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#SkyKing is an unven documentary about the man who stole a plane

Last August, a member of Congress, Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) marked the anniversary of an historic event. On that day in 2018, the Congressman wrote, “28-year-old Richard Russell — remembered as “Sky King” — borrowed an airplane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for a joyride before crashing into a remote island.” Collins went on to share Russell’s story, before describing Russell as “‘a faithful husband, a loving man, and a good friend… He was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him. Rest in peace, Sky King.” I remember thinking at the time, what a bizarre thing for a member of Congress to post! Isn’t stealing a plane kind of a bad thing to do, that could have put countless people in danger? And it should go without saying that if the pilot’s name had been “Mohammad” instead of “Richard,” such a post from a member of Congress would be unthinkable. Now, we have a Hulu documentary about Russell and his flight, titled #SkyKing. Directed by Patricia E. Gillespie, produced under ABC News Studio, and released via Hulu, the South by Southwest premiering film tells the compelling story of a troubled man, although one gets the sense it didn’t quite have enough material to fill its 90 minutes, so it spends a bit too much time stretching. Richard Russell was an airport employee from a generally troubled background who was frustrated by a lack of career advancement. On that day, he took off in a plane, despite not having a pilot’s license or any formal training in how to fly a plane (or how to land it) When he took off, it was a matter of great tension, since it wasn’t clear at first if he was going for a joyride, was planning to commit suicide, or was planning to use the plane to harm others. The documentary features the audio of Russell’s discussion with the air traffic controller during his fateful flight, interspersed with background information about his life, and interviews with his friends, family, and coworkers. The inspiration is clearly Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man: A posthumous look back at a now-deceased oddball who met an unfortunate end. We even see people close to him listening on headphones, just like that famous moment in Grizzly Man. Also dealt with in the film is that Russell would emerge, after his death, as a folk hero, including among white nationalists, although there’s no indication that Russell himself held such views, and a racist motivation for his theft of the plane appears completely imaginary. Russell’s brother is shown pushing back hard against this narrative, even while sporting a hat adorned with Donald Trump’s likeness. There is, however, the sense that the filmmakers are stretching a bit. Also, it busts out M83’s “Outro,” which, as an overused piece of music, is right up there with “On the Nature of Daylight.” In the end, it’s a tragic story for sure, although I’m not sure this is the type of guy that members of Congress should be praising as a hero. #SkyKing is streaming on Hulu.