Air
Force One (1997)
A summer
action flick that simply does not fail, "Air Force One"
could only be successfully directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
After all, it throws us back to the cold war and features
a baddie that wants to restore Mother Russia to it's
beloved Communist days. After helming many successful
films about Russians and Americans and Presidents, Petersen
steps up here and hits a blockbuster home-run. The film
goes and goes and never relents long enough for any
of it's unbelievable plot twists or any of it's gapping
holes to annoy us. It is an example of the best of what
Hollywood has to offer. Even if it takes seemingly forever
too start, long enough to make us wonder why we would
pay good money to see a terrorist hijack and family
with a teen daughter.
But the
action and the actors soon envelop us and draw us into
the intense action and drama. The cast is perfect. Harrison
Ford becomes the President of all of our dreams, wise
and heroic. He exemplifies the American ideal of a real
90's President. It's hard to imagine any real President
of recent year who could undertake the plot he tackles
here. One has to look back to Kennedy to even think
of such a man. He is aided by a strong subplot featuring
Glenn Close and Dean Stockwell. The dynamics of this
"behind-the-scenes" situation is the perfect compliment
to the action we see. And of course, Ford is lucky to
be juxtaposed against such a wonderful bad guy, played
by Gary Oldman. Utilizing his skill with accents, Oldman's
disgruntled communist is a magnificent opposite to Fords
blood-and-guts American. It makes the whole film work.
Witness Oldman's scenes with Leisel Matthews, who plays
Ford's daughter and you'll see exactly what I mean.
Meanwhile, several familiar faces appear in the film
including William H. Macy and several CNN anchors in
cameo.
"Air Force
One" is perfect Hollywood fare. Even if it goes on way
too long and expects us to suspend belief way too often.
To bad we can't get Ford to run for office.
Note:
Was also
called "AFO" at times.
Score by
Jerry Goldsmith. Some work by Joel McNeely. A score
written by Randy Newman was rejected.
Script
by Andrew W. Marlowe.
(Review
written in 1997)
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