Five Realistic and Tough To Watch Movie Plane Crashes
I’m leaving to go on a family trip in about a month. And whenever I know a flight is coming up I can’t help to think of a plane crash. I know, it’s horrible but that’s just the way I am. So I find myself watching movies that contain plane crashes in this faux way of trying to use reverse psychology on faith or something.
It’s a horrible practice but I guess we all have our things when it comes to flying. For me, there are very particular plane crashes in movies that I find very hard (yet very compelled) to watch. Though I’ve never (and thankfully) been in a plane crash I can only imagine that these scenes are about as realistic as they come.
Here are five realistic and tough to watch movie plane crashes
Fearless
This happens to be one of my favorite movies. Definitely one of Jeff Bridges best performances of his career. The music pretty much gives you goose bumps. I almost cry every time I see this.
Alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyoh84rdOrk&feature=related
I think I’ve seen this movie 100 times. Not necessarily because I like it but almost because I “have to.” To even fathom the kind of experience these people had isn’t something I can do. It’s just not possible. And it all began from this first scene which is absolutely horrifying.
Cast Away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkShPTH6SnA
What I find so amazing about this scene is not only the view from the cockpit when they are about to hit water, but the depth they show when Hanks’ character is in that raft. Can you even imagine how scary that would be? They keep panning out and you see the life raft getting smaller and smaller.
Final Destination
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkmolMqM6Tk
Good Lord that is scary.
Knowing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDqfmEd4fQ8
This is the first time I’ve seen a movie plane crash where the aftermath is displayed in a way that I can only imagine to be highly realistic. It’s extremely horrifying to watch but it really puts things into perspective. There’s a lot to be thankful for in the world and not going through that kind of horror is one of them.
The Knowing one was definitely one of the coolest plane crashes I’ve seen in a movie.
Cast Away one was quite bad because it was at night time, I would be panicking too much and probably end up like the rest of the crew.
There are only three things that bother me about flying:
-Taking off
-Being in the air
-Landing
Other than those, I’m cool!
Good list and I definitely agree with your takes on Fearless, Alive and Cast Away – I love these movies (but couldn’t care less about Final Destination and Knowing).
You could have made a list of 6 and mentioned the great Fight Club which also has a short, yet devastating plane crash scene…
What about Flight 93? Even though you know what happens, the ending isn’t any less nerve racking.
There is one in Almost Famous, though you cant count it as crash.
Realistic?
Fearless-
Why is this plane going into pieces? A plane would not split down the middle like that.
Alive-
Once it lost the first wing, it would have began rolling. The tail, tumbling. Both wings, there would be no gliding, it would have lawn darted straight into the rocks.
Cast Away-
Yes.
Final Destination-
I never watched those movies. But I feel stupider knowing that people would believe a plane is going to randomly break into little pieces like that.
Knowing-
Even though the movie sucked that plane crash was spot on.
Flight of the Phoenix? Black Hawk Down (dont know if helicopters count).
T-Bagg, you kow that ALIVE is a true story right? Based on th accounts of those who survived? So i guess what you see in the movie is pretty close to what happened. Anyway a nice list.
barry barcrest,
Well, if any of those survivors said the plane was gliding with out any control surfaces or any lift generating surfaces, they lied.
A plane with no wings flies a lot like this,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBcC8zqNjKk
United 93. That whole movie is just hard to watch after a while.
So… that was terrifying.
the plane crash in the knowing is one of the most realistic ive seen, and ive seen many actuall plane crash videos. i give that scene a thumbs up for accuracy!
What’s even more cool about “Knowing” is that if you continue watching after the clip you’ll notice that the shot goes on and on with the Nicholas Cage character stumbling through the wreckage without cutting to another camera angle for at least a couple of minutes! The only thing that bugs me is that early on Cage looks straight at the camera, but then as the camera pans you see the plane appear in a position 90 degrees to the SIDE.
I’ve worked in aviation for a good portion of my life. The one from “Knowing” was horrifying.