Katherine Kelly’s In Flight deftly avoids one thriller misstep – only to fall right into another

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If you’ve caught the trailer or perused the plot summary for In Flight, a fresh Channel 4 suspense series featuring Katherine Kelly, you’d know better, but if you merely learned its title, you might mistakenly think it’s a specific type of thriller.

A show you might be familiar with often features a countdown timer, the majority of the plot unfolding inside a moving vehicle, and the main character tackling a challenge while aboard. In simpler terms, it’s a fast-paced series where much of the action happens inside a vehicle that moves constantly, and the protagonist solves problems on board.

This format has proven effective, as evidenced by its recent use in several productions such as Apple TV+’s Hijack, ITV’s Red Eye, and the BBC’s Nightsleeper over the past few years.

It’s not by chance that two of them occur while they are in an airplane. The idea of a thriller happening mid-flight is undeniably intriguing, and it becomes even more challenging for the characters to find a way out since leaving isn’t an option like it would be with other means of transportation.

To put it another way, if In Flight were to choose this path, I’d probably release a deep, heavy breath.

At this stage, the plot seems quite familiar due to its repetitive nature, and considering how some TV shows nowadays seem less willing to take risks, a thriller merely imitating the success of other, not particularly original series could feel more like a tedious task to watch rather than an entertaining and captivating television experience.

Regarding that aspect, In Flight earns a thumbs-up from me. Notably, for most part (especially during the initial half of the season), the storyline is not set on an aircraft. Instead, the narrative revolves around the challenging situation that Jo, a flight attendant and single parent, encounters.

In a standout performance by Katherine Kelly, we are introduced to Jo, a character who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that her son, Sonny, has been incarcerated in Bulgaria.

On a particular evening, Sonny found himself in public, but tragedy struck as a homicide occurred. However, he was wrongfully accused and is currently bearing the consequences. He vehemently maintains his innocence, asserting that he’s been framed, and Jo seems to share his doubt about his guilt.

Initially, Jo’s life was already chaotic when she encountered Cormac, a man who seemed flirtatious in a bar at first, yet subsequently revealed a far more malicious intention.

Cormac belongs to a group that maintains connections with Sonny while he’s in prison. He warns Jo that should she inform the authorities about the current situation or discuss it with others, it could potentially place Sonny in serious jeopardy.

If she cooperates, Sonny can have protection in prison. To make this happen, Jo needs to continue with her daily work routine as a flight attendant, but also secretly transport large amounts of heroin into the country from various destinations during her travels. The reasoning behind this is that due to her job, it would be relatively simple for her to blend in and bypass customs.

This setup appears quite promising, with several appealing aspects. The narrative moves swiftly, and the setup is solid. As previously stated, Kelly delivers an exceptional performance, effectively portraying Jo’s resilience while also capturing the intense stress and trauma she experiences in particularly moving scenes.

As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but acknowledge that “In Flight” isn’t entirely immune to the pitfalls that have tripped up numerous thrillers before. Regrettably, it veers towards an unrelenting darkness that, while intense, might be too overwhelming for its own benefit.

Though we catch fleeting moments hinting at Jo’s past life prior to Sonny’s incarceration, it’s not until later that we encounter her directly, amidst a crisis following the imprisonment.

Moving forward, a constant stream of distressing news befalls her, as she grapples with a deteriorating predicament. Simultaneously, she harbors anxiety over her son potentially facing a lengthy prison term, or even more dire consequences.

As a movie connoisseur, I’ve come across productions that manage to navigate the delicate balance between despair and hope, where the fortunes of a character can plummet without the overall tone veering excessively dark. One such gem is “The Stolen Girl,” which graced our screens earlier this year. Despite tackling some weighty themes, it never descended into gloominess. Instead, it pulsed with energy, maintained a gripping pace, and kept me on the edge of my seat, guessing at each twist and turn.

The movie “In Flight” fails to deliver, leaving viewers feeling more dismal than anxious. The main issue seems to be that it lacks the necessary drive and intrigue to justify its gloominess.

There are certainly tense moments and some well-executed scenes that suggest Jo might unravel, but the narrative often strays too far off course. Like Jo herself, unsure of her destination and how long she’ll have to endure this undesired life of crime, we as viewers find ourselves just as lost and uncertain about the story’s progression.

Thrillers have the ability to delve deeply into serious themes, no doubt about that. However, if they focus excessively on the emotional aspects of a situation, it might negatively impact the show, especially when its main goal is to provide entertainment. If this were a drama designed to leave us speechless and emotionally drained, then it would be a different scenario altogether.

However, given the extraordinary nature of the plot and its clear association with the thriller genre, we anticipate an entertaining viewing experience. Yet, aside from infrequent instances of humor that stand out for their scarcity, this production leans more towards a serious tone.

Other shows sometimes introduce secondary characters with less emotional connection to the main character’s situation, but In Flight stands out for its intense focus on a single narrative.

Apart from Jo, the main characters introduced in the first three episodes are Sonny, who seems to be going through a particularly tough phase, Cormac, who we primarily view through Jo’s perspective and is far from cheerful, and Dom, her ex-boyfriend and a customs officer portrayed by Ashley Thomas.

In a more relaxed rephrasing: Dom seems to be the one who could bring humor best to the storyline, given his distance from Jo’s troubles. However, surprisingly, he shares the same somber and heavy mood with everyone else in this situation.

The problem is further compounded by the fact that the show isn’t just thematically gloomy but also visually, as a large portion of its screen time is spent during the night or in poorly lit environments.

Revisiting the program, its uniformity gives a slight air of dullness, which might amplify suspense in certain instances. However, this same monotony can make the viewing experience seem heavier and less appealing to viewers.

It’s possible that my critique might stem from the time period during which this series was launched, as it seems to align better with the era of television in the 2010s, a time when gritty thrillers were popular.

Today, with people seeking some light-hearted entertainment, particularly in their thrillers, it feels noticeably different or odd.

As a fellow cinephile, I can’t help but sing praises for Kelly’s remarkable contributions here. Her work is undeniably a joy to behold, brimming with elements that truly delight!

Although In Flight might seem to have succumbed to the notion that a dark, genuine, and tense production equates to being miserable, this could not be more inaccurate.

In Flight premieres on Channel 4 on Tuesday 12th August 2025.

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2025-08-12 03:36