Twisty and Tense “Turbulence” Thrills

Turbulence (Claudio Fäh, 2025) 4 out of 5 stars

Anyone have a fear of heights? It’s a common phobia, and for good reason. However, we humans have gone up and up more and more into the atmosphere over our history, and keep getting higher and higher. Whether at the level of a skyscraper, an amusement-park ride, an airplane, or what have you, humans have pushed the limits of elevation to which we are able, and willing, to go.

The film industry has capitalized on this fear for a while, and most recently there has been a common trend of single-location thrillers taking place at certain altitudes, such as the excellent TV-tower climbing movie, 2022’s Fall. From the producers that brought us that movie now comes another—literally high-stakes—film way up in the air, director Claudio Fäh’s Turbulence, a new edge-of-your-seat thriller that takes place aboard a hot-air balloon where things don’t go as smoothly as one would hope.

In the film, recently married couple Zach (Jeremy Irvine, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) and Emmy (Hera Hilmar, Mortal Engines) book a hot-air balloon ride during their honeymoon. Once aboard, the captain assures them all will be well as this is his 499^th ride and he’s very experienced in what he’s doing. However, the arrival of a mysterious third passenger, Julia (Olga Kurylenko, The Bay of Silence), makes everyone uneasy and threatens to derail the trip.

Fäh hooks the audience from the get-go with a central conflict that is established very quickly, even before Zach and Emmy step on the balloon. The relationship between the married couple has not been going as planned, with a miscarriage driving a rift between them as Emmy feels guilt that affects her intimacy. They both hope that this “make-up” honeymoon that they never got to take when they initially married will reignite their romance, which makes it more gut-wrenching when things go awry.

There are few characters in the film, mainly just the four on the balloon, but each character is fleshed out well and the cast’s portrayal of each is grounded, believable, and effective. The chemistry between Zach and Emmy feels like a real couple struggling through tough times, and the tension between them and other characters is palpable. Fäh intentionally makes each character a bit murky and allows the audience to decide whether they trust them or not, which is a very compelling and rewarding move. The stakes here are much higher than a simple survival tale, as the internal conflict our characters face is just as intense, if not more so, as the external one, and the film is better for it.

The main external conflict here, is the hot-air balloon’s condition itself. Due to a series of unfortunate events, it malfunctions, leaving everyone stranded in the air. There are several scenes of heart-pounding suspense that are aided by impressive visuals and cinematography. The scenery, mostly comprised of mountains, clouds, and green fields, is stunning and serene.

However, it is equal parts terrifying, especially viewed from so high up, as the balloon approaches sharp, jagged edges of mountain peaks and other dangers. There are many fantastic in-air shots of the characters looking down at clouds, coming face-to-face with mountains, and so on and so forth and it really helps establish the dire situation and helps the viewer feel the same trepidation the characters are facing. I’m unsure which shots were genuinely filmed and what might have been CGI, if anything, but the fact that I can’t tell the difference further cements the technical team’s achievement.

Near the conclusion, there are some predictable twists that one could see coming from a mile away, but there are also some tricks and surprising changes of direction the audience does not see coming. There are some questionable decisions made by each and every character in Turbulence, and while some of these can be frustrating, I think it does overall further advance the notion that no one can really be trusted and every character has flaws and a darker side. The viewer has to constantly reconsider their outlook on each and every character and it leads to a very surprising, but satisfying, conclusion.

Overall, Turbulence exceeds expectations by delivering thrills and suspense from several different fronts, with the internal dilemmas almost as threatening as the physical conflicts. The characters all intrigue, and the performances bring them to life. The technical elements also shine and put the cherry on top of what is a surprise contender to make my Top 10 films-of-the-year list. I’ve really enjoyed the single-location thrillers that have been released in the past few years, many involving height-related drama, and this may be one of the best I’ve seen, period.

Matt Patti

Matt Patti has enjoyed voicing his opinions on films from a young age. He has lived in the Baltimore, Maryland, area since 2015 and is a graduate of Stevenson University’s Film & Moving Image program. Matt is currently back at Stevenson University, working as the School of Design, Arts, and Communication's Studio Manager.