REVIEWDOWNLOAD

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Era

Present day

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Locations

Ukraine / Russia / New Jersey / Virginia / Washington D.C.

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Budgets

Medium

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Genre

Action & Adventure, Action Thriller, Drama, Political Drama

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Logline

An off-duty air marshal returning home to the states winds up on a plane hijacked by Ukrainian mercenaries.

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Strengths

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PASSENGER 58 is a well-paced and highly engaging read that hooks the reader off of the premise and keeps them invested for the majority of the script thanks to the overall execution present within the writing. Simply put, as a straight action-thriller, the story is really successful. For example, the action scenes are especially entertaining when the airplane set piece is used to its full advantage. Furthermore, in one scene Frank has to defend himself with things like a seatbelt and a food tray table. The conflict among the passengers, such as between Frank and Mikhail, is dynamic because their panicked perspectives are understandable. Overall, there is a highly visual nature to the writing style thanks makes for an immersive read - allowing for the reader to visualize many of the scenes as they unfold on the page in a cinematic manner.

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One strength of this script is the good premise from which the writer chose to work. It has all the makings of a good action thriller in the logline – clear drama, action, and stakes – while at the same time feeling up to date and current / relevant with today’s global politics and hot button news topics. Those action elements and the level of tension are another strength of the script. The writer does a good job building up fear and tension as the terrorists go about their plot in a brutal manner, and in doing so, it feels incredibly cathartic and exciting whenever the action finally does break out (and should be very pleasing to fans of the genre). Lastly, the protagonist is another strength of the script. He fits the bill for an action thriller quite well – capable and a bit of a badass when he needs to be, but at the same time he is likable and relatable with emotional stakes setup through the scenes with his daughter.

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Prospects:

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PASSENGER 58 is a thought-provoking and creative project that has the potential to be a film that attracts a widespread audience given the themes explored and overall execution present in the writing. With a minor polish in place, the team should look to begin to attach cast (most notably to play the role of Frank) and find a meaningful director (someone with name brand recognition and a track record of success within the genre) that can further elevate the overall cinematic stylings of the script. While the current climate may prevent the project from getting off the ground anytime soon, this is a project that should be able to attract at least one A-list star, which will open up the potential for the film receiving a theatrical release. It stands to attract a significant audience given the fresh nature of the project, but should do even better once it becomes a streaming option on Netflix or Amazon.

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