Runway 34 Review: An engaging aviation thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the word go

Runway 34 Movie Review Rating: 4/5

After U Me Aur Hum (2008) and Shivaay (2016), Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn wields the megaphone yet again for Runway 34, which was earlier titled MayDay. Apart from helming the project, the actor also plays the lead role in it alongside Rakul Preet Singh and megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The trailer of the film received a rousing response from the audience and whetted their curiosity to know more about what the film is all about. BollywoodMDB reviewer watched Runway 34 at a special screening held for the media at Juhu PVR in Mumbai, and here is what he has to say about the film.

STORY: Runway 34 is based on the 2015 Jet Airways Doha-Kochi flight that had a narrow escape after facing difficulties due to unclear visibility and bad weather conditions. Fighting against all odds, supremely confident Captain Vikrant (Ajay Devgn) and first officer Tanya Albuquerque (Rakul Preet Singh) land their plane on Runway 34, saving the lives of hundreds of passengers. While the media hails Vikrant as a hero, an investigation headed by Narayan Vedant (Amitabh Bachchan) is initiated to find out if the circumstances that led to a Mayday call could have been avoided had Vikrant and Tanya performed their duties to the best of their abilities?

HIGHS: The first half of the film is entirely dedicated to how unclear visibility and bad weather conditions led to Captain Vikrant make a Mayday call. There are some nail-biting scenes which don’t allow you to close your eyes even for a second. In fact, all in-flight scenes are without an ounce of doubt brilliantly crafted and the impeccable VFX and the background score enhance the intensity of those scenes further.

Ajay Devgn, as expected, delivers yet another power-packed performance. Just like his performance, his direction also deserves distinction marks. Rakul Preet Singh is brilliant in her character. It is a delight to see her hold her ground in front of two superstars – Ajay Devgn and Amitabh Bachchan. Big B adds new energy to the film as he enters. His role has been written meticulously.

LOWS: Boman Irani looks terrific in his part and has his own swag. However, his is a poorly written role that does not do complete justice to his calibre. You want to see more of him, but that never happens.

FINAL VERDICT: Runway 34 has many things going for it, right from its original story, impeccable performances from the cast, and skilful direction from none other than Ajay Devgn. I always wonder why Devgn does not go behind the camera more often. I hope he makes his next directorial announcement soon. I am going with 4 stars for Runway 34.

Watch Runway 34 trailer:

MOVIE CREDITS

Banner: Ajay Devgn Ffilms, Panorama Studios

Director: Ajay Devgn

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Rakul Preet Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, etc.

Runtime: 148 Minutes