Movie Review: Con Air (1997)

Genre: Action Thriller  

Director: Simon West  

Starring: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, Monica Potter  

Running Time: 115 minutes  

Synopsis: Former Army Ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) kills a man in self defence and serves eight years in prison. Granted parole and eager to reunite with his wife Tricia (Monica Potter) and their young daughter, Cameron's final journey to freedom is on a US Marshals flight carrying hardened convicts. Career criminal Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) leads a violent hijacking, assisted by Nathan "Diamond Dog" Jones (Ving Rhames). Cameron has to help guard Sally Bishop (Rachel Ticotin) and other transportees stay alive while secretly working with Marshal Vince Larkin (John Cusack) to end the ordeal.

What Works Well: Embracing a go big or go home ethos, this is a bold, brash, loud, and often very funny commitment to entertainment. The action is peppered by one-liners delivered with deadpan accuracy by Nicolas Cage, while the quality cast ensures animation in every role. Director Simon West delivers an action set-piece about every ten minutes, and rounds Cameron Poe into enough of a heroic family man to ensure a human heart beats inside the carnage. On the other side of the madness divide, John Malkovich and Steve Buscemi contribute memorable villains.

What Does Not Work As Well: "Over the top" does not begin to describe the flight path of the final 30 minutes. The climax leaves any semblance of reality behind and surrenders to cartoon levels of excess.

Conclusion: The non-stop turbulence is severe, intentional, and wildly enjoyable.



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