Living in the Age of Airplanes (2015)

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Don't Believe the Hype

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

If you read such a grand title and learn that a great fan of Aviation like Harrison Ford is narrating, then it is extremely frustrating to discover the vast lack of detail of this movie. After a promising intro, you literally get infuriated by the ever repeating scheme of praising the greatness of airplanes and what we could not do without them (let alone the ever repeating vocal theme that vigorously burns itself into your auditory cortex). It's like you wait for the beat to drop – but it never drops.Of course, the film in general is beautifully made if you only look at the visual aspect, so it would wonderfully work for some soothing imagery in resting areas at airports - without sound.But being an aviation enthusiast myself, I just cannot take this film seriously or recommend it to anyone else.

This film is quite obviously a labour of love so it's hard to knock it.Beautifully shot, wonderfully scored (by James Horner who was a pilot) and narrated with great feeling by Harrison Ford (who is a pilot as well), there is no doubting the commitment of everyone involved and it is hard not to get swept away with the stunning photography.That said, the film has its flaws. Although it serves as a timely reminder of how far humanity has come in the last 100 years and how awesome (in the true sense of the word, not in the cheap way the word is used by millenials nowadays) airplanes are, it is very light on detail.Suffice to say that the Wright brothers don't even get a mention. Nor are there any interviews with engineers, airplane manufacturers or historians. Too much of the film is spent showing us beautiful destinations you can go to by plane (tourist spots) instead of showing us planes and their engines while telling us minutiae about them.The second issue is that the film is told through the rosiest of rosy tinted glasses. There is no mention of airplanes' use in warfare (from the First World War to 9/11), for example. Nor is there any mention of the dangers or downsides of airplanes, which is quite ironic seeing how Harrison Ford had to crash-land his private plane earlier this year and James Horner sadly died while piloting a plane a few days ago.This film is therefore competent and beautiful to look at (especially on the big screen, which I had the pleasure of doing) but it's not sufficiently sophisticated. It serves as a great reflection on the airplane but not so much an education. I personally didn't learn anything that I didn't now about airplanes and I'm not a big airplane enthusiast.Children will no doubt love it and have their interest in airplanes sparked but anyone looking for a meaty and informative documentary about airplanes will have to look elsewhere.

Awesome and captivating, my whole family loved seeing this IMAX film! Now, my son wants to be a pilot! It was filled with beauty, inspiration, education, fresh perspective, and was a bit of a tear jerker. Perfect for the big IMAX screen.I felt like I traveled the world in less than an hour! Now, there are so many new places I want to go! I loved all the night scenes, and seeing so many cool, remote places.The visuals and music made it a solid 10. Then, there's Harrison's calm and familiar voice. Go see it! We can't wait to see it again!

Think of your childhood, did you ever have the dream of being a pilot? Were you fascinated the first time you rode in an airplane? Have you ever pondered what the airplane means and what it has done for modern society? If you have even slightly wondered about any of these questions, you should see this film. This film tells a great story of the history of mankind. It is also an inspiration for the next generation of aviation enthusiasts. If you visit the Air and Space Museum, this is a must see. You will like it!The film is in IMAX and the shots of the sky, the water, the monuments, and the flight are spectacular.