{"id":24964,"date":"2017-04-11T21:50:18","date_gmt":"2017-04-12T01:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=24964"},"modified":"2017-04-11T21:54:02","modified_gmt":"2017-04-12T01:54:02","slug":"air-force-one-1997","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/11\/air-force-one-1997\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force One (1997)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I think<\/span> it’s a requirement<\/span> for every American action<\/span> star<\/span> that they must have<\/span> at least two movies<\/span> on their resume<\/span> that is<\/span> their \u201cDie<\/span> Hard.\u201d Harrison Ford happens<\/span> to have<\/span> one that’s pretty<\/span> good<\/span>, even<\/span> if it’s about as jingoistic<\/span> as John Wayne punching a Mexican bandit<\/span> while talking<\/span> about Baseball. \u201cAir<\/span> Force One\u201d is<\/span> one of the stronger<\/span> vehicles<\/span> for Harrison Ford, where he plays<\/span> James Marshall, an ex-Vietnam soldier with a military background<\/span>, who is<\/span> president<\/span> of the US. He is<\/span> pushed<\/span> in to a conflict<\/span> involving<\/span> a Russian dictator<\/span> who is<\/span> threatening<\/span> to start<\/span> a new<\/span> Cold War, and said<\/span> dictator<\/span> has<\/span> a host<\/span> of loyal<\/span> followers<\/span> that want<\/span> him freed<\/span>. As a means<\/span> of leveraging the release<\/span> of their dictator<\/span>, a group<\/span> of Russian terrorists disguise<\/span> themselves as American journalists<\/span> and board<\/span> Air Force One.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

While there, they stage<\/span> a violent take<\/span> over, planning<\/span> to use<\/span> President Marshall as a trade<\/span> off for their comrade<\/span> (Jurgen Prochnow) who is<\/span> being<\/span> held<\/span> prisoner<\/span>. Thanks to a mole<\/span> (the always stellar<\/span> Xander Berkeley) within the president<\/span>‘s entourage<\/span>, they garner<\/span> fire<\/span> arms<\/span>, and attempt<\/span> to seize<\/span> the quick thinking<\/span> president<\/span>, who escapes<\/span> through a pod<\/span>. At the last<\/span> minute<\/span> he decides<\/span> to stay<\/span> on board<\/span> and perhaps<\/span> save<\/span> his friends<\/span> and family<\/span>, all the while<\/span> trying<\/span> to maintain<\/span> the US’s hold<\/span> of the Russian prisoner<\/span> which could trigger<\/span> a terrible<\/span> terrorist event<\/span>. The twist<\/span> being<\/span> that the Russians are<\/span> certain<\/span> he escaped<\/span> the pod<\/span>, giving<\/span> Marshall the advantage<\/span> of the element<\/span> of surprise<\/span>, but has<\/span> to work<\/span> extra<\/span> fast<\/span> as the anxious<\/span> kidnapers<\/span> will do<\/span> anything to get<\/span> what they want<\/span>.<\/p>\n

With his stressed<\/span> cabinet<\/span> looking<\/span> for ways<\/span> to bring<\/span> their colleagues<\/span> home<\/span>, they begin<\/span> arguing<\/span> about bending<\/span> to their demands<\/span>, and Marshall must look<\/span> for a means<\/span> of communicating<\/span> with them to assure<\/span> they stand<\/span> their ground<\/span>. Director<\/span> Wolfgang Peterson delivers a very<\/span> tense and exciting<\/span> thriller, where Ford is<\/span> quite<\/span> convincing<\/span> as a dashing and strong<\/span> opponent<\/span> for the armed<\/span> terrorists on board<\/span> his plane<\/span>. Peterson keeps<\/span> the events<\/span> moving<\/span> at a quick<\/span> pace<\/span>, as the terrorists begin<\/span> offing<\/span> random passengers<\/span> to force<\/span> Marshall’s cabinet<\/span> in to a corner<\/span>. All the while<\/span> President Marshall spends<\/span> most<\/span> of the movie<\/span> evading<\/span> the armed<\/span> guards<\/span>, anxiously<\/span> looking<\/span> for a way<\/span> to sneak<\/span> up on them and gain<\/span> the upper hand<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAir<\/span> Force One\u201d is<\/span> a fun<\/span> riff<\/span> on \u201cDie<\/span> Hard\u201d taking<\/span> the whole<\/span> formula<\/span> to a higher<\/span> level<\/span>. Ford<\/span> delivers a very<\/span> strong<\/span> performance<\/span> as the noble<\/span> commander<\/span> in chief<\/span> who is<\/span> also<\/span> self sacrificing<\/span> when it seems<\/span> like Oldman’s villainous<\/span> terrorist might gain<\/span> the upper hand<\/span>. Ford<\/span> brings<\/span> with him a rather<\/span> large<\/span> supporting<\/span> cast<\/span>, including<\/span> William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell, Glenn Close, Xander Berkeley, and Gary Oldman, who is<\/span> very<\/span> good<\/span> as resident<\/span> Russian terrorist Ivan Korshunov. Despite Ford’s lackluster output<\/span> later<\/span> in his career<\/span>, he can still<\/span> trot<\/span> out some entertaining action<\/span> thrillers. \u201cAir<\/span> Force One\u201d is<\/span> a fun<\/span> reminder<\/span> that Ford is<\/span> every bit<\/span> as good<\/span> an action<\/span> star<\/span> as he is<\/span> a dramatic<\/span> one.<\/p>\n