Horizon Line (2020)

Directed by: Mikael Marcimain | 87 minutes | thriller | Actors: Alexander Dreymon, Allison Williams, Keith David, Pearl Mackie, Jumayn Hunter, Lamin Tamba, Amanda Khan

Sara (Allison Williams, ‘Get Out’) and Jackson (Alexander Dreymon) are young, in love and having the time of their lives in Mauritius. But Sara is more ambitious than her boyfriend, she’s sure her career prospects are better in London, and she hates saying goodbye. Jackson is left heartbroken. A year later their Mauritian girlfriend gets married and Sara is a bridesmaid. Of course the former lovers see each other again – Mauritius isn’t that big – but ‘Horizon Line’ has a lot of action to offer in addition to romance.

After the first night of passion and the inevitable fight that follows, Sara misses the last ferry to take her to Rodrigues. It is impossible to get to the wedding on time. But the pretty lady takes a crack at it and contacts old friend Wyman (Keith David), who has a Cessna and had to side with Rodrigues anyway. Because none other than Jackson also boards the small plane. So far, so predictable.

And that predictability does not end unfortunately. One of the three people present will no longer come ashore (alive), there are various technical defects, fuel is running out, a storm is approaching and three flying lessons that have been followed are not enough to know how to land an aircraft.

‘Horizon Line’ takes place for a large part in the small plane. To survive, Sara and Jackson sometimes have to do terrible things, things that you can only do when the adrenaline rushes through your body. That rush of adrenaline is not something that is triggered in the viewer. Initially, the premise is still enough to keep you interested – no matter how transparent the scenario is, but with only two people in an airplane that is most likely going to crash, the cake will soon be gone. ‘Horizon Line’ therefore collapses halfway through, and the breakneck speed that the couple has to do to keep the Cessna in the air does not make it more believable or entertaining.

A plus is that Sara – although a large part of the problems can be attributed to her – is nowhere the calibrated damsel in distress, but that she turns out to be the savior. A feminist layer, which is otherwise not thick on top, but is of course interwoven by the – otherwise flat – description of the characters. ‘Horizon Line’ is a mediocre action movie; without appealing characters or nail-biting tension, but made just skillfully enough to copy it.