Pooja Sharma
The profound epiphanies that have you reconsidering everything are precisely what makes ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’ a terrific movie. Inspired by the remarkable story of Doug White and his family, the airplane survival film focuses on the emergency landing of a King Air 200 plane executed by Doug and his wife in 2009. It follows Doug going to his brother’s funeral only to find himself having a crisis of faith to the point he cannot speak publicly about his late brother. Chaos ensues when his family finally charters a private plane to head back to Louisiana. With their pilot having a fatal heart attack minutes into the flight, the couple doesn’t just take control of the plane but also set the pace for life-altering situations.
Directed by Sean McNamara, Starring Dennis Quaid, Heather Graham, Jesse Metcalfe, Brett Rice and Rocky Myers, the movie attests to the faith and determination that can see through any disaster. The portrayal of the human spirit in earnest naturally makes up for a riveting watch. So, if the redemptive dramatization appeals to you as much as it did to us, here is a list of films similar to ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’ that fuses elements of courage and survival effortlessly.
8. 7500 (2020)
Director and writer Patric Vollrath brings the stomach-clenching intensity through the limited confinements of a cockpit effortlessly in ‘7500’. Featuring Joseph-Gordon Levitt as co-pilot Tobias Ellis, the movie follows a riveting face-off between a pilot and an extremist who hijacks the plane. The airline code for hijacking ‘7500’ follows a claustrophobic setting where co-pilot Tobias doesn’t just need to protect the controls but also pay witness to the extremist killing the passengers. As he struggles to save the lives of the passengers in an incredibly taut setting, viewers will find themselves feeling the same intensity as they did in the familial survival of ‘On a Wing and a Prayer.’
7. Flightplan (2005)
The mystery psychological thriller starring Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard and Sean Bean follows the storyline of aircraft engineer Kyle Pratt heading home to New York on a double-decker airplane with her husband. However, a few hours into the flight, she awakens to find her daughter missing and embarks on a mission to locate her while questioning her sanity and going against hundreds of people on board.
Directed by Robert Schwentke, the exhilarating storyline keeps viewers on the hook as the tension offered by the confines of the airplane continues to build. As the movie focuses on the alternations between reality and illusion, viewers are left following the intensely crafted film that follows the same testament of faith that ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’ focuses on, making this movie a great follow-up.
6. Non-Stop (2014)
Another thriller that keeps you guessing what comes next, ‘Non-Stop’ follows the plot of an alcoholic ex-NYPD officer turned Federal Air Marshal, Bill Marks, finding a killer on an international flight from New York to London after receiving mysterious messages. The cryptic messages demanding $150 million and following a series of murders on the airplane is precisely what makes the Jaume Collet-Serra directorial an ingenious suspense thriller.
Starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery and Nate Parker, the movie follows similar elements of ‘On a Wing and a Prayer,’ with a taut situation in the limited confines of the airplane and the lives of passengers on the line. So, If you loved watching the reaffirmation of faith in ‘On a Wing and a Prayer,’ then this gritty thriller-action of an airplane will be the right movie for you.
5. Turbulence (1997)
Teetering on the sensitive balance of safety in the air, ‘Turbulence’ sees murderer Ryan Weaver breaking free from a group of dangerous convicts being transported in the air. Complete chaos ensues throughout the plane, with numerous falling prey to Weaver. Finally, flight attendant Teri Halloran portrayed by Lauren Holly takes it upon herself to keep the aircraft afloat and prevent it from crashing.
With Ray Liotta appearing as Weaver and Ben Cross essaying the character of the air traffic controller, the Robert Butler directorial keeps viewers engulfed in a frightening state throughout the movie. The disaster thriller involves elements of life and death. Following ‘On a Wing and a Prayer,’ this is the right movie to choose if you want a riveting storyline and gritty action.
4. United 93 (2006)
Following the tumultuous events of September 11, 2001, the movie chronicles the situation within United Airlines Flight 93, one of the four hijacked aircraft during the 9/11 attacks and the only plane that did not crash. The movie follows a real-time account of the events that passed on United Flight 93 and focuses on the heartbreaking, tragic, yet incredibly brave accounts of people on that fateful day.
Featuring compelling performances by Chrisitan Clemenson, Cheyenne Jackson, David Basche and Peter Hermann, the movie, directed by Paul Greengrass, shows the courage and brevity of the passengers and crew on board. Like ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’, this movie follows the question of faith and an incredible battle of courage and determination.
3. Flight (2012)
When a menial mechanical malfunction makes the difference between life and death, commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker finds himself behind controls that could determine the difference between loss and life. Even when he manages to execute a miraculous crash land, it isn’t long before his problem with drugs and alcohol comes to the fore, and an investigation into the crash exposes his addiction, placing him in an arena of questionable morals.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film features a stellar cast comprising Denzel Washington, Kelly Reily, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood and John Goodman. It shows the solemn road to growth laden with personal choices. Like ‘On a Wing and a Prayer,’ the movie features profound epiphanies that have you question everything you stand for, making this the right movie to watch next.
2. Horizon Line (2020)
When ex-couple Sara and Jackson board a single-engine plane to head to a friend’s tropical island wedding, they suffer the worst of fates when their pilot undergoes a fatal heart attack, leaving the two in an unlikely situation where they must strive to survive. With zero knowledge of controls and miles of the Indian Ocean beneath, the protagonists find themselves in one disaster after another. Starring Allison Williams, Alexander Dreymon, and Keith David, the movie by directorial force Mikael Marcimain follows similar narratives and will be the perfect film to follow after you watch, ‘On a Wing and a Prayer.’
1. Sully: Miracle on the Hudson (2016)
The Tom Hanks and Aaron Eckhart starrer chronicles the true story of Captain Chesley Sullenberger and follows the emergency landing in New York’s Hudson River after a flock of geese strike the engine. Despite the crash landing undertaken by the co-pilots in the freezing waters of Hudson, all 155 passengers and crew survive the ordeal, making Captain Sully a national hero.
However, even though his quick thinking saved countless from a harrowing end, he’s still put under a grueling investigation that threatens his career and reputation. Filled with an imposing belief and a solemn resolve, the biographical drama by Clint Eastwood is the perfect film to watch after ‘On a Wing and a Prayer.’
