7500 (Movie Review)
As movie theaters are on the advent of opening in the very near future, one could not squander an opportunity for something new until that happens. The German film 7500 starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, 500 Days of Summer) was actually released in 2019 but is just now making its way to North America. Directed and co-written by Patrick Vollrath (Ketchup Kid), the 92-minute drama features a minimal cast on a short budget, though it manages to make the most out of everything.
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In short, the film’s synopsis finds Gordon-Levitt as the co-pilot on a commercial airliner that ultimately gets hijacked. On one hand, this is certainly not new material for the big screen. On the other hand, Vollrath does such an exemplary job here that the subject matter is certainly worth revisiting. There are a number of subtleties that exist from the opening moments in the film that brilliantly set the stage for what’s to come. These moments exemplify the old ‘actions speak louder than words’ adage which end up flowing seamlessly into the rest of the film.
The vast majority of the film takes place in the cockpit of the plane with some savvy camera work alternating between that and a video screen feed which shows what is on the other side of the cockpit door. The tension that amasses from these two perspectives is off the charts while Gordon-Levitt delivers a strong and emotional performance. There are more than a few twists and turns 7500 takes which Gordon-Levitt’s skills commandeer so fluidly in character. His abilities as an actor simply cannot be understated which shine through here.
If there is any downside to the movie, it’s that some moments you can see coming. With that being said, that statement should not label the film predictable as a whole. There are far more scenes that take a turn for the unexpected which only adds to a viewer’s engagement with 7500, despite the fact the movie is absent of a soundtrack. And while that may sound rather foreign, 7500 excels without out.
As stated at the top of the review, 7500 does a lot with a little. The small group of actors all put forth solid performances, Gordon-Levitt especially. Then again, he is the lead for a reason. This film is not for the faint at heart, though it certainly delivers on a number of dramatic levels. As for its hour and a half runtime which is already rather brief in the world of feature films, the way 7500 plays out feels even more rapidly delivered than that.
In short, it is a must see.
Film 
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