Runway 34 Movie Review: Ajay Devgn Lands This Mid-Air Thriller Safely Despite Some Turbulence

Story

Runway 34 begins with flying prodigy Captain Vikrant Khanna AKA Vicky (Ajay Devgn) sneaking out of his hotel to enjoy a night out with his pal. A few hours later, he is assigned a flight from Dubai to Cochin (Skyline 777). Joining him is first officer Tanya Alburqurque (Rakul Preet Singh), who is quite excited about working with him. She watches him in awe when he says, "Main cheezein kabhi bhoolta nahi..I have a photographic memory."

While Vikrant and Tanya exchange a few words in the cockpit, we are also introduced to the passengers on the flight. There's an ailing Parsi lady travelling with her daughter, a young mother who is a first-time traveller, CarryMinati playing himself and a cocky businessman amongst them.

Unknown to everyone, nature has an unpleasant surprise in store for them. Vikrant and Tanya, several thousand feet above the ground, find their's and the passengers' lives in danger due to torrid weather conditions.

"Mausam aur insaan jab milkar galati karte hai na, toh it's a sure shot recipe for disaster." However, after a few miscalculations, Vikrant issues a Mayday call as the flight, diverts from Cochin to Trivandrum due to bad weather, and lands on Runway 34. What follows next is an investigation under the watchful eye of Narayan Vedant (Amitabh Bachchan), head of AAIB.

Direction

Ajay Devgn calls 'Lights, Camera, Action' after a gap of six years with Runway 34. Like his previous outing Shivaay, the superstar once again displays his technical finesse when it comes to the visual treatment of the film. The mid-air sequences are thrilling and keep you on the edge of your seats. There are moments when you have your heart in your mouth.

However, Runway 34 faces some turbulence when it enters the courtroom drama zone. Barring some clever dialoguebaazi between Ajay Devgn and Amitabh Bachchan, there's not much to take away from the second half. A little more sharp writing here would have elevated the film by several notches. Also, a few questions remain unanswered in the closed-door trial, which continue to linger in your mind post the film. The makers also fail to explore a few other characters after giving them a good build-up.

Performances

Ajay Devgn flies high and delivers a first-rate performance as a high-flight pilot, be it when it comes to displaying his flamboyance or staying calm amidst the chaos. Like always, there are a few scenes where he lets his eyes do all the talking. Rakul Preet Singh on the other hand, manages to display a gamut of emotions even when saddled with an unidimensional character.

Amitabh Bachchan adds gravitas to his limited role. However, one wished that the writers have explored different facets of his character which would have added more layers to the plot. Nevertheless, the Shahenshah of Bollywood still roars loud. Boman Irani and Aakansha Singh deliver what's written for them. Angira Dhar barely gets a chance to display her acting chops.

Technical Aspects

Aseem Bajaj's ace cinematography especially in the mid-air portions is worth applauding. Be it the tight close-up shots to portray the tension in the air or the aerial frames, he plays a major role in keeping your eyes glued to the screen. Dharmendra Sharma's editing scissors are sharp which keep the narrative tight.

Music

Ajay Devgn steers clear of adding unnecessary tracks in Runway 34 and it works in his favour. There are just two songs, 'The Fall Song' crooned by Jasleen Royal and Arijit Singh's 'Mitra Re' which blend perfectly in the storytelling and captures the mood of the situation.

Verdict

In one of the scenes when Tanya (Rakul Preet Singh) tells Vikrant (Ajay Devgn) that she doesn't have a good feeling about a situation, the latter brushes off her concern and quips, "Yahan zameen se 35000 feet upar feelings nahin, calculations chalte hain."

However, one wished that Devgn had realized that this formula doesn't work when it comes to films. A little more emphasis on the emotional aspect of the writing would have resulted into a smooth journey for Runway 34. Having said that, the investigative thriller still makes for an engaging watch.