Joseph Gordon-Levitt is often at his best in underseen hidden gem movies, including one 2019 Prime Video original. Of course, Gordon-Levitt appeared in some major films like Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. However, he shines in these smaller movies.
For example, some of the best work of Gordon-Levitt’s career has come in indie flicks like (500) Days of Summer, 50/50, and The Lookout, to name a few. The aforementioned Amazon Prime Video original stands out even more though, because it actually sees JGL in a genre that we don’t typically get from him.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s 7500 Is An Underrated Prime Video Thriller
Initially released in 2019 before actually coming to Prime Video in 2020, 7500 sees Joseph Gordon-Levitt take on a тιԍнт, claustrophobic thriller. The film is the feature debut of director Patrick Vollrath and tells the story of a pilot named Tobias Ellis (Gordon-Levitt) who finds himself in a harrowing situation when his plane is hijacked by terrorists.
Movies about planes getting hijacked aren’t exactly new but 7500 finds a way to do something unique with the subgenre. The vast majority of the film takes place purely in the cockpit with Tobias and doesn’t feel the need to cut to the actual terrorism going on in the rest of the plane.
That makes for a more intense story and the тιԍнт quarters provide a setting that’s claustrophobic. It adds to the nature of the thriller and makes it even better. Gordon-Levitt must also give one of the best performances of his career because everything lies at his feet.
7500, which gets its name from the emergency transponder code for unlawful interference, was praised upon arrival. It holds a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with most critics saying that while it’s not the best thriller in the sky, Gordon-Levitt carries it with his acting prowess.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Excels In A Genre He’s Not Widely Known For
As noted, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s career is an impressive one, with a varied filmography. He’s appeared in comedies like 10 Things I Hate About You and (500) Days of Summer, action fare like The Dark Knight Rises and G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, and lent his voice to great projects like Treasure Planet and Knives Out.
However, if there’s one genre that we don’t see Gordon-Levitt in often and it’s action-thrillers. He’s appeared in mystery thrillers like Brick, crime thrillers like Uncertainty, sci-fi thrillers like Looper, and political thrillers like Snowden.
7500 marks a change for Gordon-Levitt as the tense action thrown in during a thriller story isn’t something he’s done often. He appeared in Premium Rush as a bike messenger in an underrated action flick, but that’s much different from 7500.
The stakes are very high for this small indie film and Gordon-Levitt sells it so well. He puts the movie on his back with his performance and is the biggest reason why it’s a must-see hidden gem on the streaming service.