I like to describe this movie as "clean". By that I mean two things.First is the scenery and cinematography. When you look at the scenery you know exactly what you're looking at because there is no attempt to contaminate it with special effects. Maybe there was just a tad of special effects; when the second small plane crashed on takeoff from Pago Pago. But that only took a few minutes of the movie.The second thing I mean by clean is the plot. It is straight forward, simple, and easy to follow. No fancy and complex intrigue to take away from the enjoyment. I believe another reviewer of this movie described it as easy to watch. That is so true.Other good aspects of this movie are sound, score, writing, editing, and production design. The plot (a commercial airliner, with no search and rescue equipment, trying to find a lost small plane, whose navigation instruments have gone kaput, in the vast expanse of the Pacific) is dramatic, exciting, and well-paced. The ending is a source of tremendous joy, especially when you remember that this is a true story.Finally, Robert Loggia gives a fine performance as the captain of the commercial airliner. Sometimes I felt I was right there in the cockpit with him and his first and second officers. And the people behind the camera also deserve high marks for their contributions to this very entertaining movie.

This is an annual tradition for our home.The first time I saw this film I was working toward my pilot's license so it was very timely. Scott Bakula is convincing as the struggling pilot. Robert Laggio has long been a favorite actor of mine. It is also not a quick fix type of story. Life is usually more complicated, as it depicts. You empathize with Jay and his wife and their struggles to keep their marriage going in the face of financial struggles as well as personal desires and needs. I love the message of the film, it has so many messages that apply to our lives. Such as not quitting, dealing with utter loneliness,the power of love and the strength of one individual who decides to stand with someone. The fact it is based on a true story makes it even better. Terrific film.

I have watched this movie every Christmas since it came out. And the copy we have is a very old video! It's impossible to find in DVD form--I don't know why,because it is one of Robert Loggia's best movies, and Scott Bakula's as well. It's hard to believe a movie that is mostly a conversation between two pilots flying in separate planes over the ocean can be so moving, but it is. It is also suspenseful-keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. This movie is a great example of the ability of one person to encourage another through difficult times. Brings to mind "Flight of the Phoenix" (the one with Jimmy Stewart), in how people work together to solve a seemingly impossible situation. What adds to the specialness of this movie is that it is based on a true incident.

This film is a pleasant enough way to while away a Sunday afternoon. It's becoming something of a cult classic with students (in Britain) due to the casting- Scott Bakula will forever be associated with Dr Samuel Beckett but the more legendary of the two doctors surely has to be Dr Karl Kennedy.....