Black Box

Matthieu Vasseur is a rising black box analyst who believes the cause of a new aircraft's fatal crash isn't settled. When officials declare the case closed, he doubts the evidence and replays the flight recordings, noticing inconsistencies that don't add up. He suspects tampering and pushes forward, ignoring orders from his superior. What begins as a professional curiosity becomes a risky, solitary pursuit that pulls him into a deeper web of secrecy, where data-driven manipulation and corporate pressure collide. With each late night review, the stakes climb, and his job, reputation and safety come under threat as the truth begins to surface.

Directed by Yann Gozlan, the film is written by Jérémie Guez, Simon Moutaïrou and Nicolas Bouvet, based on an original screenplay. A 2021 French mystery thriller, it centers on a data-driven aviation investigation.

With a budget of about 10.7 million, the thriller earned roughly 9.74 million worldwide, marking a modest box office showing for a French genre film.

So far, Black Box has not sparked widespread cultural phenomena or famous quotes. Its impact lies mainly in how contemporary thrillers can blend technical analysis with suspense, and in showcasing Pierre Niney's restrained performance that anchors the tense investigation.

Critics praised the brisk pacing and crisp production as it follows an obsessive pursuit of truth against institutional inertia. The film probes data reliability and whistleblower ethics as science collides with power in a high stakes arena. It leaves you with the sense that truth costs.