“Between turbulence and terror, one woman must survive the flight from hell.”
Row 19 (2021) catapults viewers into a harrowing nightmare in the skies, blending psychological horror with supernatural chills. Directed by Alexander Babaev, this Russian thriller plays on primal fears of flying, isolation, and traumatic memories that refuse to stay buried. The result is a sleek, atmospheric horror ride where every turbulence could spell doom.
The story follows Katya (Svetlana Ivanova), a young doctor who survived a horrific plane crash as a child. Now, years later, she boards a night flight with her six-year-old daughter. At first, everything seems normal—until Katya starts noticing eerie details: empty seats suddenly occupied, passengers behaving strangely, and visions that blur the line between past and present. As the plane barrels through a violent storm, Katya realizes that something sinister has boarded with them, determined to drag her back into the nightmare she thought she’d escaped.
Visually, Row 19 excels at creating claustrophobic tension. The camera prowls the narrow aisles, flickering lights cast ominous shadows, and the relentless roar of the engines heightens the feeling of inescapable doom. The film skillfully weaves flashbacks of Katya’s childhood trauma with present-day horrors, creating a sense of disorientation that mirrors Katya’s crumbling sanity.
Svetlana Ivanova anchors the film with a gripping performance, capturing both Katya’s maternal instinct to protect her daughter and her spiraling fear as she questions what’s real. The supporting cast, though smaller in presence, adds to the film’s unsettling atmosphere with cryptic glances and cryptic behavior that keep audiences guessing.
While some critics have noted that the plot leans on familiar horror tropes, Row 19 distinguishes itself with its uniquely Russian flavor, slick visuals, and a twist that ties Katya’s past and present together in chilling fashion. It’s a thriller that turns the seemingly safe confines of an airplane into a crucible of supernatural terror.
Row 19 proves that sometimes the scariest journeys don’t happen on the ground—and that even at thirty thousand feet, the past can find a way to catch up.
