A series of pilots and mechanics come together in Flying Boat to discuss their individual experiences with the titular aircraft. Their lives have been affected in big ways by these aircrafts, and they finally get to tell their stories to the world.
While the concept may appeal to some, I’m not sure that Flying Boat is a documentary that can appeal to the masses and/or find success on a large scale. With the exception of a few stories, Flying Boat never veers from the tiny box that it’s built for itself, and I truly believe that only others that have experienced similar things will be able to appreciate this film as a result. With that being said, I’m not sure that the documentary needs to step outside of its comfort zone, or attempt to appeal to a larger audience, but Writer-Director Dirk Braun needs to understand that Flying Boat will not appeal to the masses, and his film will likely hit home and make connections with a small group of individuals.
Smack dab in the middle of Flying Boat is one story that has the potential to be far reaching–and that is a surprising story about the famed El Chapo. How he makes his way into the fold I don’t want to spoil–but this particular story possesses a wow factor that will surely appeal to many. Outside of that five minutes, however, everything mentioned above is simply a fact.
Now, to be able to capture some of the footage present in Flying Boat is impressive, and those viewers that care about this sort of thing will be able to appreciate this aspect of the film. However, I’m not entirely sure that viewers are going into a documentary looking at the technical aspects or trying to analyze it the same way that they would a narrative. So, even though this aspect of the film is beautifully done, I’m not sure that it really bolsters the film in any way.
When all was said and done, I have to say that I was ultimately disappointed in this film. Did I have incredibly high hopes? No, but the fact of the matter is that I hoped I would at least be entertained. I found Flying Boat terribly boring, and there were even times where I dozed off, incapable of remaining focused. It’s never a good thing to have viewers nodding off during a film, and by the time Flying Boat had concluded, I was honestly happy to be done with it.
Written & Directed by Dirk Braun.
Starring Tom Casey, Mike Barron, Kermit Weeks, Connie Edwards, Julie Fetcko, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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