Is Flight of The Phoenix Based on a True Story? Ending Explained
by Rajesh | Updated Apr 24, 2023
Flight of the Phoenix
Flight of the Phoenix is an American survival drama film starring Dennis Quaid, Giovanni Ribisi, Tyrese Gibson, and Miranda Otto and was released in 2004. It was written by Scott Frank and Edward Burns and was based on the novel “The Flight of the Phoenix” by Elleston Trevor published in 1964. The movie was directed by John Moore and was a box office failure as it resembled the 1965 film with the same name as both were based on the same story. The film was about a group of people who survived, trying to escape by building a new aircraft from the remains of the old aircraft that crashed. The movie collected around $34.5 million failing to reimburse its original budget.
Is Flight of the Phoenix Based on a True Story?
Yes, the movie Flight of the Phoenix was based on a true story. It was adapted from the novel “Flight of the Phoenix” by Elleston Trevor. The plot of the movie was based on a true-life incident that happened during World War II. The movie is about the survival attempt of the crew when a twin-engine cargo plane crashed during the war and how they manage to escape through. The movie depicts how the survivors rebuild a functional aircraft from the remains of the plane that crash-landed during a violent sandstorm and the struggles they faced during the attempt of rebuilding.
What is Flight of the Phoenix about?
Flight of the Phoenix is about a group of survivors trapped in the Gobi desert of Mongolia. During a mission of transporting a crew from the desert, a sandstorm disables an engine eventually causing the aircraft to crash. Initially, the group plans to wait until a rescue operation, but they try to build a new functional aircraft from the crashed one by following Elliot, an aeronautical engineer. The remaining plot of the movie covers the struggles and restrictions they faced making an aircraft and how they manages to escape from the desert. The movie was originally based on the novel “Flight of the Phoenix” by Elleston Trevor released in 1964.
Flight of the Phoenix Plot
Captain Frank Towns and his copilot A.J. are sent on a mission to transport a crew from the old oil rig in the Gobi desert in Mongolia. On take off, the plane was overloaded and was forced to crash-stop as one of the engines failed due to a violent sandstorm. It was later found that they were stranded over 200 miles off-course and were left with only a month of water supply. The group agitates when they failed to search for Davis, who gets lost in a sandstorm in the middle of the night.
When Elliot an aeronautical engineer proposes the idea of rebuilding the crashed aircraft into a functional one, Frank initially disagrees and later agrees after the protest by Liddle and the crew started building an aircraft. After weeks of struggle in building a new aircraft with only a few leftover food and water, a new problem arises when a camp was set up by a group of smugglers nearby to abstain them from exposing their illegal activities the smugglers try killing the group but Frank kills them all rescuing the group.
It is later found that Elliot’s knowledge of building aircraft is only limited and his design experience is not enough to compete in the process which eventually triggers everyone into anger and Ian tries to shoot Elliot. However, the crew later manages to build one and escapes flying from the group trying to seek revenge for the smugglers killed. The movie ends with a slideshow of photographs of the survivors leading their life ever happily.
Flight of the Phoenix Ending Explained
The crew was struck due to Elliot’s knowledge of aircraft design being restricted. However, they manage to rebuild the aircraft, and at the time of take off a group of gangsters attacks trying to seek revenge for the smugglers. The rudder of the plane was damaged by a bullet, which Elliot fixes and they escape barely from the group.
The movie ends with a series of photographs depicting the current lives of survivors from the desert. Frank and A.J. start their own airline company named Phoenix Aviation while Sammi starts a restaurant. Liddle reunites with his wife and his children. Ian becomes a professional Golf player. Kelly works on an ocean oil rig. Elliot is shown wearing a flight suit on a cover of a magazine with the line “NASA’s New Hope?”.
Is Flight of The Phoenix Based on a True Story - FAQs
Flight of the Phoenix was released in 2004.
The movie collected around $34.5 million.
Elliot starring Giovanni Ribisi is an aeronautical engineer.
The movie was based on the novel “Flight of the Phoenix” written by Elleston Trevor.
The movie was directed by John Moore.