Review of Bride Flight (2008) by Edward K — 19 Jun 2011

In 2008, Frank(Rutger Hauer) has a fatal heart attack after inspecting his vineyards.

In 1953, Frank(Waldemar Torenstra) is a passenger on a flight of emigres to Christchurch, New Zealand that is also competing in an air race. Esther(Anna Drijver), one of the passengers and a fashion designer, asks Ada(Karina Smulders) to model a wedding dress, complimenting her on her figure. That might have something to do with her being pregnant, having already been married to Derk(Micha Hulshof) by proxy. Nerves and perhaps turbulence make Ada think about bolting at a refueling stop but Frank talks her back onto the plane, convincing her that life in New Zealand could not be any worse than Karachi. By comparison, Marjorie(Elise Schaap) is happy with her new prospects with Hans(Mattijn Hartemink) waiting for her on the ground.

"Bride Flight" has some good performances, makes excellent use of the beautiful New Zealand scenery and has one classic scene where Ada is forced to ride in the back of a truck for several hours while her friends take another road in life. But it really only manages to scratch the surface in providing a routine treatment of a potentially fascinating piece of history. Instead, of exploring the emigres adjusting to their new country(a couple of whom are escaping tragic pasts), it only really comes around to exploring identity(notice that many of the people at Frank's funeral are Maori which shows how well he may have been accepted) after a ten year jump in a question of paternity that is admittedly nowhere near as all-consuming as the average episode of "Brothers & Sisters.".