Review of Con Air (1997) by Kevin S — 04 Jun 2010

I'm forced to walk a strange line with this film. By all appearances this is a fully over the top action movie with cheesy lines, a paper-thin plot and bad acting all around. The experience taken as a whole, though, is much more satisfactory than that.

It should be made clear that there is a lot of cheesy dialogue, and the action gets more and more implausible as the movie zooms towards its conclusion, and the plot never diverts from its relatively simple premise. There are no twists, but its not without surprise or tension. Whats sets this movie apart is the execution.

With a cast of all stars the movie is lent a level of gravitas and power that would easily been missed with a lesser cast. Nicolas cage is sporting a hokey accent and the most violent mullet ever put on screen, but he puts his heart into it and makes it seem almost natural. Pitted against Ving Rhames and the scenery-munching John Malkovich the conflict is made square and clear. Buscemi takes what might otherwise be a minor, forgettable role and elevates it to a spine-chilling yet vaguely charming height, and earnestly justifies his spot in the film. Cusack makes an eager and almost reluctant hero and is a great counterbalance to Cage's macho lead. Everyone carries out their roles with a straight face and even as things grow more and more ridiculous the audience will accept it because everyone onscreen does.

There are a few missteps. Dave Chappelle has a hit-or-miss routine, but his role is short enough that he barely wears out his welcome. Colm Meaney is almost unbelievably gung ho as the DEA agent looking to avenge his comrade. Some of this is attributable to the writers. The script is uneven to say the least, with awesome exchanges interspersed with groan-inducing one liners or useless speeches that do little but fill time. Honestly, watching the film on mute would only hurt the experience a little. But if you mute it, you'll miss out on all the explosions and gunfire.

The end result of all of this is an actual memorable experience. Characters are given nicknames to make them easier to reference, and there is zero moral ambiguity to cloud the viewer's conscience. Once its all over, you either enjoyed the ride or you didn't. This film tries its hardest to ensure that you enjoy it.