Maiden Flight: JET STORM (1959)

Nothing keeps the action contained like an aerial hijacking movie, which I grew up watching during the early to mid-90s. I had an aisle seat right next to Passenger 57, and I loved all of them, even Turbulence starring Ray Liotta, which seems to have vanished off the radar. Jet Storm, however, might be the OG, and it touched down on Blu-ray for the first time back on July 30^th in Australia from Imprint Films.

Starring quintessential English actor and later filmmaker Richard Attenborough, this brisk 90-minute British thriller follows a grief-stricken father who boards a passenger plane bound for New York. He has vowed to blow it up via a hidden explosive as a desperate act of vengeance against the man who killed his daughter in a drunk driving accident.

Eleven years before the aviation disaster genre took flight with the Airport film series, Jet Storm established in part what would later become the common tropes and character stereotypes that would eventually be parodied in Airplane! There’s the handsome American pilot, who is a little too handsy with the female flight attendants, the cranky old weather lady, a snooty couple bothered by the inconvenience, and your self-appointed heroes who wind up doing more harm than good, just to name a few. However, when the threat presents itself, the passengers gradually form a unified front despite some initial protest. Furthermore, the way the situation is handled by those in charge, namely the captain, does not play into theatrics for the film’s sake. There’s a restrained caution, which adds to the tension and severity of the threat that looms.

Attenborough as our antagonist Ernest Tilley, is not so much a villain, but rather a broken man, unable to overcome the loss he suffered. He wants to die and take the world with him, whom he sees as those who stood in the way of justice for his late daughter. He delivers a monologue that shifts the viewer’s feelings and gives a perspective that is rarely seen in these types of films when an individual holds the lives of many in their hands.

I’d be remiss if I did not mention Stanley Baker as Capt. Bardow, or as we refer to in my household, “Stay-Bay”. Not only is he in charge, but he commands the film despite the supporting role. He brings a calming presence and a level-headedness, and along with Attenborough, who’s like an adorable little potato in a jacket, they elevate the film immensely.

SPECIAL FEATURES

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
NEW Audio Commentary by film critic Kim Newman and Jo Botting from the BFI National Archive (2025)
NEW Film historian Sheldon Hall on ‘Jet Storm’ (2025)
Theatrical Trailer
Aspect Ratio
Limited Edition Slipcase

As is the case with many classic overlooked UK titles, Kim Newman leads this disc’s commentary alongside Jo Botting. Unsurprisingly, the track is an easy, light-hearted listen, packed with behind-the-scenes information on the film’s cast and crew. For a briefer conversation on Jet Storm, and most notably it’s director, be sure to check out Sheldon Hall’s interview, where he deep dives into the work of Cy Enfield and his further collaborations with star Stanley Baker. – by Hannah Lynch

VIDEO AND AUDIO

Jet Storm is flying “1080p Class” for this Blu-ray debut, and it’s a decent transfer from a print that is free of damage. However, the lack of contrast results in a 1.66:1 image that offers limited depth with no deep blacks, but rather varying shades of grey. LPCM 2.0 Mono provides clear, uncompressed audio and optional English HOH subtitles are included.

Seats are limited with Jet Storm at only 1500, so grab a copy while you can, but enough with the puns, this is an underrated classic that will hopefully get some more views now that it’s been bumped up to HD.

JET STORM
(1959, director: Cy Endfield)