn't actually fall out' sort of way. You can almost see the wires or the lack of them, which is kind of brave, I guess.
There’s this weird scene where the smugglers are just hanging out, acting like they aren't totally obvious bad guys. It feels like they wandered in from a completely different movie, maybe something more like Sinners' Holiday. They just don't fit the tone.
Sometimes the movie tries to get serious, and it just doesn't land. It feels a lot less polished than To the Last Man, which actually knew how to build a bit of tension. Here, everything just sort of happens.
I found myself wondering what the extras were doing in the background. One guy in a scene clearly forgot his lines and just stared at a propeller for a solid ten seconds. It was the best part of the film. 😅
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even a particularly good movie if we’re being honest. But there’s something about the way they just went for it, regardless of the budget, that I find weirdly endearing. Just don't go in expecting greatness.