Review of Airport 2013 (2014) by Forrest P — 18 Aug 2011

While it can have a lot of trouble keeping up with its own characters' stories it sets up, Airport is nevertheless an enjoyable disaster film featuring some entertaining performances by Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Helen Hayes, and Maureen Stapleton. The film garnered ten Academy Award nominations in nine categories, though winning only one. But, does the film hold up?

Airport tries really hard to tie in multiple storylines in an effort to make the audience care about all the different characters in the film. The effort is admirable, the result is a rather unfocused and meandering picture that seems to lose track of its own plots as it continues. Furthermore, this film, it should be noted, is a disaster film about a plane that is bombed and must be landed safely. Unfortunately, this plot device is not followed very clearly during most of the picture, even though much of the film tries to focus on preventing the disaster rather than surviving it.

But in spite of a troubled plot and story structure, Airport is otherwise very entertaining. The characters, when we are able to follow their stories, really are interesting enough to hold the story together. Combine that with some very good performances and what our audience gets is a overall entertaining film. Burt Lancaster turns out a fine performance as a strong-willed airport manager, but Helen Hayes steals the show as a conniving, clever, and manipulative stowaway who cons her way onto flights.

Still, aside from the actors and some fairly clever direction, the film does lack a lot of substance that is necessary to turn out a successful disaster film. Obviously this film struck home with some audiences because Airport is still the 42nd highest grossing film of all-time (when adjusted for inflation, ahead of films like The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, The Towering Inferno, Batman, and American Graffiti). So, what is it about this film that struck such a chord with the 1970 audience? It isn't full of great visual effects, isn't particularly thrilling or aesthetically pleasing, and, as I have said, has a rather unfocused plot. I suppose that I must attribute the success of Airport to the unpredictable storyline, fun characters, and some strikingly real human drama.

And in these regards, Airport does work as a film. No, it doesn't really hold up--especially when one considers the fact that its spoof, Airplane!, was not only a better film, but also had the more satisfying emotional payoff and is ultimately the more memorable film.

I can't really say that I recommend Airport. It is one of those movies that, while I enjoyed it to some extent, I cannot see people I know caring for it much. It is not a must-see and really does not offer much insight to either the disaster genre or to the art of film in general. Sure it was a little enjoyable. But then again, so are many, many films that have become forgotten by time without consequence.

6/10.