Directed by Wolfgang Petersen. Starring Harrison Ford, Glenn Close,
Gary Oldman, William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell, Xander Berkley. Synopsis:
The ultimate national security airborne nightmare unfolds as the President's
airplane, Air Force One, is abducted in midair by Russian terrorists. Action/Drama.
This is another one of those older films that I saw back in the day in the theater and have recently seem again through the wonderful magic of DVD. Air Force One is just what you think it will be, but it doesn't disappoint, which is saying something for a big budget, star-studded flick that has the potential to be just another "popcorn movie". Some might place it in that category, but I don't due to the quality of of the acting, which makes an otherwise formulaic, predictable script very entertaining.
Whenever you've got Harrison Ford (Blade Runner) in a
movie, you know you are going to have some testosterone pumping. Here, he
is the President of the
There is a fair amount of action away from the President, too, as Oldman is
deliciously wicked as he begins to decide who lives and dies until, and unless,
his demand for the release of a high ranking terrorist political prisoner is
completed. The interaction between Oldman and some of the airborne hostages-the
ones that are still loyal- is very realistic and will have you clenching
your fists. Look for William H. Macy (
The biggest note of this flick, aside from the fact that some excellent actors save an average script with their acting, is a couple of the action scenes. The midair escape of some of the Air Force One hostages and the finale in which the President is saved (c'mon, that is not a spoiler, there is no way you thought the Prez might not make it) are top notch stuff.
Although this flick is only a decade old, it may feel a little dated due to the changing "face", so to speak, of our greatest enemy. But, that is just superficial. Terrorists come in all nationalities, and Harrison Ford movies come in different packages, but when you open it up, its almost always pretty good.
Air Force One keeps the streak going.
Well, this otherwise idyllic scenario is interrupted when a group of terrorists, posing as journalists take over the control of the plane with the aid of a turncoat Secret Service agent (Xander Berkley Candyman). The terrorists are led by Gary Oldman (Bram Stoker's Dracula) , a terrorist with an ultra violent thirst for revenge with a sadistic-yet sophisticated-outlook on things.
Look, you need to suspend some major disbelief here to get the ball rolling. A group of Russian terrorists posing as journalists taking over Air Force One during the Cold War-or any time- is only slightly more difficult than a group of known bank robbers posing as the cleaning service emptying out Fort Knox with a couple of pistols and some duffel bags with the aid of a turncoat PFC on the base. Ain't going to happen.
But, the thrust of this movie is not on how they get Air Force One, but on what happens after they take it. And, the action is good, from the way the President steals away on the plane long after the terrorists think he has departed in the emergency capsule (very cool if it exists, by the way), to the intense communications between him and his staff on the ground, led by his Vice-President (Glenn Close Mary Reilly).
Its a Harrison Ford action flick, so you know what you're going to get, you know its going to be good, and-especially if you're a Ford fan-you know you're going to like it. If you haven't seen it, pick it up/rent it/whatever...if you have, just see it again. Nothing wrong with having some fun for 2 hours.
