Josh Hartnett Puts Himself to the Test Again in ‘Fight or Flight’
Josh Hartnett’s face has always been one you recognize from the heyday of early 2000s movies, but it’s been a long while since he was seen flipping over seats or knocking out henchmen on screen. With ‘Fight or Flight’ hitting theaters, Hartnett has thrown himself—quite literally—back into the action spotlight, facing a whole new level of physical challenge that hit differently in his 40s.
A decade has passed since Hartnett’s last action role involved this much body-in-motion stuntwork. He’s the first to admit it wasn’t a walk in the park. “The last time I did anything like this, I was in my late twenties. I definitely felt it in the mornings,” Hartnett said, only half-joking about the aches that come with age. Before filming, he had to not only shake off years of more low-key acting gigs but also overhaul his body after packing on weight for Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer.’ Dropping pounds and regaining agility almost overnight became its own off-screen drama.
In ‘Fight or Flight,’ he plays Lucas Reyes, a tarnished American operative thrust into a hellish cross-continental flight. Picture this: You’re cruising from Bangkok to San Francisco, but every other passenger is a global assassin—and you and your target, the elusive figure known only as The Ghost, are both marked for death. Cue chaos, cramped skirmishes, and window-rattling showdowns … all in the aisles of a plane.
Stunts, Sweat, and Punchlines in a Cabin Full of Killers
This isn’t one of those action-comedies where actors stand back and let stunt doubles do the real work. Director James Madigan wanted the cast to own their moves, landing hits and tumbles themselves wherever possible. That meant Hartnett, along with co-stars Katee Sackhoff and Charithra Chandran, signed up for weeks of fight choreography and grueling rehearsals. Sackhoff, known for sci-fi action but not airplane brawls, and Chandran, usually seen in dramatic roles, both rose to the challenge—making impressive transitions from dialogue scenes to jaw-dropping flips and grapples.
Hartnett says the hands-on approach changed the whole vibe. "We felt like a team, fighting for real, all slightly terrified we’d mess up,” he laughs. It also brought out a raw energy—mistakes or bruises just made scenes more genuine. Working in the tight, nerve-jangling set of an airplane only ramped up the intensity. Audiences might notice how the cabin’s claustrophobic feel ups the stakes compared to the open arenas of most action flicks.
Staying true to its action-comedy roots, ‘Fight or Flight’ doesn’t skimp on laughs. The script, according to Hartnett, morphed through several versions before landing on its current, punchy mix of wisecracks and close calls. That blend is a clear nod to the wild rides of the late ‘80s and ‘90s, when movies weren’t afraid to balance humor with a flurry of flying fists and feet.
So, Hartnett’s return isn’t just another action reboot. It’s a sweaty, funny, bruised, and thoroughly hands-on approach to the classic action formula—now playing out at theaters, with Hartnett and company risking more than ever just to give audiences a wild two hours in the dark.
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