Turbulence Review: Claudio Fäh's Balloon Thriller Doesn't Soar Like Fall

This Turbulence review starts with a simple question: can a hot air balloon hold a whole thriller? Claudio Fäh's 91-minute survival film sets a handful of people in one small basket thousands of meters above the Alps and lets the pressure build. It has a sharp hook, but not every part of the ride is smooth.

Turbulence Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Turbulence plot begins with Zach and Emmy, a young married couple who hope a hot air balloon trip across the Italian Dolomites will rekindle their relationship. Their pilot, Harry, guides them into the sky for what should be a romantic escape.

Then a third passenger, Julia, joins the flight. From there, events go in directions the couple never expected, roughly five thousand meters above the ground. The film uses its first act to set up the tensions in the basket, and I won't reveal where it goes next.

The tagline, "Fear takes flight," is a fair summary of the pitch. This is an action-adventure with thriller instincts, written by Andy Mayson.

What Works in Turbulence

The premise is the film's best asset. A balloon basket is a tight, exposed space, so there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. That limitation gives the genre a natural edge, and the mountain setting adds scale.

• A clear, strong hook: you understand the stakes in minutes.

• Scenic backdrop: the Dolomites give the film a dramatic look when the weather turns.

• Brisk length: at 91 minutes, it rarely overstays its welcome.

There are some decent thrills once the wind, rain and clouds roll in. Fäh keeps the pace moving, and the film knows what it wants to be: a lean, pulpy survival story.

Turbulence Cast and Performances

The Turbulence cast is led by Jeremy Irvine as Zach and Hera Hilmar as Emmy. Olga Kurylenko plays Julia, the late arrival, and Kelsey Grammer plays Harry, the pilot. Lionel Robert Blanc (Eric) and Stuart Whelan (Walter) round out the credited players.

Grammer brings a familiar, easygoing presence, and Harry is the most likable figure in the story. Some viewers have found his performance stiff, though, so your mileage may vary. Irvine, Hilmar and Kurylenko are asked to play prickly, damaged people, and they commit, but the script gives them little warmth to work with.

The Likability Problem

Survival thrillers work best when you root for the people in danger. Audience reviews of Turbulence keep returning to this point: the leads are tough to like, so the stakes feel thinner than they should. When you don't mind who falls, the tension drains away.

Where Turbulence Stumbles

The biggest issue is emotional investment. The central characters are abrasive, and some later character reveals feel abrupt rather than earned. The antagonist's motives can seem muddled, which weakens the sense of threat.

Comparisons to Fall are unavoidable, and they are not kind. That film squeezed a lot of dread out of very little, while Turbulence has more people and less tension. It builds pressure, but not always on solid ground.

The film also leans on familiar thriller beats. If you want surprises in the staging, you may find it more predictable than daring.

Is Turbulence Worth Watching?

Turbulence is worth watching if you are in the mood for a modest, high-altitude survival thriller and can forgive weak characters. It is not a must-see, but it is not a wasted evening either.

The premise delivers some tense moments, the scenery looks striking, and the runtime is short. The trade-off is a cast of unlikable people and a script that sometimes drifts. Audience scores sit in the middle, which matches my own reaction.

The film arrives with an R rating in the United States, with a release date of November 26, 2025. For more in this vein, browse our Action movie reviews and Adventure movie reviews. If you like stripped-down thrillers, our Hunting Jessica Brok review is another survival-style pick.

Who Will Enjoy Turbulence

• Fans of contained, one-location survival thrillers who don't need deep characters.

• Viewers who liked the high-altitude tension of Fall and want a different spin.

• Anyone who enjoys Kelsey Grammer or Olga Kurylenko in a pulpy genre ride.