Watch Charlie Victor Romeo

Charlie Victor Romeo is a 2013 film that presents a gripping documentary-style performance of the last moments of multiple airline accidents. The film takes its name from the NATO phonetic alphabet used by airline pilots. Directed by Robert Berger, Patrick Daniels, and Karlyn Michelson, who were also responsible for writing the screenplay, Charlie Victor Romeo is inspired by actual aviation accidents. The directors had a unique approach to making the movie; they utilized transcripts of the flight recordings, which provided the basis for the dialogue and the situation.

The film is composed of six scenes, each of which shows the last minutes of a flight bound for different destinations. The scenes are identified by their flight numbers and the airline that operated them. The actors, who are mainly from a stage background, play the roles of the pilots, co-pilots, and flight attendants in those different flights as they desperately try to resolve the problems they face in the air.

The movie's production values are intentionally sparse. Shot mostly in a single cockpit, the actors wear stage costumes on a stage set designed to resemble the interior of a commercial airliner. The intensity of the scenes is enhanced by the use of realistic lighting and sound effects, including background music that builds to a deafening roar.

One of the scenes, for example, shows the story of TWA Flight 841, which faced severe turbulence, dangerously pitching and changing altitude. Although the pilots try to stabilize the aircraft, it crashes eventually, leading to the loss of several lives. Watching the scene, the viewer is taken on board the rapidly descending aircraft, as its passengers desperately scramble to stay strapped in their seats.

Another scene is the story of Delta Airlines Flight 1141, which suffers a crash due to the crew's failure to set the flaps correctly. The actors' performances help to convey the flight crew's communication, and the growing sense of dread at the prospect of what will happen if they cannot overcome the technical problems that have become apparent too late.

The sixth and final scene is taken from the harrowing real-life events that took place on September 11, 2001, when a United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by terrorists. In this scene, the movie focuses on the crew's attempts to take back control of the airplane, and the heroic passengers who gave their lives to save those on the ground. The scene is intensely gripping and moving, capturing the bravery and the deep emotions of the flight speaker, flight attendants, pilots, and passengers.

Charlie Victor Romeo offers a unique viewing experience, unlike any other movie about aviation accidents. The film's focus on the recordings of cockpit voice recorders and the use of real transcripts bring a level of realism that is often absent in Hollywood movies.

Overall, Charlie Victor Romeo is an incredibly compelling and engrossing film. While it may be hard to sit through at times, the movie's unflinching portrayal of the final moments of these flights will capture your attention from beginning, leaving you reeling at the end. The film's approach is unusual, but it is rarely dull, providing an authentic portrayal of what it must be like to face danger in the air.

Charlie Victor Romeo is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4 and a MetaScore of 65.