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Released in the summer of 1997, Air Force One arrived towards the end of the Die Hard clone era. After Die Hard flourished at the box office in 1988, studios began clamouring to replicate the film's success, leading to the birth of an entire action subgenre. Take, for instance, Speed (Die Hard on a bus), Under Siege (Die Hard on a boat), and Passenger 57 (Die Hard on a plane), among countless others. By 1997, the well had ostensibly run dry, with Die Hard clones becoming relegated to direct-to-video releases with fading stars and recycled stories. And then along came Air Force One, which showed Hollywood another way to make a Die Hard-esque action-thriller: make the John McClane archetype the President of the United States. The result is one of the greatest Die Hard clones of its decade. An unabashedly jingoistic, patriotic blockbuster, Air Force One benefits from the exceptional directorial touch of the late Wolfgang Peterson (In the Line of Fire) and an ideal cast.
Fresh off the success of a joint American-Russian mission to capture rogue world leader General Radek (Jürgen Prochnow), United States President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) delivers a controversial speech declaring that he will not negotiate with terrorists. On the flight home, Air Force One is summarily hijacked by Russian terrorists posing as reporters. Led by ultra-nationalist Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman), the terrorists kill several passengers and take the survivors hostage. Making contact with the American Vice President (Glenn Close) after President Marshall ostensibly leaves in the plane's escape pod, Korshunov demands Radek's release from prison and promises to execute a hostage every half an hour until his demands are met. However, Korshunov does not anticipate a determined President Marshall to secretly remain onboard the plane armed with the skill and determination to rescue his family and friends.
Even the most energetic and creative action films are likely to foster at least a vague sense of déjà vu due to the nature of the genre, as there are only so many ways to blow stuff up and stage shootouts. Thus, it is not surprising to note that elements of Air Force One are familiar, with Andrew W. Marlowe's screenplay seemingly comprised of bits and pieces from other films about terrorists, planes, hijacking, hostages, politics and cat-and-mouse chases. Thankfully, it is all perfectly palatable, thanks to Wolfgang Peterson's proficient directorial touch. Peterson uses the plane setting to terrific effect, creating a cramped, claustrophobic disposition that generates tension and danger. The shootouts are great, and the action, in general, is constantly invigorating. Intoxicating bursts of nail-biting tension are also present, such as when the terrorists embark on killing hostages, making this a skilful addition to the genre rather than something more Z-grade. From a technical perspective, Air Force One is a winner. From the lavish, intricate production design to the predominantly impressive special effects (including the miniature work that still holds up in the 21st Century) and Jerry Goldsmith's thrilling score, the film exhibits tremendous skill in its technical assembly. The sole technical drawback is that the demise of Air Force One suffers from unbelievably phoney digital effects. According to the movie's special effects supervisor, Richard Edlund, the crew spent so much time perfecting minor CGI composites for other parts of the film that insufficient time was left to execute the shots of the plane hitting the water properly.
Fortunately, Air Force One does not insult the audience. This movie receives too much unfounded criticism, as people constantly use the umbrella denigration of "it's dumb and implausible" without providing sufficient evidence. Perhaps some people are so accustomed to blatantly dumb blockbusters that they cannot recognise a comparatively smart blockbuster when they see it. It is also surprising how much plausible material is hailed as dumb. Midair gunfire is criticised, but even the real Air Force One has been specifically hardened against gunfire, and thus, the film reflects that. The premise seems implausible, too, but it is executed believably enough (though the lack of terrorist casualties during their shootout with Secret Service agents is a bit on the absurd side, granted). Heck, a former Secret Service agent even admitted there's a one-in-a-million chance that Air Force One could be hijacked. At no point is Air Force One detrimentally stupid - it just takes a few liberties. And since the film is so exciting and well-made, who cares?
In the leading role, Harrison Ford is suitably charismatic. Ford was in his action prime at the time of Air Force One, and he is probably the only star we could believe as an ass-kicking president. It is unlikely that any other performer could combine genuine acting chops, movie star charisma, and the badass disposition of the world's best action stars as effectively as Ford. The President is not portrayed as a bulletproof hero - instead, Marshall evokes the humanity that characterised Die Hard's John McClane; he is a man motivated by family and conscience who shows he bleeds, feels and panics. Marshall is also a President of honour who has a code of ethics... He is almost too good to be true. Alongside Ford, Gary Oldman brings dimensionality, menace and a believable Russian accent to the role of Ivan Korshunov. As a result, the vicious verbal battles between Oldman and Ford are almost as intense as the action scenes. Also in the cast is Glenn Close, who's effectively steely as the Vice President, and William H. Macy, who's a certifiable hoot as a loyal Air Force Major.
A highly enjoyable and intense time killer, Air Force One does not redefine the action movie, but it is a terrific genre flick that hits all the right notes and delivers where it counts. Spectacular action of the refreshing old-school variety is the order of the day here, which is topped off by a robust and likeable hero and a villain who is easy to despise. In short, Air Force One is irresistible escapist entertainment that holds up well to repeat viewings.
8.3/10
