I have found that action films today lack the pizzazz that made so many of the late 20th century and early 2000’s so memorable for me. And while Plane - the latest high octane action thriller starring Gerard Butler - doesn't break any new ground, it takes audiences back to a time where one could enjoy a brisk, gripping action flick that doesn't attempt to outsmart itself. With that combined with respectable performances from Butler and wingman Mike Colter, Plane sticks its landing with ease.

In Plane, Gerard Butler plays Cpt. Brodie Torrance, a widowed pilot trying to make it to his estranged daughter before the new year. When forced to fly through a bad storm in order to save the airline company time and money, he and the passengers on board crash land on an unknown island with no way to call for help. Among the passengers is former military operative, Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), who boarded at the last moment before takeoff despite objections from the crew. In his attempt to find help, Captain Torrance realizes that the island is home to dangerous inhabitants and local militias. With the help of Gaspare, he must save his passengers and get them to safety off the island - or die trying.

For me, Plane is successful because it's an up-tempo film. At a 107 minute runtime, the pace of the narrative doesn’t dawdle or linger, upholding a steady sense of entertainment. This fast pacing helps progress a story that, while simplistic and unabashedly contrived, still offers a stable enough framework to be functional.

But another component of what keeps Plane so engaging is the primary action star himself. From 300 to the Fallen trilogy to Greenland, Butler is well versed in anchoring action-thriller films, and it’s a testament to his acting ability that he can fully embrace his militant action hero typecast while keep it entertaining. This is the case with Plane, and anyone with a liking for Butler’s brand of entertainment will have no complaints about what he has to offer in this outing. Aiding in that entertainment value is Gaspare, who many will recognize most as the titular character in the Luke Cage episodic series. Though he plays the sidekick here in Plane, his presence on screen remains commanding, even adjacent to Butler.

Managing a reasonable balance between action and drama (director Jean-François Richet and co-writer J.P. Davis being experienced in penning projects with both genre sensibilities) Plane is a surprisingly enjoyable film. The literal plane in the film might’ve needed a crash landing, but the film itself is a smooth ride of an action film buoyed by Butler and Colter in an era when most are experiencing turbulence. Call me old school, but I don’t need action movies to be flashy three-plus hour extravaganzas. In the choice between an overlong, over CGI’d, over-casted action flick and Plane, I’m content flying with Plane.