The story-telling is largely unsentimental, which could give some the expression that the director and actor don’t exploit the warmth of a story like this. However, there’s a difference in not caring and choosing not to be heavy-handed. Eastwood realises how remarkable the story already is, and that it doesn’t need gloss over it. Another professional right there, who did his job.

Sully is an intense story, one where a hero is being constantly questioned and challenged for the choice he made, a story that would not ask you to be involved, make no attempts to get your attention, will not give you unnecessary jargon, but if you choose to engage with it, it will impress you. That’s a film doing its job right.

The film benefits greatly from the casting of Hanks, who slips easily into the part of a man who expects no special acknowledgement for doing what he considers his job. The 60-year-old star holds the film together even when it’s clear there just isn’t enough plot here to make for a compelling film. The other starring attraction is the crash scene itself, filmed in IMAX, and suitably tense.

Clint Eastwood’s Sully is not a perfect film, but it comes close to being a great one.

Even with its slightly convenient climax, Sully makes a strong comment on its subject. Courage, heroism and compassion are virtues that make common people extra ordinary human beings. Best of all, every man and woman is capable of being a hero. All we need to do is try. That Sully successfully puts across the message with sublime effortlessness is the triumph of  good cinema. 

While the movie may not resonate with the Indian audience as the events are based in the US, the team effort that rescued every single passenger on the doomed flight, makes this movie worth a watch. What could have been a disaster was averted with sheer presence of mind and timely efficiency. We Indians could learn a thing or two from that.

The problem with Sully is that nothing apart from the incident at its centre is particularly interesting: not Sully’s financial problems, or the flashback to another tricky landing he made, or the committee hearings. By the time we’re shown the entire flight and landing for the second time—and for no good reason—it’s clear that Eastwood is so enamored of his subject that he assumes the audience is as well.

The film, shot in Imax cameras is visually impressive given the magnitude of the format and the seamlessness of the visual effects. Blu Murray’s editing serves up a pace that seems so unlike the traditional Eastwood that you’re likely to be far more edgier here than you were while watching any of his earlier films. This is an experience that will leave you entertained for sure!

The Hanks-Eastwood combo works. The film rarely lets your attention slip from the events up on screen. And that’s something to be proud of, these days. Did I mention it was a Hanks-Eastwood project with a dash of Eckhart thrown in for good measure? Take flight with this one. It won’t let your expectations crash.

Thanks to Sully, I now know — as much as there is to be known safely at least — what it must be like to be part of a incapacitated plane. Isn’t that why we go to films, after all? So, we can live the compelling lives of others… at least briefly.

In a film with an end as well known, the challenge always would have been to bring some newness. Eastwood’s pacing does the trick, but even so, in bits, Sully is a stretch and sometimes rather obvious in its heavy-handed intentions to honour a hero. Even one as celebrated.

Hanks is fantastic as Sully. In fact, this is a fantastic film. Go watch it.

Eastwood’s plain and to-the-point filmmaking style syncs perfectly with Hanks’s marvellously underplayed and understated characterisation. Hanks’s Sully hits just the right notes of fear, frustration, ambivalence and pride. He is no ordinary hero, but he is not extraordinary either – I’m just doing my job, he shrugs. That sounds a lot like Eastwood.

The final few minutes of Sully are exhilarating. It’s what the film has been surging towards. Watching it unfold on that huge screen was incredible. The sounds, the images, the atmosphere envelopes you.
And then, another curious thing happened. There was applause – not hooting or whistling – but real applause – genuine, respectful, appreciative and very uncommon.
Like Sully.