By Jessica Sierocki, photojournalist.
On Jan. 15, 2009, 155 individuals boarded Flight 1549. Because of engine failure, the pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger had to make a decision: attempt to fly to a neighboring airport or make the Hudson River an impromptu landing strip. With little hope of landing safely, Sully attempted a water landing on the Hudson River, and miraculously, all 155 people survived.
So you know the story, but what about the movie adaptation? Tom Hanks plays the lead character of Chesley Sully alongside Aaron Eckhart’s character Jeff Skiles. Come on, that alone should get you to the movie theater. The movie features a play-by-play of the landing (yes, landing, because they didn’t crash).
Sully and co-pilot Skiles are under investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB. From a variety of simulations and tests, the NTSB concludes Flight 1549 would have made a safe landing back at both the New York and New Jersey airports and that the incident was because of pilot error. Sully then faces the possible consequence of losing his license and forced early retirement. This would define Sully as either an American hero, or a harmful human defined by one mistake.
This movie created an emotional ride for all audience members. Sully’s flashbacks and “what if?” scenarios in the film made for a captivating experience. One “what if” scenario in particular featured Sully watching his plane descending upon a building and, subsequently, bursting into flames. When watching the live flight simulations during Sully’s official hearing, the tension in the theatre was almost palpable.
Flight 1549 could have potentially been a national tragedy. How could you not make some sort of connection with this movie? Sully could have flown to an airport, but doing so would have cost the lives of hundreds. Imagine what could have happened if he didn’t rely on his 30 years of experience to decide what action was safest.
This is a movie you’re going to want to catch. So, grab your popcorn, and rush to the theatre to grab your seat! The movie was released in early September, so there should still be time.
