'Flightplan' analysis

Plot:
Distributed by Touchstone Pictures and directed by Robert Shwentke, this journeying film is set in mid-air, based from Berlin, Germany. Starring Jodie Foster as Kyle Pratt, a propulsion engineer, whose husband David (John Benjamin Hickey) has died from a roofing accident, leading her to fly home to Long Island alongside her six-year-old daughter Julia (Marlene Lawston) to stay with Kyle's parents. Flying from Elgin 474 - which coincidentally Kyle helped design - Julia eventually goes missing, which leads to the entire plane morphing into a breakdown panic. After falling asleep for a few hours, Kyle wakes up to find t hat Julia has gone missing; although calm at first, after the assistance of Captain Marcus Rich (Sean Bean), air hostess Stephenie (Kate Beahan) and air marshal Gene Carson (Peter Sarsgaard), she eventually realises something is defiantly ad normal, when she checks her daughters belongings, only to find that her boarding pass has gone missing. Marcus refuses to hold the cargo in order for a search due to many dangerous consequences, as well as lack the lack of searchers due to the crew and passengers suspecting the she has just simply became unhinged after her husbands death, therefore resulting in Kyle searching for her daughter alone. Adding to further mysteries, a wire is sent to the aircraft, revealing the Julia died alongside her father from internal injuries. At one point, she eventually escapes to her husbands casket, disappointed to find it empty, which leads the entire passengers believing she is delusional. With the help of Carson, she gets nursed throughout the film, allowing the audience to assume that he is sympathetic. However, when we believe he goes out to search for help, we witness him coding the bomb, next to which lies Julia - answering the subliminal questions of the film. Carson then adds to his menacing plot, by revealing he is working with the previously kind Stephenie, as well as telling the captain the Kyle has revealed that she is a hijacker, and is threatening to blow up the plane with explosives hidden in her husband's casket - unless $50 million dollars are transferred to a bank account (to which is secretly Carson's.) However, it is revealed that these 'baddies' in fact murdered Kyle's husband and abducted Julia, therefore showing they are behind the terrorist attack. Once this is revealed to Kyle, she escapes and manages to get to the bomb in time, as well as save her daughter - alongside the entire aircraft. An emergency landing follows, leading the unknown passengers to put across their apologies, as well as realise that they should not make assumptions, and perhaps acknowledge what all individuals have to say. Unknown to all of this, the innocent daughter wakes up after landing, simply asking her mother; "Are we there yet?"
The film grossed $223 million dollars worldwide, as well as being described by Roger Ebert as "a frightening thriller with a airtight plot."

Opening titles:

• Fast-paced, 0.5 second long-shot of moving train. Blue and green colours shown in high-key lighting, which help emphasize the fast-paced thriller and transport
• Cuts to black background, with straight, white text - bold and thin - and contrast in order to emphasize distributors names.
• Shot-reverse-shot of movement of train, whilst writing dissolves over and fades into background image - then fades black
• Repetition of this twice
• Happens again, until revealing main role - Jodie Foster. Her name lingers for longer (approx 4 seconds) and fades out within itself. The fade effect is likewise to movement of trains, as though fasting up then disappearing. The use age of disappearing is likewise to the omen of her child.
  
  Camera shots:
  
• Establishes on a long-medium shot of Jodie Foster sitting at a train station, looking on from behind. The use of opening with a train hints at journeying
• We then slowly pan for approximately 6-7 seconds - slowly towards her, focusing on her taking up two-thirds of the shot, when the title 'Flightplan' appears on the left in white. They flicker, hinting at a flight taking off and disappearing. It appearing white is the typical colour of aeroplanes
• The shot then cuts to the perspective of her from the front - from a medium shot- whilst she takes up half of the frame. This shows her reaction which is worried and focused upon a single spot. As we slowly track towards her we notice her eyes are glazed, showing she's in shocked/frightened
• Cuts to an establishing shot of a morgue, which reveals a coffin in the centre of the frame, showing it is the core of the scene. She is near the camera, showing a wider space between them, although with reluctance, adding to her mood.
• Cuts to a fast pan, moving to the left, which shows a blank wall, which could reflect how she feels. It continues panning to herself, revealing her reaction, which is startled and uneasy. A long corridor is revealed to her right, which is long and bleak, representing her dark thoughts. The man then shuts the door, closing her in - both physically and mentally.
• An upclose of a mans hand is then shown, where he reveals a helping gesture, panning quickly up to show his reassuring face. A close up of her reaction then follows, revealing a false smile. This has been shown in shallow focus, to emphasize her reaction.
• A master shot of the station then follows, revealing the destination. Jodie Foster and her companion are in the bottom left corner - out of the way of the scene - which shows the loneliness of them both.
• A closeup, longshot of the train speeding by follows, as it speeds by the camera. This domination of the train reveals that transport may be a large motif of the film. More titles are shown on this cut, from the bottom left corner, as they reflect onto the train, making it effective visually. It also adds to her reflecting her thoughts as she deals with a traumatic time. The camera slowly tracks towards he end of this shot, as the train has disappeared down the tunnel.
• Cuts to her back in morgue, revealing her from a longshot from the side. This shows the large divide between her and the casket, although she slowly moves forward, showing she's not as frightened and courage is seeping out. It may also relate to the plot of the film; her getting closer to the truth
• Cut in shot from low-level and behind her, which reveals a medium shot of the base of her dripping umbrella. This creates some tension, as though they could reveal her dripping thoughts.
• A longshot from behind the coffin follows, as the camera slowly zooms in. It appears almost over the shoulder, but from over the coffin. It's quite a foreboding shot, hinting that someone may be watching. Her reaction is clearly frightened.
• Cuts to a medium shot of the train fastening its pace, which could connote her thoughts churning faster. The camera pans to the left, turning into a low-level shot, making herself and her friend appear superior; they may be in control of their thoughts and feelings now.
• A long shot of them both walking down a low-key lit street, which instantly changes the mood. The camera pans left, now shown from behind a window, which - although innocent at first - has turned quite morbid between the one shot, stressing that someone may be watching them both. As the camera pans left, viewing them through a scratched window, a focus pull is used, letting the camera focus on the messy surroundings.
• Cut to an eye-level shot of a previous man at the morgue at a door, to her answering. Shot reverse shots follow, as we acknowledge their conversation. They have been shown in shallow focus, in order to show them as the main feature of the scene.
• Low-level man on stairs, with a 180 degree rule of Jodie
• Up-close reaction, then a long shot over the shoulder of both individuals walking away.
• A long-shot establishes the courtyard, showing their place
• A low-level cut of the man wiping snow, which appears to hit the camera - blurring out everything
• An aerial upclose of her reaction, which shows cause and reaction, to a birds eye view revealing crows in a tree, flying away.
• A flashback follows, which reveals her husband in his casket, from an aerial shot. This emphasizes his appearance
• A master shot concludes this opening, as it tracks slowly away from a crane camera, revealing her alone in the courtyard. This shows how alone - both physically and within her thoughts - that she is, with the Director's title typically ending this films establish.

Edits:

• Fade from titles to film
• Flashback - from morgue to station to other thoughts. This is a typical thriller convention
• Mainly cuts between shots
• Credits end on a dissolve from courtyard to plane - lights circling childs room. This is an omen for planes to come, as well as a reminder for the travelling theme

Sound:

• Diegetic sound of train whizzing past - echoes in between titles and becomes loud again once shot repeats.
• After happening twice, a shocked sighful sound of a women's voice can be slightly heard, relating to the lead role. Train round continues
• Third title - train sound fades away into a piercing echo, and its screech can be heard
• When Jodie Foster appears, the train sound fades, and an almost plane-like sound is heard over the top of the fading train
• This fades as the film starts. Diegetic sound of two doors opening, as well as slow, non-diegetic xylophone sound begins, which adds to a mysterious element
• A foreboding synth is then introduced, which sounds like an echo, as well as violin solos starting which makes it sad and thoughtful. On top of this, a distant hissing is heard, which may relate to her uneasy mood. A slight ambient sigh comes from the characters mouth, adding to this
• Ambient sounds then follow (such as a door opening, heels against the floor echoing and speech), as well as violins, contrasting the two sounds to appeal to the audience more. The violin sounds are slow and lingering, but gradually get louder, which corresponds with the stress within the piece.
• The music continues, showing a use of soundbridge, with a slight gradual synth. This lingers as she boards the train, adding a foreboding sense.
• When the upclose of the train is used, the screech of it is overpowering, showing that travel may dominate this film
• Once entering the room again, ambient footsteps can only be heard, as she gradually nears the coffin. However, the creepy use of xylophone increases, alongside the lingering synth sounds, which converge into the next shot of the fastening train
• When walking outside, a thoughtful, piano solo lingers. The lingering makes us believe that not is all as it seems, converging with the plot of the film
• A flashback is then featured, showing the ambient sound of their voices within a conversation
• A piano then plays when they are shot back inside, with the sound of a xylophone lingering, hinting at hidden danger. The door then closes loudly, abruptly closing, which could hint at sudden unexpected events. A soundbridge is used as the score continues, although a diegetic sound of screeching crows is heard, continuing the dangerous emphasis
• We return to the morgue, whilst the soundbridge continues although an electronic synth is heard. When the coffin closes, this dominant closure sound takes over the scene, showing it is significant. The sound of it closing echoes, disappearing into her mind, as she is shot outside again. This shows how this memory is lingering within her mind, and is almost haunting her. It also hints at her memories disappearing, as well as an omen for the girl vanishing in the film
• As the camera pans out from her in the courtyard, there is an emphasis on the bizarre, harsh, digital sounds, juxtaposing with the thoughtful violins. This then fades into it disappears, going into the next scene

Mise-en-scene:

• Trains whizzing by, with speckled white/green/blue colours. They are harshly bright, making it difficult to see. This could connote difficult situations throughout the film
• Bleak colours are shown in the station - green, grey, white - which contrast with the luminous yellow train. The yellow could connote happiness, as two of the doors open together in front of Jodie, almost giving her access to a happier life. They could also connote two routes/paths to take
• She's wearing plain, black clothes, which show her as negative. However, she looks quite formal, but her clothes are tightly fitted and show now flesh, therefore almost reflecting an uptight, protective character. She appears fragile, as she's wearing no make up and has a washed-out sense
• A sign has been displayed in shallow focus behind her, hinting at her foreign destination
• The morgue features various lights lined up above the coffin, highlighting its significance. The room is quite plain and scientific, which shows it is important/professional
• The men's speech hints at being foreign, relating back to the films destination
• Her friend is also in black, showing negativity. A row of lights are next to him, as well as his reaching hand suggesting he may lead to happiness.
• When train flies past camera, the yellow dominates the screen, but leaves a dark bleak tunnel when it disappears. This could represent her life; how happy it previously was but is now bleak
• From the medium shot of her facing coffin, the right hand side (her side) is mainly low-key lighting, emphasizing her mood. However, as we reach the right, it gradually lightens up, showing happiness could be ahead of her, although she doesn't feel it now
• The dripping umbrella could show pathetic fallacy, as the morbid drips show her mood.
• She is shown standing still, but then the train speeds - this could show her speeding, racing mind
• When going upstairs, the clock is glowing. This emphasizes that time is a main motif. A foreign plaque is reflected, emphasizing she is somewhere possible unknown, highlighting she is alone and isolated
• Low-key, bleak lighting is shown outside, also showing mood, as well as within the house. He's above her when he's on stairs, hinting that men may be superior in this film. The door abruptly shuts, showing she's been shut out.
• When the crows fly away, they could be an omen for planes to come. The snow outside could represent her could thoughts, as it pours down. The aeroplane lights then finish the opening, which adds a childish twist to the plot as this innocent character is introduced.