Mercy Mission: The Rescue of Flight 771 (1993)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

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.

I have not seen this movie, but a co-worker of mine reminds me to look for it every Christmas season, all to no avail. My co-worker has absolutely raved about this movie, but it is never scheduled to show. Now, why can't one of the cable channels run these types of movies? They show some movies over and over again until you can't stand the sight of that particular movie any longer, and they forget about some of these heartfelt movies that are so good. Also, I looked on Amazon and the price they want for a copy of this movie is ridiculous, ranging from $44.00 to over a $100.00 for a VHS tape. I'm wondering why this movie is so expensive to buy, when I can buy other movies for $20.00.

Dr. Sam Beckett (Quantum Leap) and Dr. Kennedy (Neighbours) attempt to fly from San Francisco to Australia in two 'toy planes' - but once I managed to get past this concept, I was hooked! A true Christmas film with plenty of spirit, 'Mercy Mission' is both exciting and believable. I don't know a lot about the technical side of the action, but that didn't stop me rooting for the characters - wanting Jay not to give in, and Gordon to win the approval of his passengers (I loved his explanation to the children on board about what had happened to Jay, and why they needed to help). And, of course, by the end, I was just as emotional as those on screen - which is how any Christmas movie worth its salt should affect an audience. Frank's battle with his plane in Pago Pago was also convincing (even if his accent was a little trans-continental), and the dialogue was both strong and funny ("How old could you be?" "This guy's really old, 771") This film is recommended any time of year, as it's easy to watch, but sharing your Christmas with Gordon and Jay really adds to the experience.

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.....