Written by Samuel Niles
Small scale 90-ish minute survival thrillers are, at once, my favorite and least favorite film genre. They either give us masterpieces such as Gravity or are a one-way street to mediocrity like Underwater. Because of this apparent binary, trailers for movies like 7500 don’t leave me wanting for the “masterpiece” possibility, but instead longing for that nice middle ground of “solid” or “really damn good.”
I take great pleasure in informing you, dear reader, that 7500 is really damn good.
The film has a very simple set up. Taking place entirely in an airplane cockpit, 7500 stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tobias Ellis, a pilot whose plane has been taken over by terrorists. The only person who can unlock the door to the cockpit, he has to confront all manner of horrific decisions as the terrorists increasingly up the stakes in an effort to gain access to the plane.
Barring an opening sequence that shows security camera footage, the film is shot entirely handheld. And putting aside a nice melody that plays over the end credits, there is no music. These elements make for a more grounded, realistic nature. But if ever there was a film that testified to the difference between reality and the art of realism, it’s 7500. Because while these elements may seem devoid of stylization in an attempt to recreate the feel of reality, they are still artistic concerns and speak to co-writer/director Patrick Vollrath’s (directing his feature length debut) clear talent.
For one, the claustrophobic filmmaking takes advantage of every inch of the cabin. Tobias’ complete understanding of the small environment is clear for the entire runtime, and every square inch matters in this conflict. A cut to a moderately different angle or the slightest pan can redefine this life or death struggle. Every shot, even the quickest, matters, and Vollrath’s filmmaking is grounded and focused.
The same can be said of the sound design. The lack of music does speak to the film’s realism, but it also helps the film feel, as mentioned before, focused. Though not as gargantuan as Spielberg’s iconic scene, I cannot escape a comparison to the T-rex escape in Jurassic Park, where the in-world sound took the place of the score. But rather than thunder and dinosaur roars, here we’re treated primarily to Gordon-Levitt’s (giving a brilliant performance, as should be expected) screams, his patience, and his silence, all of which are in some way a response to the anarchy beyond the door. His Tobias is our avatar and friend, being both an artistic manifestation of our fears and aspirations and a poor guy who we want to do the right thing and get out of this alive.
7500 is a film that fires on all cylinders, with each artistic element complimenting the other to make an artistically whole experience that accomplishes what it sets out to do. It is a visceral, utterly engrossing film that I cannot recommend enough.
