Mark Wahlberg is an actor who is fully committed to his craft, even if that involves significant physical transformations. From his 20-pound weight gain for his role as a boxer-turned-priest in Father Stu to his barely recognizable transformation for the upcoming crime thriller By Any Means, Wahlberg has never shied away from fully embodying his roles. The actor fully committed to his return to a villainous role in a 2025 box office bomb that divided critics and audiences and is now on HBO Max, going as far as shaving his head for a completely unhinged haircut.
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Wahlberg took on his first full-on villain role since 1996’s Fear when he stepped into the shoes of a hitman disguised as a pilot in Mel Gibson’s action thriller Flight Risk. The movie, which bombed at the box office with just a $48 million worldwide gross, started streaming on HBO Max on November 26th. Wahlberg fully committed to his role of the devious character, who transports an air marshal accompanying a fugitive to trial during a flight where the identities and intentions of those on board come into question, opting to shave his hair instead of using a bald cap to achieve the unhinged look of the balding pilot.
Is Flight Risk Worth Watching?
Wahlberg’s committed return to a villainous role marked one of his most divisive films to date. Flight Risk split critics and audiences, holding a rotten 29% critic score, with critic Mark Kermode even calling it “one of the worst films I’ve ever seen,” but a fresh 62% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Flight Risk is far from the best movie in either Gibson’s or Wahlberg’s careers, and it’s mostly forgettable once the end credits roll, but if you’re looking for a silly and strangely watchable B-movie, it probably won’t disappoint.
Flight Risk is a run-of-the-mill action thriller that has a weak script, plenty of clichés, and little to no character depth, but it works as a campy, throwback thriller that doesn’t take itself seriously. The movie delivers on a nostalgic ‘90s action movie feel and action sequences and shines with its over-the-top nature. The movie features dialogue and situations that are so absurd that they are ridiculously amusing, and Wahlberg’s completely unhinged character is the best part of the movie. When it comes down to it, Flight Risk is a so-bad-it’s-good type of entertainment, a turn-your-brain-off movie with incredibly low stakes that will have you laughing.
What’s New on HBO Max?
Flight Risk is one of dozens of new movies now streaming on HBO Max as part of the streamer’s November arrivals. This month brought everything from A Christmas Story to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to the platform, with other streaming options including Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Puss In Boots, Sucker Punch, and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.
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