Factual error: Whenever the fire extinguisher is activated for a jet engine, that engine becomes inoperable. In the movie, the co-pilot first activates the extinguisher for the left engine, and 30 seconds later, for the right engine. At that point, both engines should be shut down. However, the engines are still operating (and revving up) and Whitaker even asks Margaret to apply full power, which is also audible. (00:23:00)
Flight (2012)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: John Goodman, Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Nadine Velazquez
Genres: Drama
Character mistake: When Whip is in the hospital, standing straight in front of the camera is a ridiculous nurse; she takes down the empty IV bag and pulls the bag away from the IV line, she drops the bag on the floor, a big no-no, but try as she might she can't seem to get the spike to go into the new bag. While she's doing all this, she's waving that sterile spike everywhere, touching everything she can, including herself, and picking up germs that will go straight into Whip's IV line, and into his body, when, finally she gets that infected spike into the infected new bag.
Factual error: When flight 227 departs Orlando, the thrust increases for 3 minutes. It should have increased for 30 seconds.
Trivia: Nicole's car bears Georgia license plate CHN 320. This is the same plate number used on the General Lee in "the Dukes of Hazzard".
Harling Mays: Oh, I almost forgot. I got you some stroke mags. I've been in the hospital before, I know what you need. I got Juggs, Hot MILFs in Heat, AssMasters. You just stroke it all day, you're a hero.
Charlie Anderson: Remember, if they ask you anything about your drinking, it's totally acceptable to say "I don't recall."
Whip: Hey, don't tell me how to lie about my drinking, okay? I know how to lie about my drinking. I've been lying about my drinking my whole life.
Whip: I drank the night before the flight.
Question: Can inverting a plane completely upside down and then turning it 180 degrees truly keep it from going down in a sharp nosedive and "gliding" to safety? Seems rather far-fetched but made for a very interesting exciting movie focal point.
Question: Does anyone feel that Whip was set up in that hotel room? I mean IMO it was just a little too convenient for him to be awakened by the sound of an unlocked room door, just to go inside to find an untouched mini bar. Also, who was it that was watching him when he went to visit his son? It's almost like the film tried to touch on a conspiracy but then decided to let well enough be.
Answer: I don't really think it was a setup. No one was setting him up. They just wanted answers to why he's hiding. I find it hard to believe that no-one heard the loud banging (mini fridge with booze, passed out drunk in the bathroom) plus the loud radio from 2:08 to 9:15. Not even the night guard heard that? He should have definitely been in the room with Whip to keep an eye on him. When he visits his son, the person watching him might have been a news person. The NTSB wants the flight crew to keep their silence and distance from reporters so that they can do their investigation. Too much from the press causes misinformation and hysteria. But yes, the longer the silence the more it can be used against you. So in a way it could have been a conspiracy theory.
Question: Whip is talking to co-pilot Ken Evans in the hospital after he wakes up from his coma. When Ken is talking about Whip's health, he mentions him reeking of gin or something. If Whip smelled that bad of alcohol, why didn't Ken alert security before takeoff?
Answer: Possibly misplaced loyalty to a friend/co-worker and wanting to protect Whip's career. Ken may have believed he himself could handle any flight situation that might arise if Whip was incapable; he may have intended to confront Whip later to demand he get help or else he'd report him.
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Chosen answer: Popular mechanics wrote an article covering this. In short, inverting a passenger jet is certainly doable, but the specific chain of events seen in the film are more of a stretch. Possible, but...challenging, to say the least!
Jon Sandys ★