Abhiroop Das
While a storm kicks off the events of ‘Plane,’ its ending is no less perilous, with Brodie and Louis venturing into the heart of danger as they risk their lives for the passengers. The protagonist finds himself running against the clock as Trailblazer Flight 119 stands trapped on the island of Jolo. With a damaged plane in his hands and rebels closing in, the pilot makes a daring move, one that can compromise the lives of his passengers as easily as it can save them. The chaos regarding his decision is barely contained before the group faces yet another threat to their lives, proving that the rescue mission is far from over. As a result, hard choices need to be made in order to protect the innocent and help them reach safety, affecting how things play out in the final moments. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Plane Plot Synopsis
Commercial pilot Brodie Torrance, a former member of the Royal Air Force, embarks on his journey from Singapore to Honolulu, flying Trailblazer Airlines Flight 119. He and his co-pilot, Dele, expect a simple flight, given that there are only 13 passengers on board. However, a last-minute arrival in the form of Louis Gaspare stirs things up. Suspected of homicide, Louis is a long-time fugitive who is being extradited to Canada. Brodie gets concerned about their route as the flight continues, anticipating bad weather. His supervisors order him to continue as-is. They soon regret their judgment as the aircraft gets caught in a powerful storm and hit by a lightning strike. With communication networks down, the plane malfunctioning, and two people on board dead, the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing.
Instead of landing in the water and endangering his passengers, he finds an island with a dirt strip and decides to touch down there. Their location turns out to be Jolo Island in the Philippines. An alarmed Brodie describes it as a lawless land that the police force refuses to touch, as it is now controlled by separatist rebels. He understands that prolonging their stay means inviting death and assigns Dele with fixing the Plane while he manages his distraught passengers. After freeing Louis, he ventures deeper into the forest to seek help. Here, he comes across an abandoned warehouse with a wire network and informs Trailblazer of their location. Immediately, he is attacked by two rebels, whom he successfully thwarts with Louis’s help. Exploring the building further reveals that it is used by the separatists as a torture and extortion room to collect ransom.
Back at Trailblazer’s headquarters in New York, the board summons their crises manager, David Scarsdale, who, realizing that it would be too late by the time a government rescue team is set up, employs a private mercenary unit led by Shellback to enter the island and rescue the passengers with the clock ticking the stakes increase, as our protagonist returns to find all of his passengers in captivity. The separatists plan to use them as hostages to ask for ransom money and prepare to ship them off to a different island. The responsibility to protect the innocents and bring them to safety now falls on the backs of the two main characters. Determined to return to his family, Brodie prepares to fight for his survival.
Plane Ending: Does Brodie Rescue the Passengers?
Teaming up with Shellback and his team, Brodie and Louis manage to deal with the rebel guards and successfully rescue the passengers, who retreat into the Plane. Realizing that is just the first step, the pilot immediately begins to gather supplies to repair the aircraft so that it can at least fly for a short amount of time. The plan is to find a safe harbor on a nearby island. This daring decision alarms Trailblazer’s headquarters, and officials reiterate how the maneuver risks the lives of everyone on board. Brodie reasons that proper help will take a full day to arrive and that, according to Louis, it would be impossible to survive in these conditions for that long. However, before they can take off, they are forced into one final showdown with Junmar, the leader of the separatists.
Infuriated at the loss of so many of his men, Junmar launches an all-out attack, attempting to take down the Plane. With everyone already boarded, things become extremely dangerous, and Louis decides to stay behind and defend the ship. He bravely shoots down one of the attackers right before they can fire a rifle-propelled grenade. While Trailblazer 119 sustains damage during the firefight, adding to its already precarious state, it ultimately manages to endure. As a last resort, Junmar faces the plane head-on, frantically attempting another shot with the rifle. Before he is successful, however, the Plane’s landing gear strikes him, crushing the separatist leader to death. With this, the fight finally ends.
Scarsdale informs the crew that there is a possibility of landing on the neighboring island of Siasi, where they can be rescued by the Philippines’ special force. Brodie, weighing his odds, chooses to take the leap of faith and attempts the most difficult flight of his life. After enduring seemingly endless turbulence and flying a damaged plane with barely any fuel left, Brodie finally sees the landing strip of Siaso in sight, with rescue workers waiting on the runway. Their dangerous journey comes to an end, and everyone on board finds themselves full of a renewed appreciation for life. This is best reflected in Brodie, who, after sustaining numerous injuries, chooses to sit for a moment and call his daughter. The two share a powerful reunion, promising to spend more time with each other.
How Do Brodie and Louis Defeat The Rebels?
The mission to rescue the passengers from the Separatists involves a lot of trials and tribulations that Brodie and Louis brave through. After arming themselves, the two leave a note inside the Plane, informing any rescuers of their location and goals. From there, they silently enter the rebel hideout. They immediately take out the two men guarding the room with the captives and free everyone. The group then finds a bus and quickly climbs inside, with one passenger capable of driving it. Realizing that it’s impossible to simply walk out of there, the two quickly devise a plan to distract the rebels. It involves Brodie revealing himself and demanding to speak with Junman. He announces that he is the pilot, understanding that he will not be killed as they need hostages. Upon coming face to face, he begins threatening a military rescue and is brutally beaten in response.
Brodie continues to escalate the situation, hoping to serve as a distraction while the rest escape. Moments before he is killed, however, the rebels are intercepted by Shellback and his team, who quickly begin to take out the rest of the forces. The private team had found the message in the aircraft and rushed to the scene. A fierce gunfight ensues, killing a large number of rebels. The team, along with Brodie, then returns to the bus and drives off before any of them can be attacked. In the wake of the fight, Junmar finds most of his men dead and prepares a counterattack. Back home, Brodie’s daughter Daniella watches the news, which declares that the Plane has still not been recovered. Fearful of what’s happening, she records a video for her father, affirming her love and respect and pleading for him to come back.
Why Does Louis Escape With the Cash?
When the plane is attacked by the final wave of rebels, Louis volunteers to step out and protect it, successfully tackling many of the assailants in the process. During this act of heroism, he stumbles upon a bag of large sums of cash: half a million dollars that the Shellback and his team had brought as emergency funds for the ransom. Louis decides to take this money and escape, knowing that even if he is rescued, he will simply be extradited and then convicted of the crime without a fair trial. With his back against the wall, this money stands as his only shot at freedom. Right before he disappears into the forest, he exchanges a final glance with Brodie, who simply responds with a nod of respect and approval.
The truth behind Louis’s homicide charges is never quite learned. Having spent the last 15 years of his life running away, he seems to have accepted the fact that the justice system has abandoned him. He refuses to share the details of his situation with Brodie, claiming that he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. The only thing the audience can reasonably judge him for, then, is his actions throughout this incident. Here, Louis appears to be a hero who chooses to protect innocents over himself. As a member of the French Foreign Legion, he has a history of serving those in need, and here, he puts his skill set to good use. Like Brodie, he also sees his survival as a chance to right all his wrongs and start with a fresh perspective. Having escaped the system, a new life awaits Louis Gaspare, one that will probably set the stage for a sequel film.
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