Lift

Kevin Hart segues from wisecracking sidekick to leading-man action hero with Lift, an airborne thriller that won’t show up on your in-flight menu anytime soon.

Unfortunately, the charismatic comedian is saddled with a globetrotting saga from veteran director F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton) more noteworthy for its visually striking set pieces than its twisty story of deception and betrayal that struggles to get off the ground.

From its opening brazen art auction heist and subsequent high-speed boat chase through Venetian canals, the film keeps the pace frenetic in an effort to disguise its plot holes, which might be more enjoyable if it capitalized on the strengths of its star.

“We rescue works of art from undeserving owners,” rationalizes Cyrus (Hart) after his high-tech band of thieves shrewdly pilfers an NFT and eludes capture in the most ostentatious way possible.

Still, they don’t completely dodge attention from dogged Interpol agent Abby (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who has pursued Cyrus and his cohorts. And it turns out she and Cyrus have a complicated past.

However, Abby has other plans in mind for tracking them down. Her superior (Sam Worthington) has requested she secure their expertise to help bring down a criminal mastermind (Jean Reno) who bankrolls terrorist organizations.

Specifically, he’s trying to move $500 million in gold bars via the cargo hold of a transcontinental passenger plane. The group has its loyalties tested and methods questioned as it attempts its most audacious job ever — taking back the gold in mid-air while somehow avoiding detection.

Hart and Mbatha-Raw (Belle) convey an amusing chemistry as they forge an uneasy partnership, but the periphery characters lack depth and complexity, especially the duo’s nondescript adversaries.

Along the way, Hart tosses off some irreverent one-liners yet feels constrained by a Danny Ocean knockoff character that leaves his improvisational energy and freewheeling sense of fun on the tarmac.

The setup is more familiar than fresh, even if the unsubtle screenplay by Daniel Kunka (12 Rounds) generates some moderate suspense. Its effort to blur the lines between heroes and villains without sacrificing our rooting interest feels forced.

Lift showcases some impressive visual effects to supplement its exotic backdrops. But even for those willing to check their brains at the gate, it encounters too much narrative turbulence.

Rated PG-13, 104 minutes.