Soul Plane Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)June 1st, 2004
"Soul Plane" – So Plain
Ugh! This is a project that never gets off the ground. It is weighted down by a goofy setup, insipid sequences that aren't funny, and what seems to be a relentless and miscalculated bashing of the African-American culture. And that's the good news. After all, I suppose some will find it funny that the airplane design seems to be inspired by the Cadillac Escalade. And others might find it amusing that the passengers in coach class during dinner time are given a 20-piece box of fried chicken in which they can only grab one piece and then have to pass the box down. Who those are, I can't be certain. But I am certain that most of the gags are tasteless and/or pointless.
Take for example the couple who seems all too willing to get their freak on. They lust after each other in an attempt to drum up laughter for their desperate attempts to find a suitable location to get it on. The fact that the director doesn't recognize that this whole bit isn't funny just leaves this component feeling flaccid. And then there's the blind man who considers himself a jet setting playboy. In the film's most rude moment, he decides to make a move, only to miss his target and to instead, violate a sour cream topped baked potato. We're not sure if we feel more sorry for the sight-challenged Casanova or for the spud.
"Soul Plane" comes into existence after Dakwon (Kevin Hart sounding and acting like Chris Tucker lite) sues an airline company for negligence and wins $100 million. He decides to start his own airline whose motto is 'we take off; we party; we land'. It's a good idea. After all, who wouldn't wish for a top floor disco with a whirlpool?
"Soul Plane" has taken its blueprint from comedy/disaster films like "Airplane." But what this film fails to do is to work the audience for a solid laugh. Most of the comedy comes from sight gags that provide no more impact than subliminal advertising. For example, the airplane departs from Terminal X (as in Malcolm X, get it?). First class looks like the back of a limousine while 'low class' looks like the set of an episode of Kojak or Columbo. Ho-ho-ho, I'm slapping my knee this-s-s-s hard. Sadly, The plane itself, complete with spinners on the wheels, hydraulics to make it bounce, and a purple sheen, had more personality than the characters.
The only potential for comedy rests with Tom Arnold as the father of a white family, who happens to be the only white folks on the plane. Here is an opportunity to show how trendy and unique the urban culture is. Instead, the tact is to focus on impressive anatomical organs.
At the end of the film, which could not arrive soon enough, "Soul Plane" felt as improper as Rush Limbaugh's comments about Donavan McNabb. I didn't completely hate this film, because there are a few moments of levity, and there were some decent ideas that just needed to be fleshed out more. I just hated the tone of the film, which portrayed the culture as thieves, drug users, and hypocrites. It's missing physical comedy to work the crowd. It's missing a tongue-in-cheek approach to let us know that the writers are just goofing around. Where's the love? If "Airplane" is first class, then "Soul Plane" is low class.
Grade: D
S: 2 out of 3
L: 3 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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