Money Plane
Reviews
CyrusPK
Ambition is important in film making and it is always reassuring to see film-makers pushing as hard as they can against their budgets to produce something creative and dynamic. Unfortunately those behind Money Plane found themselves somewhat defeated by lack of funds. Their name actors including Kelsey Grammar, Denise Richards and Thomas Jane all look like they did a single day’s filming at individual locations. Like a number of Bruce Willis’ recent films the leads have their scenes spread across the movie but over relatively few scenes and single locations to make their involvement appear more extensive than it actually was. I would be very surprised if Denise Richards shot her role in more than a few hours. An art gallery exterior is clearly some kind of poorly maintained transport depot and its interior (and several others in the film) are standard rooms dressed up with a few drapes to obscure unwanted details. Much of the plot takes place inside a plane interior set which looks like one of those frequently rented interiors seen in many Hollywood lensed films and TV series of recent decades. That said the plot mechanics are reasonably well executed and there are some effective action sequences involving close-up fights in confined areas that bring to mind the editing style and effectiveness of the train compartment fight in From Russia With Love (1963). A strain of very dark humour also runs through the film, with the outcome of a Russian roulette game, a graphic description of one of the things the gamblers can bet on and a misunderstanding between villain and henchman as to intent being especially smile-inducing. Much of the acting is adequate if not exceptional and Kelsey Grammar in particular devolves into a shouting, self-declamatory approach when it is not really needed. Katrina Norman is especially good as one of the crew assembled to take down the Money Plane and is an actor I will look out for in the future. With a brisk running time of 82 minutes this mostly overcomes its budget limitations to be a fun and darkly comic action adventure. As an ambitious B-grade film I found it mostly very satisfying.
CinemaSerf
I actually quite liked the premiss here. "Reese" (Adam Copeland) is $40 million in the hole to Kelsey Grammer's "Grouch". To settle up he must plan and execute a daring robbery 35,000 feet up in the air. Their target? Well that is an aeroplane that is used as a luxury casino/brothel where those on board, beyond the reach of the law, can indulge themselves at will. Along with his pals "Isabella" (Katrina Norman) and "Paterson/McGullicuddy" (Patrick Lamont Jr.) they infiltrate this elite gang of thugs and hoodlums (and bad actors) and attempt to beam all of their funds to their pal "Iggy" (Andrew Lawrence) waiting on the ground with an upturned dustbin lid pointing at the plane. Regrettably, I just couldn't quite place the "Concierge" - and that occupied my brain far more than any of the banal dialogue, repetitive and pretty preposterous fight scenes and the shockingly poor performance from the always massively over-rated Grammer - about as intimidating as yesterday's milk. Then it hit me - "Melissa & Joey" - that is were I had seen him! One of those daytime, wallpaper, "comedy" series. Phew, I was out of my misery - and just as director Andrew Lawrence decided to do the same for everyone else. If only the ending had happened nearer the start of this derivative and poorly constructed affair. I wouldn't bother if I were you...
tmdb28039023
Money Plane stars Adam Copeland, Kelsey Grammer, Thomas Jane and Denise Richards. Grammer and Jane used to be Frasier and the Punisher. Copeland, on the other hand, remains, against all odds, The Rated R Superstar, The Ultimate Opportunist, The Master Manipulator, Edge — and while he’s none of those things in this movie, I’m going to call his character Edge anyway (I am into the whole brevity thing). Edge is a professional thief. As the movie opens, he and his team — Isabella (Katrina Norman), Trey (Patrick Lamont Jr.), and Iggy (director/co-writer Andrew Lawrence) — are in the process of stealing a Jackson Pollock valued at $40 million. The museum, if indeed a museum it be, where the painting is supposedly housed is rather strange. Edge goes through security and into a room where the painting should be, but the painting isn’t there, and neither is Edge, at least not from the van where Trey is monitoring him. Apparently someone hacked into Trey’s computer so he could see, not the live feed from the security camera, but a tape the empty room. This makes no sense. Why hack them in such a way that would make it obvious to them that they were being hacked? And the answer is that the writers needed our heroes to know someone was setting them up, and this was the best they could come up with. Edge was stealing the painting for Darius Emmanuel Grouch III (Grammer), in lieu of paying him the $40 million he owes him (since the painting’s value and the amount of the debt are the same, one must assume the other thieves were helping Edge out of the goodness of their hearts). Since Edge shows up empty-handed, Grouch offers him another job; “robbing a futuristic air casino filled with the world’s most dangerous criminals” (IMDb) — the titular money plane. We next see Edge inspecting the plane’s blueprints with his team. Where exactly did they get these blueprints? Later Edge goes home to his wife Sarah (Richards) and their young daughter — to whom he reads about Robin Hood, presumably so she grows up thinking daddy is a hero as opposed to an asshole who can’t be bothered to work for a living —; in the middle of the night, while mentally recapping what Grouch told him just a couple of scenes ago, Edge hears noises downstairs. He goes down to investigate and finds Harry (Jane). Harry is Edge’s best friend and his daughter’s godfather (the only surprise in the movie is that Harry does not end up betraying Edge), but if they’re so close, why does Harry feel the need to break in like a thief in the night, instead of, I don’t know, knocking? After all, Harry is not here to create suspense, but to provide exposition. As it turns out, Edge used to be a poker whiz until he started losing so much that his gambling debts reached the aforementioned $40 million. That’s some losing streak right there. How he still has a home and a family is anyone’s guess, as is how Edge managed to accrue such a superlative debt without having his legs broken by hired goons sooner than later. Anyway, Harry agrees to keep an eye on Edge’s family while Edge deals with the plane thing. To gain access to the plane, Edge poses as a criminal, Trey poses as Edge’s “associate,” and Katrina conveniently gets a job as a flight attendant. Now, the point of a flying casino is that, once they’re in international airspace, they can bet on anything — even on, as Grouch tells Edge, “a guy [expletive deleted] a lizard” —; you know you’re in trouble when your premise is lifted from a lesser Simpsons episode. The first game, however, is an ordinary round of Texas Hold'em. Edge wins it, excuses himself, leaves Trey playing in his place, and goes to take control of the cockpit, which he does with little difficulty and without anyone ever realizing that the plane has been taken over by a man who isn’t who he claims he is. Meanwhile, Katrina logs into the plane’s servers and Trey is challenged to a game of Russian roulette, which one would think is bad for business; after all, a dead customer can’t keep betting. Other events Trey wagers on include Man vs. Cobra, and Man vs. Piranhas. These do not take place on the plane; Trey and the other gamblers watch them remotely as they occur in some undisclosed location — presumably someplace where laws do apply. The notion of international airspace already seemed dubious to me, but this plot development makes it irrelevant. Also makes you wonder why the servers aren’t somewhere else as well. To make a dumb story short, Edge & Co. hack into the servers, transfer the cryptocurrency the criminals were using to bet to their own mobile devices, and donate it to various charitable organizations (“redistribute the wealth,” Edge says, but he’s not fooling anyone; stealing is stealing), and jump out of the plane. As for the Pollock painting, it belonged to Grouch all along; the whole thing was just a ploy to force Edge to hijack the plane. But if Edge owed Grouch $40 million, that means Grouch always had the upper hand. Instead of asking him to steal the painting, foiling the robbery, and cajoling Edge into robbing the plane, why not just tell him outright to do the plane job and be done with it? And why is there, in addition to cryptocurrency, cash on the plane? But the answer to that question I do know: to justify the title. I guess calling it The Crypto Plane would have been somewhat confusing. The biggest question, though, is what Edge, Thomas Jane, and Denise Richards are doing in this movie. I mean, I know they’re in it for the money, but I honestly think they needed the movie more than the movie needed them. I admit I saw Money Plane just for Edge; similarly, there must be people who’ll see it just for Jane or Richards — and you know what? Those people are going to be just as disappointed as I was. Edge spends almost half the film flying the plane without incident; Jane takes a break from babysitting Edge’s daughter to shoot some unnamed henchmen… with a drone, from the comfort of an easy chair in Edge’s home; and Edge could very well be a single dad for all that Richards does — I’d say she’s there to be an eye candy, but this particular candy soured a long time ago. Grammer is the exception because, while he doesn’t do much either apart from lazing around on his mansion’s terrace, he at least knows what kind of movie he’s in and how to have fun overacting, and that makes all the difference in the world.
Movie Recommendation
Rogue2020-08-20Battle-hardened O’Hara leads a lively mercenary team of soldiers on a daring mission: rescue hostages from their captors in remote Africa. But as the mission goes awry and the team is stranded, O’Hara’s squad must face a bloody, brutal encounter with a gang of rebels.More...
More1969-08-04A German student, Stefan, now finished with his studies, hitchhikes to Paris. There he meets a free-spirited American girl, Estelle, who he follows to Ibiza. The two begin a sad and dark path into heroin addiction.More...
Santana2020-08-28Two brothers — one a narcotics agent and the other a general — finally discover the identity of the drug lord who murdered their parents decades ago. They may kill each other before capturing the bad guys.More...
New Rose Hotel1999-03-19A corporate raider and his henchman use a chanteuse to lure a scientific genius away from his employer and family.More...
Deceived2011-07-15After a man is accused of murdering his ex wife and all the evidence is against him, a woman enters his life that he can't seem to get off his mind. Nothing seems right and now he must try to find out why he is being blamed for the crime he didn't commit and find out who is truly behind it and why.More...
Prophecy2020-04-17Three young friends of Moroccan origin travel on a lost island, sing, dance, and take us into the shelter of an uninhabited lighthouse. They discover this unknown land like the explorers in a tale of adventures. Following them around in this strange place, Julieta Juncadella carries us away, like a wave, in the movement of a fantasy film. – Elena López RieraMore...
Welcome to Sudden Death2020-09-09Jesse Freeman is a former special forces officer and explosives expert now working a regular job as a security guard in a state-of-the-art basketball arena. Trouble erupts when a tech-savvy cadre of terrorists kidnap the team's owner and Jesse's daughter during opening night. Facing a ticking clock and impossible odds, it's up to Jesse to not only save them but also a full house of fans in this highly charged action thriller.More...
Abduction2019-03-20A man steps out of a park fountain in Ho Chi Minh City with no recollection of who he is or where he came from. As he wanders through the city, piecing together clues to his past, he is relentlessly pursued by mysterious figures.More...
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise1987-07-10The members of the Lambda Lambda Lambda fraternity travel to Fort Lauderdale for a fraternity conference. They'll have to beat off the attacks of their rival frat, the Alphas, if they want to maintain their self-respect -- and, of course, if they want to get anywhere with the pretty girls!More...
Battlefield 20252021-02-22Weekend campers, an escaped convict, young lovers and a police officer experience a night of terror when a hostile visitor from another world descends on a small Arizona town.More...
The Binding2020-10-02While visiting her fiancé's mother in southern Italy, a woman must fight the mysterious and malevolent curse intent on claiming her daughter.More...
Twist2021-01-22A Dickens classic brought thrillingly up to date in the teeming heartland of modern London, where a group of street smart young hustlers plan the heist of the century for the ultimate payday.More...
One Night in Bangkok2020-08-25A hit man named Kai flies into Bangkok, gets a gun, and orders a cab. He offers a professional female driver big money to be his all-night driver. But when she realizes Kai is committing brutal murders at each stop, it's too late to walk away. Meanwhile, an offbeat police detective races to decode the string of slayings before more blood is spilled.More...
Fatal Affair2020-07-16After a brief encounter with David Hammond, an old college friend, successful lawyer Ellie Warren tries to mend her marriage with her husband Marcus. But she finds herself caught in a terrifying game of cat and mouse when the encounter escalates into an obsession that jeopardizes everyone she loves.More...
Money Train1995-11-21When a vengeful New York transit cop decides to steal a trainload of subway fares, his foster brother—a fellow cop—tries to protect him.More...
The Comeback Trail2020-11-12Two movie producers who owe money to the mob set up their aging movie star for an insurance scam to try and save themselves. But they wind up getting more than they ever imagined.More...
Firestarter1984-05-11Charlene "Charlie" McGee has the amazing ability to start fires with just a glance. Can her psychic power and the love of her father save her from the threatening government agency which wants to destroy her?More...
Force of Nature2020-07-02A gang of thieves plan a heist during a hurricane and encounter trouble when a disgraced cop tries to force everyone in the building to evacuate.More...
Ava2020-07-02A black ops assassin is forced to fight for her own survival after a job goes dangerously wrong.More...
Peninsula2020-07-15A soldier and his team battle hordes of post-apocalyptic zombies in the wastelands of the Korean Peninsula.More...
Similar Movies
5 Against the House
1955-06-10Former war-time Army buddies now students in college decide to rip off a Reno casino.The Jönsson Gang at H...
2000-12-25Vanheden and Dynamite-Harry are approached by Sickan's grandmother and Sickan's younger brother Sven-Ingvar. Their evil nemesis Wall-Enberg are planning to steal billions of euros of the European Union's grants to culture. The grant of 350 million kronor, paid by an Italian bank acting as intermediary, equals 60 billion lire but through assistance of a Sicilian "businessman", this sum becomes 60 billion kronor when transferred. The money is to be transferred to a large number of bank accounts, and the account numbers are saved on a floppy disc that the Jönsson gang is trying to steal.Once a Thief
1965-04-24Ex-convict Eddie and his wife, Kristine, attempt to build a new life for themselves and their daughter Kathy in San Francisco, but police officer Mike Vido is determined to send Eddie back to prison.Casino Royale
2006-11-14Le Chiffre, a banker to the world's terrorists, is scheduled to participate in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro, where he intends to use his winnings to establish his financial grip on the terrorist market. M sends Bond—on his maiden mission as a 00 Agent—to attend this game and prevent Le Chiffre from winning. With the help of Vesper Lynd and Felix Leiter, Bond enters the most important poker game in his already dangerous career.Cash on Demand
1961-12-20A charming but ruthless criminal holds the family of a bank manager hostage as part of a cold-blooded plan to steal £90,000.The Comeback Trail
2020-11-12Two movie producers who owe money to the mob set up their aging movie star for an insurance scam to try and save themselves. But they wind up getting more than they ever imagined.Out of Pocket
2025-01-09Danielle, a Type 1 Diabetic, plans to make contraband insulin with the help of Max, an experienced thief.Lone Star State of Mi...
2002-04-23Earl and Baby, two young lovers with a plan to escape their small Texas town. But when Baby's dim-witted cousin Junior gets tangled up in a whole heap of trouble, Earl has just 48 hours to save the day, rescue Junior and keep his promise to get his Baby to Los Angeles in time for sweeps.The Underneath
1995-04-28A recovering gambling addict attempts to reconcile with his family and friends but finds trouble and temptation when caught between feelings for his ex-wife and her dangerous hoodlum boyfriend.Kaleidoscope
1966-07-01Barney Lincoln is a rambling gambling man who scores sensational wins at poker and chemin de fer because he has succeeded in marking the original plates for the backs of all the playing cards manufactured in a plant in Geneva and used in all the gambling joints in Europe. In his gambling depredation, Barney is spotted by Angel McGinnis, the daughter of a Scotland Yard Inspector 'Manny' McGinnis on the lookout for a man to do a job. The inspector enlists Barney's help in playing poker with a shady London character whom Scotland Yard wants to force to financial ruin.Snow Job
1972-02-02A famous skier, his mistress and a ski instructor rob a bank in the Alps and hide the loot in a crevasse.Uncut Gems
2019-08-30A charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win.Lupin the IIIrd: Goem...
2017-02-04A yakuza boss hires Goemon Ishikawa, a modern day samurai, to protect him aboard his cruise ship casino. Everything goes sideways when the famous thief, Lupin the Third, tries to rob the vessel. Lupin's being hunted by a powerful and mysterious man: the so called “Ghost of Bermuda.” With Goemon's employer dead in the ensuing chaos, his honor is at stake, and the only way to preserve it is with blood. But this opponent is like no other, and to make things right, Goemon may need to sharpen not only his sword, but himself as well!The Immortals
1995-10-05An elaborate heist unites 8 strangers in a simultaneous assault on targets all over the city- and explodes in a hailstorm of gunfire and high-speed chases in this powerful action-thriller. Recruited by a Mafia nightclub owner (Eric Roberts), 4 teams launch a brutal cross-town attack to retrieve suitcases full of cash. But as the violence escalates, the team members discover just who their real target has been all along - and the shocking truth they have in common.The Roundup: Punishme...
2024-04-24'Monster Cop' Ma Seok-do investigates an illegal online gambling business led by a former STS Baek and an IT genius CEO Chang. Ma proposes an unexpected alliance to Jang and begins hunting down the criminals.The Janitor
2014-08-01Crisanto Espina, a cop on suspension and under investigation, is tasked to eliminate the suspects involved in a bank robbery/massacre that shocked the whole nation.Pixie
2020-10-16To avenge her mother's death, Pixie masterminds a heist but must flee across Ireland from gangsters, take on the patriarchy, and choose her own destiny.End of the Line
2020-12-04When a heist goes fatally wrong, four men held together by hope and loyalty, struggle to decide what their next move should be. As the night proceeds, they begin to realize how easily a bond of brotherhood can fall apart.Ocean's Eleven
2001-12-07Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny's hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess.Ocean's Twelve
2004-12-09Despite pulling off one of the biggest heists in Las Vegas history and splitting the $160 million take, each of the infamous Ocean's crew have tried to go straight, lay low and live a legit life ... but that's proven to be a challenge. Casino owner Terry Benedict demands that Danny Ocean return the money, plus millions more in interest. Unable to come up the cash, the crew is forced to come together to pull off another series of heists, this time in Rome, Paris, and Amsterdam – but a Europol agent is hot on their heels.