Review of Air Force One (1997) by Chris W — 14 Aug 2010

This film really isn't all that origina lor unique, but I give it high marks because it is fun, entertaining, and I have a personal soft sot for it.

I love that they take advantage of the setting. Hostages movies on a plane were nothing new by 1997, but I like movies that use an isolated or limited space to produce scares or tension. Just because a movie does this though doesn;t mean it is good or that I will like it. It has to have some other good stuff to, but using the setting to the film's advantage definitely helps.

Ford is relaible as always as an aging yet still credible action star. Gary Oldman pretty much owns this movie, stealing every scene, and being a generally terrific and menacing villain. The movie is predictable, and liberties with realism are taken, but that's okay, because this movie is supposed to be escapist fun, and not a docudrama about a "what if?" type of scenario.

The movie is a little cheesy with it's uber patriotism, but it's still a lot fo fun. The score isn't too bad either.