Air Force One

You know that old dramatic principle of suspension of disbelief? You'll have to rely on it for this box-office smash, but you won't be disappointed. Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who single-handedly employs his rigid antiterrorism policy when a band of Russian thugs hatch a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Gary Oldman, who chews the scenery as the lead terrorist, will shoot a hostage at the slightest provocation. Glenn Close plays the sternly pragmatic vice president who negotiates with Oldman from her Washington seat of power. If you can believe that the aircraft's pressurized cabin can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine-gun fire, you'll buy anything in this entertaining potboiler, especially thanks to Ford's stalwart heroics and some nifty special effects. Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) keeps the action moving so fast you won't be sweating the details. Don't forget your parachute! --Jeff Shannon

1 Who thought this movie up?
Who decided to write this plot? Its boring! Although I am not expert, wouldn't the President's plane just have a bit more security? I mean, this is the president where talking about. Everything in this movie just seems so pat and set, there's always going to be an out, and surprise! Guess who's going to do it! Yes! Harrison Ford! Our president is going to kick (...)!

Doesn't that bother anyone? This movie screams Hollywood and follows it so faithfully its scary. In real life, for that is what we are trying to portray, would the president jump out of a falling plane, try to save his rogue commander or any of the other numerous things that never stop happening? Maybe...maybe not. Obviously on Air Force One he's a superman, because he is able to do all these things.

Air Force One needs to come down out of the clouds and have some reality shot into it. Other than that, this movie is a rather decent action thriller. Just for action mind you. That, and fans of Harrison Ford should apreciate his superhuman role.

I didn't, but there's no saying you won't.

2 Will make you wish James Marshall (Harrison Ford) were prez!
One of Harrison Ford's better and least appreciated performances, Air Force One is a thrilling film that makes the most of its action hero star and his unique bond with movie going audiences. In Air Force One, Ford plays the role of President of the United States. In the same way that it's near impossible to envision any other actor in the role of Indiana Jones, it's difficult to envision anyone else as president for this film. Ford projects the image of such a strong, honorable, and likeable leader that the audience is immediately rooting for him.

Originally released in 1997, Ford plays President James Marshall, a Vietnam vet turned president who makes it clear in a stunning speech at a Moscow dinner that America will now pursue a "zero tolerance" policy on international terrorism (sound familiar?). Boarding Air Force One for the return flight home from Moscow, Marshall is joined by his wife Grace (Wendy Crewson) and his daughter Alice (Liesel Matthews). He's also joined by a contingent of Eastern European journalists led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman).

Unbeknownst to the President and his fellow Air Force One passengers, the group of men aren't journalists at all, but instead an elite team of terrorists bent on taking the president hostage. With a Secret Service agent (Xander Berkeley) collaborating with the terrorists, Korshunov has intimate inside knowledge of the procedures and safeguards deployed to protect the president on Air Force One. When Secret Agent Gibbs (Berkeley) opens the onboard weapons cache of Air Force One, his terrorist friends carry out a methodic plan to eliminate the president's security circle.

At the sound of gunfire, President Marshall is hurriedly raced below deck to an escape pod so as to avoid his capture. With the pod jettisoned, Korshunov is enraged that the original plan failed. But his original goal remains intact, and the terrorist decides that the president's family and the remaining passengers will make do as hostages. Negotiating with the acting Vice President (Glenn Close) in the President's absence, Korshunov demands the release of General Ivan Radek (Jurgen Prochnow), a communist hardliner who Korshunov believes will bring back the Soviet Union and restore the intoxicating glory of its empire years. With a well laid and executed plan, Korshunov's demands are met and arrangements are made to release General Radek. But what Korshunov doesn't know is that President Marshall is still onboard, having jettisoned an empty escape pod, and he's intent on freeing his family and kicking the terrorists off his plane...

Filled with action and some memorable one-liners, Air Force One is a classic Harrison Ford action thriller along the lines of Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger. In addition, prior to filming Air Force One, the producers were given unprecedented access to the real thing. The result is a film that displays the inner sanctums of Air Force One with stunning accuracy, providing the audience with a glimpse into the actual traveling life of the most powerful man in the world. Overall, this a must-see movie that you won't want to miss...

The DVD Report

3 A movie I could watch again and again
President Jim Marshall (Ford) has just taken a powerful stand against genocide. US Special Ops along with Russian units have captured General Raddick, who is responsible for a reign of terror and hundreds of thousands of deaths. In his speech, Marshall admits the USA had waited too long and that they won't do this again---because it is the 'right thing to do.'

The Prez isn't exactly returning to the USA in triumph, though. His National Security Advisor doesn't agree with him and the 'doves' among the Administration are thinking this is an open call of war.

Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman) and a team of Russian bad guys manage to sneak onboard Air Force One and take over the plane. They believe the Prez took the escape pod and left his staff, wife, and daughter to die. What they don't know is that Marshall (a Medal of Honor winnter) is still onboard and is working to take back his plane.

Action is almost nonstop in this 1997 Wolfgang Peterson film and if you can believe Air Force One can withstand the beating it's taken, you can also believe the US could have a hero as a President. Still, this is a film that you can re-run whenever you need a taste of action and adventure. Nobody does heroics like Harrison Ford.

4 2 Hours Of Nail Biting Suspense
Andrew W. Marlowe, the writer of Air Force One, did an excellent job of producing a wildly entertaining story of a United States president (Harrison Ford), who basically becomes a counter-terrorism agent when his plane is high jacked in the wild blue yonder.

While the taking of Air Force One has to be far more difficult than portrayed on screen, don't worry about it. Sit back and enjoyed the ride and what a ride it is!

Gary Oldman, master of a thousand accents, convincingly plays a ruthlessly brutal Russian Terrorist who wants one of his comrades released from prison. Only the president can call in favors to get this done.

The conflict: The United States doesn't negotiate with terrorists under any circumstances. Well, maybe the US will negotiate if the president and his family have been kidnapped and used as the only viable bargaining chips.

I don't know what kind of shielding the real Air Force One has, but, I for one was glad that there was serious gun play on the 747 without losing cabin pressure and crashing it. Without this feature, the film would have been much less exciting.

Let's give writer credit for having the gumption to go with his vision, rather than comprising a good storyline. Hopefully he'll produce more work that captures our attention for another two hours.

5 Nice Action Film
Another great performance by Harrison Ford. This is a nice action film that moves along quickly, making it wonderful entertainment!

6 Right on the line
It sad how everyone tries to politicize what is essentially a popcorn-drenched exercise in entertainment. This President is loving, compassionate and tough. No matter what your political bent, isn't that what we're all looking for? A president who lives, and acts by his own convictions?

But that's not true is it?

This is a dumb, but very fun, action picture with a preposterous premise. The script ain't great. The acting, however, is really top-notch, in the fact that you buy into all of it. I couldn't imagine the film working at all with out Ford and Oldman.

It's not supposed to be any sort of comment on the current state of world affairs, how could it be? It was made YEARS before the WTC attack. You have to look at it as a personal story. It takes the inherant drama of a man with power being placed in a position where it means nothing, the ratcheting it up by placing what he holds most dear in jeopardy.

Yes, symbolism abounds, but when the most powerful man in the world is the President of the United States, how can it not? But watch how the film spends more time on what he is NOT, which is superhuman, rather than what he is.

7 Great movie!!! But DVD lack of extras....
Air Force One is probably one of the best and realistic movies ever made. In the world after 9-11, you would wonder if this can happen to the real Air Force One... The world's most safest aircraft with the president of the United States, touted as the most powerful man in the world on board, being hijacked is just a nightmare...

This movie has what you would expect from a typical action packed movie that involves hijackers on a plane. What I love abt this movie is the details put together to make the Air Force One set look just like its counterpart in the real world.. Great effort!

Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman is just brilliant in this movie! They are the stars!

A pity though that this DVD is lacking great extras such as a behind the scenes look or interviews with the cast. I would love to know how they built the set for Air Force One.

The only extras in this DVD is the commentary from director Wolfgang Petersen and trailers for the featurette..

However, if u like a good action packed movie and have always wanted to see the presidential plane in action, get this DVD..

8 A Great Action Movie
This is an action movie that captivated me the first time I saw it and still keeps me from changing the channel whenever I come across it. It has all of the essential elements of a great action movie; great script, good directing, above-average acting, a reasonable amount of special effects, plenty of twists, and lots of action. "Air Force One" takes but a few minutes to set the stage, introduce the main characters, and let the events begin to come together.

Harrison Ford is the president, with a solid military past, whose plane is taken over by Russian reactionary militants. The concept that the events of this struggle would primarily take place on a jumbo jet adds to the excitement; there's no running away (although it may, at times, seem that there is). I won't go over the plot because, if you haven't seen "Air Force One" yet, you won't want to know what's next.

I noticed that some previous reviews had a few objections about various technical and political aspects of the movie. Yes, there are plenty of bullets flying around while everyone is flying around. However, I dismissed that as an aspect of the latest in aviation technology as would exist on Air Force One. Ironically, the idea of terrorists hijacking Air Force One is more believable today than when the movie came out. My pet peeve with the movie has to do with the failure to properly explain how an inside member of the President's circle could be the one to aid and abet this takeover. In the several times I've seen the movie, this matter has never satisfactorily been explained. However, these are mere anomalies when compared to all of the thrilling, action-packed adventure that is the essence of "Air Force One". It is truly one of the great action movies of the 1990's.

9 Effective Action Flick!
Harrison Ford continues his top billing streak with this exciting film about terrorists hijacking the President's plane. He proves his star power in the title role. Gary Oldman is errie as the leader of the rag-tag group of thugs. He is one of the best villans in Hollywood today. Check it out!

10 Maybe we should vote for Harrison.....
Ford plays a president whose toughness nobody can deny! When his plane is hijacked by terrorists, he sends everyone else to safety, including the Secret Service, and goes after the bad guys himself to rescue his wife and daughter. Harrison kicks major(...)and his furious, grated line, "GET OFF MY PLANE!" will forever be a classic. This one is not to be missed. Move over, Han Solo....Ford outdoes himself here!

11 Harrison makes a fine President
At a conference in Moscow President Marshall vows that he will never negotiate with terrorists. This is tested immediately up his arrival at Air Force One. Gary Oldman does a masterful job playing the terrorist leader. Him and his co-horts take over the most secure airplane in the world. They make it seem realistic and fairly believable. Oldman has always been one of my favorite villian actors. Unfortunately some actors are typically typcast. One villan show and you're set for life. Oldman breaks this mold however, in this movie. He's entirely believable as the Russian nationalist willing to do anything for his cause.

Harrison Ford, one of the quintessential actors of our time was the perfect match as the President who, when called upon, can fight with the best of them. When push came to shove he shoved back real real hard. You can really believe him as the President of the U.S.A ready to risk it all to save his family.

Glenn Close is equally riviting as the female V.P. "You're Commander in Chief has given you a direct order. DO IT!!" Some of the reviewers criticize the movie for her role. She's the Vice President. When the President has a gun to his head she is SUPPOSED to take charge. She IS SUPPOSED to negotiate with terrorists. To do anything else would be a sure sign of weakness. As for the bullets being shot, you'll notice that all of the bullets were shot at people. Also, it's widely known that Air Force One is not your ordinairy run of the mill 747's that regular citizens ride. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find that the entire shell is bullet proof, with bullet proof glass. Even bullets from machine guns can't penetrate the armor of armored cars. Air Force One probably has the same material all around the main cabin. Do do any different would put the leader of the free world in serious jepoardy.

The acting is crisp, the suspence taunt, the script well written, and the storyline fairly believable. The refuling plane scene, contrary to what some might say, is believeable. A large refueling tanker is a very dangerous job for the exact reason that is shown in the movie. There are safe guards, yeah. But a huge plane taking a sudden dive, with the tanker not diving has a good chance of causing the results in the movie.

Don't just listen to the 1 star reviewers. Think of the cast. Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, Glenn Close, and others. Think of the director, Wolfgang Peterson. This is a great movie with great acting. SEE IT!!!

12 Very Scary Movie!
In this age of terrorism, this is an intensely scary film. Imagine Al-Quada doing what these Russian terrorists do on this plane. Harrison Ford is good in these types of films and gives a very good performance. The violence was hard to watch, but it is not difficult to imagine this kind of hatred esprecially from Islamic or other militant and closed-minded terrorist groups.

Hang on to your seats, this is a good one.

13 One of the dumbest and fakest movies ever made
This is the kind of movie that should have never gotten to a studio once the script was written. It's so fake and it would never happen.

Harrison Ford is the president and he's kidnapped aboard his plane by a terrorist Gary Oldman. He's negotating for the release of some of his comrades to the vice president played by Glen Close. Ford won't give up without a fight and he's determined to save his family and friends without Oldmans plans being met.

The movie is so fake it's sad. The plane would have been destroyed by pressure. It gets laced with 100's of rounds of ammo. Come on you have to make is somewhat believable. Wolfgang Peterson should be slapped upside the head for putting something like that in a movie.

Glen Close is horrible. Her dramatics are over the top. The fact that her character negotiates for the president is stupid. We don't negotiate with terrorists and the fact that they put that in his dumb. It's so fake.

The refueling plane blowing up is dumb. There are so many saftey devices in place that would never happen like that. You have to mkae a movie at look least real if your trying to make an action drama like this and it's not.

Russia would never give up dangerous men either. They'd tell us they felt bad for the president being in danger and would tell us to shove are demands where the sun don't shine.

This movie is way to fake. I couldn't enjoy it because it would never happen. I enjoy action dramas and this is one of the worst ones I've ever seen. If they had decided to make this more a drama and not so much action I might have been able to go along with it. The cast is awesome for the movie and a drama could have worked. The cast and talents are wasted. Why this made so much money I don't know. I guess people are stupid enough to follow the story. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

14 A real struggle to enjoy
On one level, this is a highly entertaining, action-packed, moderately complex, engaging film. The President's plane is highjacked by a group of Russian terrorists who support a renegade, imprisoned, Russian general, and they want him released, or else Air Force One, the President, and many of his Cabinet members go kaboom! Harrison Ford, as the President, steps up to the plate, and with a little help from his friends, we get a Hollywood ending.

Why only two stars then? There are elements of dramatic license in most films, but this movie might have broken my personal record for me having to say to myself, "Well, that can't happen, but it's just a movie." Firing machine guns in an airplane without losing pressure? Losing pressure, but the right people hold on and survive? The list goes on and on. This pushes suspension of disbelief almost as far as "The Wizard of Oz" and it could have been much more realistic with only a few modifications. Don't waste your time and money, unless you seek pure fantasy and are very tolerant of illogic.

15 Bare bonus DVD. Shallow Movie
With TROY now playing in theaters, and it being a big budget/zero substance movie...It is not surprising because AIR FORCE ONE was exactly the same type movie. Harrison Ford is in a thankless role in both a poorly written/and now much more realistic type picture then anyone would care to admitt. There is nothing to like about this movie, it speaks of shotty production values and zero story. Something that Hollywood shamelessly does now and it just stinks.

16 Great Cast -- Stupid Movie
If it weren't for Ford and Olman doing their best to keep this turkey of a film together, it wouldn't be worth sitting through more than five minutes of it.

17 I liked it!!!!!
I first saw this film on ABC, and I enjoyed it,my little sisters didnt like it very much, but I did,Great Peformance by Harrison Ford.Filled with stunts and action expacially on a plane.

18 Poor realism.
I used to remember this film as being pretty good, and the performances of Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman are enjoyable, but there are parts of the plot that are those 'oh come on' moments that no audience should buy in to. And the special effects are pretty cheesy, with some really bad airplane manuevers. The whole scene where Air Force One lands and takes-off again in the heat of the hijacking is just awful... totally unrealistic.

19 Sooo Unrealisticccc!!!!
What kind of plot is this? They land the plane and then take back off when they're not even on the runway. I'm sorry this is just a little too impossible for me. Six Russian terrorists just happen to get on Air Force One unnoticed, please. One of the president's, most trusted and highly scrutinized, secret service detail is a traitor.

There's nothing wrong with a fictional account, but at least make it one we can half-heartedly believe.

What were you thinking Harrison? This was a "B" movie plot at best!

20 Ford's Best Work Since "Clear And Present Danger"
Harrison Ford has certainly become the quintessential action hero. He started off in the mid - 1970s' as Han Solo in the "Star Wars" series. Then, his starpower went through the roof with the "Indiana Jones" trilogy. After a dry spell, he bounced back as CIA agent Jack Ryan in 1992's "Patriot Games" and its sequel "Clear And Present Danger". In the interim between these two films, he starred as Richard Kimble in "The Fugitive". In the 1997 vehicle "Air Force One", he played an unlikely action hero - The President Of The United States".

Ford is President James Marshall. He seems to be the embodyment of the American dream. He has a loving family, and seems to be the leader in the upcoming election now that he's captured a Russian general responsible for the death of millions. But that all changes when he announces that the United States will no longer negotiate with terrorists at a convention in Moscow. But that all changes on the flight back to Washington. A group of Russian terrorists led by Gary Oldman hijack Air Force One. When they threaten to kill, Ford is forced to choose between going against his policy or sacrifying lives of the passangers on board - including his wife and daughter. Nonstop action combines with convincing acting, especially by Ford, Oldman and Glenn Close as the vice president. In fact, Ford is so convincing, it makes you wish he was really president. Great film.

21 Requires a suspension of disbelief
Don't try to figure out just how many rounds of machine gun fire an aircraft can absorb without depressurizing and crashing. Just sit back and enjoy the story, for heaven's sake. We viewers are now always required to BELIEVE the stuff we're watching; most movies are made to entertain; few are made to educate. If you take Air Force One for what it is, a wholly impossible and improbably bit of acting and producing and directing, then you won't be disappointed. It's not trying to be Shakespeare, so don't try to judge it as such.
Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who seems to have gotten his training in guerrilla warfare or at least as a member of the Green Berets. He single-handedly bests a band of Russian thugs who try to pull of a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Glenn Close is the VP who manages things from Washington. Stuff happens so fast in this action-thriller that you won't have time to wonder why the plane didn't crash within the first 20 minutes.
Top notch stuff, for what it's meant to be.

22 An Action-Packed, All-American Action Thriller!
When President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) goes off of the regular script at an international dinner and announces that the United States will not bargain with terrorists in any fashion, he has no idea that his challenge will soon be put to the test. On his way home from Russia, after his remarkable pronouncement, Air Force One is hijacked by terrorists led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman). They are determined to win the freedom of General Ivan Radek (Jurgen Prochnow), a military leader who murdered thousands of people in his bid for power. The secret service agents on the plane sacrificed themselves to get the President into the escape pod in the belly of the plane, leaving the President's closest advisors, as well as his wife and daughter, at the mercy of the terrorists...

Vice President Kathryn Bennett (Glenn Close) immediately tries to negotiate with the terrorists to get the hostages off the plane alive while the military follows the beacon to the president's escape pod. Everything changes when the escape pod is found - empty. President James Marshall never left the plane and he is determined to make the terrorists pay. However, the terrorists quickly notice that their numbers are dwindling and assume that there is a secret service agent loose on the plane. They begin killing hostages in the hopes that they will find one that matters enough to the unknown man for him to give himself up. With the clock ticking and increasing numbers of hostages being murdered, President Marshall soon finds that he is forced into negotiating with the terrorists and arranging for the release of General Radek from prison. But that doesn't mean that he is beaten as he uses every trick in the book to get the terrorists off his plane...

Air Force One is a great movie. It is fast paced, full of action and you almost instantly identify with the characters, especially Harrison Ford, as we have seen him play the president so many times that it is instantly believable. It is true that many of the details of the movie are obviously fantasy, such as the mythical escape pod (that doesn't exist on the real Air Force One), the ease with which the terrorists boarded the plane, and the constant firing of weapons on the plane without ever puncturing anything important, but the director is so talented and the cast so believable that you don't really think of any of this until after the movie is over. This is a big-budget blockbuster action adventure film at its very best!

23 All-American Badass
After 30 years as a movie hero, America has fallen in love with Harrison Ford playing the role of the perfect hero from Han Solo to Indiana Jones to Jack Ryan and now as the President of the United States. You know that Ford is going to win and you know that there will be some truly ridiculous twists, but the bottom line is that you are watching this movie to see Ford act well and ultimately save the day. Gary Oldman is a great if not typical adversary for the infallible Ford, and Ford's triumph over the crazy Russian serves to give us a sense of national pride. This is really not that great of a movie, but Harrison Ford can elevate any action movie which he does here.

24 Is it a bird, is it a plane? no it's THE PRESIDENT ?
This film is so over the top it's hilarious, this is POTUS as super hero, you almost wonder why he needs the plane I'm assuming the only reason he didn't reveal his true identity of US PRESIDENT MAN the masked avenger is that he couldn't find a convenient phone booth to change into his star spangled leotard. I enjoyed the film, but I feel a little dash of realism would have made it much better, just a bit believable maybe.

25 One of the Greats
This is one of Harrison Ford's best. I have always enjoyed his movies. He is a real actor and there is not many left out there. This movie has a plot to it and was well made, there are some kind of fake looking part in it but over all, very good.

26 One Star Is Too Much
On this derivative, by-the-numbers thriller we are forced to believe that an US president (played by Harrison Ford) could actually take down a russian (what else?) group of terrorists, as if he was 007 or McGyver. The beginning of the movie is somewhat credible, but soon presents us with one-dimensional characters and motivations, a lame and predictable plot and wooden, tepid acting. There are some twists, but they are so ridiculous and unbelievable that I stopped caring about it halfway through, given that the resolution has no surprises at all since the "good" guys always win. Despite some competent action sequences, this is brain-dead, mind-numbing material, cartoonish at best and completly disposable. There`s no force to be found here.

27 Oh, Please!!
OK, it's Harrison Ford, who has made very few commercial bloopers (but also NO great films).
And it's as effective a nail-chewer as a film can be when the outcome is virtually a foregone conclusion.
Right from the opening scene this film is a sham: we're asked to believe that a well-trained group of Russian bodyguards notices neither a flotilla of paratroopers nor hears the helicopter that dispensed them. Ridiculous!
We know immediately that the Russkies are bad guys because A) Gary Oldman is one of them (talk about a gifted actor who's allowed himself to become an identifiable stereotype!), and B) the rest are played by pockmarked actors with beefy butts.
Then there is the inevitable Glenn Close, at her wooden worst, or best, depending on how you respond to this expendable actress's (if one might use that term for courtesy) "work."
Implausibilty piles upon implausibilty: I'll give it one star because it's really funny, and another because it contains the stupidest line in the history of film.
The terrorists who have taken Air Force One have been subdued, and President Ford (Harrison, of course), who piloted only small aircraft (25 years earlier), invites the completely inexperienced William H. Macy to be his co-pilot. From the ground, Ford gets this advice:
"You can't land this plane on autopilot. We'll have to talk through a few things."
Really.

28 Air Force None
I'm not quite sure what I mean by that, but, oh well... I needed a title...

Anyway, I'm not here to review the movie. Instead, I want to express my hatred for the little girl that plays Ford's daughter. This chick ruined what could've been a great moment in the film.

Yes, I'm talking about the scene where Gary Oldman is talking to her about killing a man. Oldman's acting is brilliant. But it's crippled by her wooden, emotionless delivery. When she says "you're a monster... my father is a great man. You're nothing like my father."... she just totally KILLS the entire moment. Her acting is SO hollow, and SO lacking tone and emotion that it makes me sick! That part is wrecked. She left it completely flavorless... DESTROYING what could have been a real memorable scene in an otherwise already average film... I'm just disgusted.

So, yeah, apart from her ghastly acting, this is an ok movie made watchable by Gary Oldman's amazing presence.

29 Lackluster Rip-Off
I heard so many great things about this movie before hand like it was the new action film, but when I saw it I could find nothing but the same. Its basically "Die Hard" but the tower is moved to Air Force One, Germans become Soviets, and McClane is changed to...the president of the United States...

Right...

Its seriously predictable, the gratuitous dead bodies being flung around didn't help either, and corny lines like "I trusted you with my life!" / "So will the next president!" deserve a laugh track.

Basically, I wasn't too impressed. When I want this formula, I'll just stick with "Die Hard."

30 "Get off my plane!"
Air Force One, the 1997 summer hit directed by Wolfgang Petersen (The Boat/Das Boot, In The Line of Fire) and starring Harrison Ford as President James Marshall, stretches the term "willing suspension of disbelief" to its limits, yet, incredibly, it works.

Co-starring Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson, Liesel Matthews, William H. Macy, and Dean Stockwell, Air Force One's premise is simple: Russian ultra-Communist terrorists take over the President's plane on its way back to the U.S. from Moscow. Marshall, who by happenstance is separated from his family and staff during the takeover, must use his military training (he's a former Air Force pilot) and his wits to regain control of Air Force One and rescue the hostages before the terrorists achieve their aims.

The terrorists, led by Ivan Korshunov (Oldman), are seeking the immediate release of General Alexander Radek (Jurgen Prochnow), who was snatched from his palace in Kazakhstan by a joint team of Russian and American Special Forces. Radek and his followers believe in the restoration of the old Soviet Union, and until both Russia and the U.S. intervened, had ruled Kazakhstan with as much regard for human life as the Taliban exhibited when they ruled Afghanistan. After a ceremony hosted by the grateful Russian President in which Marshall warns rogue nations and terrorists that "we will no longer be afraid. It's your turn to be afraid," the American delegation heads to one of Moscow's main airports to board the Presidential plane.

Little do they know that Korshunov and his team, using falsified press credentials, have passed through both Russian and American security and are aboard. Ironically, they are given a tour of Air Force One by the unsuspecting assistant press secretary, Melanie Mitchell (Donna Bullock). And why not? To the Secret Service agents and the Air Force Security detachment, Korshunov and his people are reporters, harmless and unarmed. So how in the world are these guys going to storm Air Force One, "the most secure aircraft in the world?" Hmmm....and why do Korshunov and Secret Service agent Gibbs (Xander Berkeley) exchange that glance as they pass each other, eh?

Petersen and screenwriter Andrew W. Marlowe never do explain Gibbs' motivations for his subsequent actions (as the director admits in the audio commentary track), but by the time audiences start asking those "real life" questions about plausibility, the sheer adrenaline rush provided by this action-packed film suppresses the "yeah, right" response to its premise. The Air Force (which willingly participated in the production of this film) says there is no escape pod in Air Force One's list of defensive measures, and viewers know that no sane person, whether terrorist or not, is going to fire automatic weapons inside an airborne plane unless he or she knew the mission was going to fail anyway.

Mixed in with the gunfire and explosions that punctuate the film, Petersen and Marlowe endow their characters with depth and believability. Petersen makes viewers care about each person being held hostage, warts and all, so that when one is lost, it feels real. Even Korshunov is played in such way that his motivations feel true and heartfelt, even if his cause is not just.

Yet Petersen and his cast and crew make audiences forget these dull real life facts. By the time the credits roll to Jerry Goldsmith's rousing End Title Suite, the viewer will wish the current occupant of the Oval Office were replaced by Harrison Ford's President Marshall, who is not only a man of political integrity but also a man of action.

31 This is for An Amazon.com Customer from London UK
Hey An Amazon.com Customer from London UK ...

First of all, it's a movie, and movies are made to be entertaining, not always realistic.

Secondly, you obviously are not an American, so I don't know why you would watch a movie where America wins. (It only makes you more jealous that you are not an American)

Thirdly, would you like some whine to go with your review?

(A waste of money, eh? If you hated it so much, then why did you buy it?)

32 The Action Movie That Doesn't Quit
Harrison Ford as President--that aspect alone would be enough to drive many to see Air Force One. Yet this thriller does not disappoint even the most discerning critics of action film and indeed stands out as one--if not THE--best action film made since the 80's.

The premise: ex-Soviet dissidents hijack Air Force One in revenge for the President's crackdown on terrorism and terrorist regimes. Gary Oldman plays an excellent terrorist, and Harrison Ford's President is the kind of hands-on hero that would prompt a repeal of the 22nd Amendment (for those unsavvy of the Constitution, that's the one that limits Presidents to two terms).

The action ride simply does not quit as it begins with the hijackers' takeover of Air Force One (with the help of a traitorous Secret Serviceman) and the President's apparent escape to Ford's battle to retake the plane and rescue his staff to a near-landing at Ramstein AFB in Germany to the in-air refueling to MiGs firing upon Air Force One to the final confrontation... nor like some films is the pacing flawed so that the watcher is drained or left wanting after the first few scenes; Air Force One simply keeps viewers on the edges of their seats for the entire film.

If you enjoy action films, you will love Air Force One.

33 Air Force One (1997)

I rewatched this movie just last night (April 13th, 2003), to see what messages it actually uses to play on people's fears and misconceptions about the world around America. At times embarassing, at times eerily in tune with current events, and at all times constantly questioning one's own common sense. Hollywood is always seeking to entertain and distract its audience, but putting such political issues in focus without any thought or plausibility insults those with any mind to question.

Let's just say this is a theatre piece, and dramatic elements have to be employed to add to the plot or sequence of events. That this, and so many movies of its kind employ the use of Russians as the enemy (usually using a British actor to supply the villainy) perpetuates stereotypes and misinformation that has existed since the Cold War's birth. I loved the fact that America was seen as a bastion of technology, with blinking lights and computer screens, and intercoms, technology at the helm, while Russia and its leader had a little red phone and a bear on his table. Fantastic. It automatically sets up a perception that Russia is weaker on all fronts, and the victor will always be America, so the whole premise of the film being America in danger is compromised by its visualisation of its power as compared to Eastern Europe. It throws the whole plot out the window by default.

Apart from its Nationalistic stance, the dialogue of the film borders on the ludicrous to outright childlike. The only bite that is heard in this film is from the actual enemy (portrayed by Gary Oldman) when questioning the President's (Harrison Ford) moral constitute when dealing with his Oldman's homeland. The points raised were the only plausible or believeable lines in this movie, but it all too quickly falls into the 'remake Rambo' style of filmmaking too many times. This is just entertainment for the masses, and does not ask any questions of moral fortitude or revenge, or anything actually relevant to anything in any real world situation. Should I take this movie just as it is, entertainment, or for what it represents, 'Horse Blinker' propaganda aimed at the public.

I cannot guess why films like this get made???? All that money wasted on a piece of junk. The CGI throughout is quite weak, especially the 'crash' at the end which pays no heed to what a plane would actually do when hitting the water, which WOULD have been far more dramatic a conclusion, if they just paid attention to physics. It was actually hilarious.

I think the scariest bit had to be the speech at the beginning of the film by Harrison Ford. I've heard it before somewhere....

Don't waste your time, money, patience, eyesight, hearing or mind on this huge waste of finances. I can't believe some of the actors actually did.

34 Believable, to a Point!!!
This is an engrossing film, and those who later watched it commented that they'd wish Ford was President of the U.S. I'm not sure I would've gone that far, although the opening scene, where the President addresses a large gathering, and apologizes for the crimes committed against them is interesting, and in particular, his agenda to correct it. Then we move quickly into Air Force One, and the formula is set. There are terrorists on the plane, and the Prez (AKA: Ford), has to do his "bravado" thing and rescue everybody and save the world for democracy. Not a bad movie, but a little in the uncredible side of things. But let's face it. This is Hollywood we're talking about, not the real world.

35 DON'T BE FOOLED BY SUPERBITS!
Harrison Ford is the president of the United States whose Air Force One plane is hijacked by a team of Russian terrorists. As an intense, action packed adventure this one's pretty good. Gary Oldman gives another stellar performance as the leader of the terrorists. He's truly a chameleon. Name me another actor who could play anyone from Lee Harvey Oswald (JFK) to Beethovan (Immortal Beloved)?!?
So here I'm going to concentrate my review on the Columbia Tristar super-hyped "Superbit" series and I can sum up my evaluation in three little words - DON'T BE FOOLED! While it's true that packing on excessive extra features and a feature film onto one side of a DVD "can" result in a loss of digital quality in the transfer, this is not really an issue when the movie itself runs just under the two hour mark and the extra features amount to a fifteen minute "making of" featurette and some theatrical trailers.
THIS TRANSFER IS VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE PREVIOUSLY ISSUED DVD.

Having stated this, the fidelity of this transfer is outstanding. Colors are well balanced and bold. Edge enhancement, pixelization and shimmering are non-existant. Fine details are extremely sharp. The audio is earth-shattering. Overall a great, great job from Columbia Tristar. One problem: they already did just as much on the original DVD release. Hence, this time around is really just a waste of disc space.
There are no extras but hey, that's Columbia being true to form.
...

36 A non-stop flight into terror
Okay, so it might be a stretch of the imagination that the presidential jet can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine gun fire. That aside, "Air Force One" poses the (then) unlikely premise of a terrorist group commandeering the First Plane (maybe not so unlikely now) and how Harrison Ford, as a strict anti-terrorist commander-in-chief, has to abort the plot while saving not only himself but the First Family. Ford, one of the acting business' most professional artists, is absolutely believeable as both the most powerful man in the Free World and a family man, often struggling not to let the lines of both intersect. The multi-talented Gary Oldman (Francis Ford Coppola's "Dracula," "The Contender") is in his element as the thoroughly and dastardly evil leader of the terrorist group, and the incomparable Glenn Close is riveting as the loyal Vice President who refuses to grab the reigns of power as long as her president stays alive. But Close's bigger contribution is her unparalled ability to convey her character's sense of subdued panic while maintaining calm as an uncertain nation looks on. Director Wolfgang Petersen ("Das Boot") has come up with a terrific nail-biter despite a couple of stretches of imagination. And, as for Ford's role as president, even Indiana Jones would have his hands full with the guy. Fast-moving with seldom a lapse in the action, this one is well worth the watch.

37 the folks down below probably are judging by the cover.
This movie is probably one the best 1990s Harrison Fords to come along in years. It's got everything that action fans need; action, suspense, and adventure. So, my advice is this; head out to the video store and buy this. I swear you will like it.

38 WELL CRAFTED ACTION MOVIE
It's easy to understand why Airforce One was such a big hit. The President saves the country. America has an honorable man as their leader and he's saving them from evil again. Audiences walked out with pride in their hearts (fuelled by Jerry Goldsmith's rousing score) and they forgot about the LewinskyGate scandal that was going down with the REAL President.

But the film is very good in it's own right too. Wolfgang Peterson creates a heavy feeling of tension, Ford a likeable hero and Oldman a hissable villain who was actually quite scary. The film is also very well put together technically. The editing and sound is top-notch.

But there are flaws. And one BIG flaw. Some of the dialogue really sucks. And Wendy Crewson has a pretty bad role as the First Lady. The only reason her character is even in it is because the President has a First Lady. Her role is totally useless. I predicted her EVERY line of dialogue before she even said it. I am not kidding. Even Oldman at one point tells her to `SHUT UP!'

If you can overlook this minor, although highly irritating, glitch you will totally enjoy a high-octane action film with many, increasingly exciting, set-pieces. Very cool.

There is not TOO much difference between this and the Superbit version. The picture is slightly better and sound punchier on the Superbit. But if you like commentaries then you'll have to stick with this one.

The movie on this DVD is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound.

39 Impenetrable. Invincible. In Trouble
Air Force One was release in 1997. The approximate run time is 124 minutes.
Harrison Ford, Glen Close, Gary Oldman, and Wendy Crewson star in this radiant production.
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
Color
Genre - Drama

The President of the USA goes to Moscow and gives a stirring speech outlining the USA's new "Zero-tolerance" policy with respect to terrorism. On the flight home, terrorists take over Air Force One (the President's official indestructible plane) and take the passengers including his wife and daughter hostage. The terrorists plan to execute one hostage every half-hour unless/until their demands are met. However, the President is a former Medal of Honor winner, so the terrorists are in for a surprise. He manages to deploy the escape pod empty. After searching through luggage to locate his cell phone, he calls the White House. The operator does not believe the president is calling so he convinces her to trace the call. This is a hilarious scene. While receiving instruction as to how to connect wires to release fuel, the battery on the cellular phone goes dead. The terrorists kill people with the speaker on so that the other hostages can hear. It is very nerve wrecking and keeps you on the end of your seat. After managing to get in the room where his staff is, he discovers the terrorist have his wife and daughter with them. He has an idea but in order for the hostages to be able to parachute off he must communicate to the White House to lower the altitude to 15,000 when refueling. One of his staff suggests sending a fax since fax lines are separate from the phone lines and could easily be overlooked. Not sure as to whether or not the message was communicated, the hostages prepare to parachute off of the plane. Once the terrorists realize what is happened, they capture the president and put a gun to his daughter's head. Suspense fills the air; you can hardly stand to watch. He starts counting, 1...2, and the president can't stand it anymore. He gives in to the terrorist and calls to request the release of the General. The terrorist admits he lied and does not plan to release the president nor his family. You see the look on Harrison Ford's face, and know he is not only mad but not going to put up with this. While being tortured and beaten, the president manages to pick up a piece of glass to use to free himself. He recovers Air Force One just in time to stop the release of the General. Not only does he not have a pilot to fly the plane but also due to the damage to the engines Air Force One is not able to land. The rescue mission begins with a cable connecting from one plane to the other. His family is safe but there is only time for one more person. The question is will the president escape or will the American on Russia's side interfere? This is a must see movie.

40 One of the best action/thrillers ...
From beginning to end, Air Force One is a relentlessly gripping thrill ride, cumulating suspense with one superbly taut sequence after another. You can chalk this one up as another success for superstar Harrison Ford and director Wolfgang Peterson, who's consistently been one of the better action filmmakers around.

Ford stars as James Marshall, the president of the United States. He and his cabinet have just recently made the crucial decision to go after a renegade general named Radek, who threatens to bring back a state of communism to Russia. The mission to capture him is a success, but not long after Marshall and his family board Air Force One on a flight back to the U.S., Russian terrorists posing as newsreporters take over the flight, complete with machine guns and heavy weaponry. Their demands: to have Radek released or else a hostage (50 total) will be executed every half-hour. You can guess where things go from there, as Marshall remains hidden in the cargo area, ready to take back the plane and save his family.

Despite an occasionally ridiculous story and quite a few implausibilities, Air Force One never fails to work as a nail-biting actioner. The suspense is palpable, thanks to likeable characters and hissable villains. There's also the sense of iminent danger and gutsy unpredictability that director Peterson infuses the film with. Hostages are killed every half-hour, and perhaps even those you expect to live through the situation are killed off pretty quickly; the terrorists are not the slightest bit unflinching or unwavering, making for effective villains.

I've heard a lot of complaints about the seemingly never-ending conclusion, but for me, it just made the film that much more an unpredictable roller coaster ride, with one edge-of-the-seat situation after another. The action sequences are the "requisite" shootouts and fistfights, but are truly exciting, and the fact that this is all set on board the world's most famous aircraft adds frantic urgency to the proceedings. There are also a lot of fantastic stunts, the most thrilling one featuring Ford dangling in mid-air, being reeled inside an aircraft with a cable and strap.

Harrison Ford has one of the most commanding presences of any Hollywood actor, and Air Force One is almost entirely his show. Yeah, James Marshall may be too damn perfect for a politician, but this is a red-blooded action flick, and I want a hero that I can unabashedly cheer for from beginning to end, and Marshall is just that kind of guy. Gary Oldman's the villian, and in true Oldman style, you can expect lots of hollering in a somewhat unintelligible accent (which honestly doesn't sound particularly Russian, as it's meant to).

Jerry Goldsmith's score is excellent, giving the film an additional intensity, and even revving up excitement during the quieter moments. The main theme is a bit overly patriotic, but undeniably rousing. Hard to say, but this is probably the famed composer's best score since Rudy.

Aside from the logical flaws in the story, the only time the film really stumbles is in the visual effects category. Don't get me wrong, most of the CGI is superb, but there's at least one scene near the end that features probably the most hilariously unconvincing (and disappointing) CGI-rendered shot I've ever seen in a big-studio production.

Air Force One may be a little silly and implausible, but it's irony-absent presentation is refreshing in a time when just about every other film out there is trying to be as annoyingly sarcastic as possible. In this era of Die-Hard rip-offs, Air Force One is easily one of the best, and for my money, it's more entertaining than the original Die Hard itself.
**** 1/2 out of *****

41 Good film
The heroics of the president and the defeat of Communism and terrorism made this movie worth watching. Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman, even though they were strong enemies in the film, kept you on the edge of your seat with their heartpounding dramatics.
This is a good film for bringing out even more patriotism and pride in our country and president, adding to the patriotism that was brought out by September 11th. I can compare this presidential film to THIRTEEN DAYS, the Cuban Missile Crisis film that came out last year (except that Air Force One wasn't based on a true story). I think Dubbya would be wise in watching both this film and Thirteen Days.

42 Irritating, completely unbelievable, over-the-top
Now I like action movies like the next guy and am not particularly demanding of them (Fugitive, Die Hard being my favs) but this one had me considering leaving the theater early for the first time in a decade.

The plot is so unbelievable that I couldn't suspend any disbelief. A 40-yr-old president taking on professional commando in his 20s for hand-to-hand combat repeatedly? Guns blasting everywhere in an airplane? It was also *needlessly* violent with execution-style scenes. Glenn Close was wasted mostly acting like an indecisive babbler.

On the plus side, special effects were decent and there was one clever move by the president.

Cheers,
sccdlc

43 Excellent Entertainment!
As a new critic it was a honor reviewing this film. Harrison Ford showcased his talent in Air Force One. Intense performence also from Gary Oldman and a score percisely matching each scene.Blockbuster special effects taking you inside the cockpit like your experiencing it all. With exact detail to the acually plane. Not much else to say becuase I'm speechless. Must see.

44 Not Unflawed, But Still Superior To Most Action Films
Despite a plot that strains credibility at times, AIR FORCE ONE is still a superior action film thanks to the always-reliable Harrison Ford and the steady hand of German director Wolfgang Petersen (DAS BOOT; IN THE LINE OF FIRE).

Ford portrays President James Marshall, who has just given a speech decrying international terrorism and warning those that would use terrorism for political purpose, "Your day is over." But when a truly despicable Russian national (Gary Oldman) and his men forcibly take over the President's plane, holding not only his staff, but even more importantly his wife and daughter, as hostages, Ford is forced to take matters into his own hands. The result is not always plausible, and some of the special effects don't work quite as well as they should, but one cannot fault the film's pace or the tension and excitement inherent in the story.

Ever since playing Han Solo in STAR WARS and Indiana Jones in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, Ford has developed into a leading man of the action genre--the thinking man's action hero. That aspect blossomed in PATRIOT GAMES, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, and, especially THE FUGITIVE; and here in AIR FORCE ONE he gets to play the most important man in the world. He does it with considerable style. Glenn Close was also a cagey choice to play the first female vice-president, and she does this with incredible fortitude. William H. Macy and Dean Stockwell are equally fine in supporting roles as part of the President's staff. And Oldman, whose performance as Oswald in Oliver Stone's JFK was a miracle performance, is equally superlative as the villain, matching the Bruce Willis/Alan Rickman pairing in DIE HARD.

Petersen's direction, despite some missteps, never allowed the film to sag; and Jerry Goldsmith's music score is appropriately patriotic without being sickeningly so, and always suspense-building. This is a film well worth watching. Don't miss it, especially if you're a fan of such situational thrillers.

45 My Favorite Movie
This Movie is the best movie I've ever seen. First of all, I find it very cool cause of all the advanced technology involved. Then there is all the action that doesn't give you a moments rest, with up's and down's that make your stomach turn with each new scene, and leaves you with the thought of "what's gona happen next" or "how will he get out of this"? And the actors, ah, there out of this world. Harrison Ford (the President) I don't have to tell you is good, he's my favorite actor. Gary Oldman (head highjacker) is so intense, so real, he has his own unique dry sense of humor that spices it all up. What makes this movie so entertaining, and thrilling, is the fact that you can't take your eyes off till the end, trust me.

46 Superbit Collection Delivers
I love the new superbit collection dvds. Criterion collection a vista are both doing a great job in creating movie viewing pleasure Through extras, picture and sound but superbit is coming back with some strong DVD's. The sound is so strong and tight. Utilization of every field of sound leds to an experience you will not forget. I've watched this movie ten or more times before the superbit. Now I haved added to this number greatly. Wolfgang Peterson has made one of those few movies that make you happy for watching it. Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman did a fantasic job with each character. All I can say is watch it on the superbit and you can thank me later.

47 great work Mr. Ford
Air Force One has been hijacked by terrorists demanding a great deal from the president. they hoped to find him in the plane, but not the way they had hoped. the acting is great in this film by both harrison ford and gary oldman. gary oldman will be the Christopher Lee of the future, always playing the bad guy, but always getting a part in a movie. the most powerful scene in the movie is when the president has to decide on the fate of his family. is national security more important than his own family?

48 "MY FAMILY GOES FIRST!"
Edge-Of-Your-Seat excitement! Top-notch special effects! A-level acting! Riveting storytelling! Watch and enjoy! Grade: A+

49 A great action film!
Air Force One is one of my favourite action films, as it is for many people, and it's easy to see why. Wolfgang Petersen's action thriller starring Harrison Ford as the president of America is a taut, exciting action flick (And sure to never be in-flight entertainment).

Gary Oldman is the movie's main villain, a terrorist with some scores to settle. Both he and Ford are great, and with the added start power of William H.Macy and Glenn Close make this big-name action-fest great fun.

Performances, action scenes, special effects and music (Jerry Goldsmith) are all top-notch, as well as some great patriotic stuff from Harrison. The only thing I don't like is some scenes are predictable and jingoism takes over sometimes. Regardless, it's great fun, and an equally great DVD. Cool stuff.

50 A Thrilling Ride
After making a speech to the world about a no-tolerence policy againgst terrorism, the president's plane is hijacked by terrorists. This is an amazing film. The plot is superb, and the action is great. Harrison Ford is an astounding actor, and plays a president/father with super accuracy. The stunts in this movie are great, including a scene with a refueling tanker, and a scene where the president must ride a tether to get out of the plane.

51 Air Force One on Superbit
I'd like to start off by saying that I haven't watched Air Force One in several years, so I've forgotten whata great film this actually is. I have had the VHS Widescreen version since 1998, but I've only watched it once since then. But fast forward to 2002 and now its on Superbit DVD. All I have to say is WOW! The picture and sound will blow you away. The sound especially if you have a 5.1 surround system. The gun fire is especially intense and well spaced in the the sound field. One of the most jaw-dropping scenes is the F-15/MiG-29 engagement at the end. Another is when Air Force One crashes into the Ocean. WOW! What a crash scene!

But another thing I'd like to point out is that it's strange now that all these films that have to do with terrorists have an all new meaning and message now in our post-9/11 world. If you'll recall, Oldman's character was a Russian nationalist who wanted a re-united Russian motherland with the President (played by Jurgen Prochnow, of Das Boot fame) of Kazakstan as the Russian Prime Minister. Except that he's a renegade that wants to use the old Russian nuclear stockpile to terrorize the free world. Oldman states how US foreign policy may be beneficial to the US, but it destroys the lives of other countries. I think he mentions something about the sanctions on Iraq causing undue suffering. So you see, these old terrorist movies should have been a bit of a wake-up call for us.

So in closing, if you're looking for a good terrorist thriller in this post-9/11 world, look no further than Air Force One on Superbit.

52 If i could I would make it 10 stars!!!!!
This move is GREAT it has lots of action. When The most greatest, most secure plane goes down... ]

Get this video it is really Great!!!! Really Great!!!!!
You can wach it over and over again!!!!

BUy this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

53 Air Force One...... cool terroist movie
hey i love movies and harrison ford is ok but this movie was like the best harrison ford movie yet, its about the president (harrsion ford) on a airplane that has terroists what more could u want! This movie kicks butt and i highlu recomend it to anyone who likes terroist and or harrison ford!

54 VOTE Ford for President
Given the current state of the world today, AIR FORCE ONE, may seem an odd viewing choice to some folks.But I think it's a perfect movie to watch right now. In fact, current events only made me like the film even more than I already did. All the filmmakers ask is that you suspend your disbelief for about 2 hours and enjoy the ride. Harrison Ford plays ficticious President Marshall, who in the midst of talking tough on terrorism, is put to the test. When his plane, family, and staff are taken hostage by a group of renegade Russians, Marshall must take direct action to save the day. Gary Oldman plays it way over the top as the lead terrorist. While Glenn Close plays the determined Vice President, who leads the negotiations, to have everyone released. The movie is saved from being total schlock, thanks to Ford. You totally by the fact that his is, or could be, our Commander in Chief. If that aspect of it, doesn't work for you, then none of it works. Are there parts of the movie that are implausable? Yes. But Director Wolfgang Petersen keeps the action moving at such a brisk pace that you almost don't notice or care about anything that makes no sense in the film. The movie fits with the mood of things right now. So just sit back, relax and enjoy this rolicking crowd-pleaser.

The DVD is short on extras though. The Director's commentary track is very good, and worth a listen, if you are inclined to do such things. The disc has both the widescreen and pan and scan versions for you to choose from. Last and least is the standard issue of the theatrical trailer. All in all not a bad ride. I wonder if Mr. Ford would consider running for re-election? If not, then at least there is this partial record of "his" only term as the leader of the free world for all of us to enjoy.

55 Could have been much worse!!
If you can switch off the demand for realism from a film for a couple of hours then this is for you. Harrison Ford and Glenn Close start in this Box Office blockbuster about Soviet revolutionaries who hijack the US Presidential place (Air Force One) and the heroic one-man battle against them in the guise of the US President who remains aboard the plane. Gary Oldman plays Egor Korshunov, a trigger-happy terrorist who fires at will and is prepared to sacrifice his life for "Mother Russia" whilst Glenn Close's negotiating skills bring for an interesting aside to the main plot. As I mentioned, it is essential that the flying scenes (look for the one at the start involving their return to the air) and rescue scenes are not taken as rigorous to the truth as, in many respects, they are as flimsy as the security systems aboard Air Force One.

In general this is not a bad film (after all, the Box Office ratings were good) and as far as typical blockbusters go, I could probably watch it again. Some good special effects improve it and there is always something going on, it could be argued that there are some holes in the plot but then nothing is going to be perfect! Definitely watchable but don't rush out to get it.

56 Air Force One Takes Off!
With a cartoon storyline that now seems pretty realistic, AIR FORCE ONE has a new life beyond DIE HARD in a plane. President Marshall (Harrison Ford) has offended some enemies with his statements on terrorism policy. The United States will not negotiate with terrorists. But, when terrorists lead by a Russian Gary Oldman attack the Prez' plane and threaten his wife and daughter, will he negotiate?

AIR FORCE ONE pretends to be an important film, but at its heart it is a fun adventure with the most unlikely of heroes and simple understanding of political volleys. Some of the exchanges between the Vice President (GLENN CLOSE) and the Secretary of State (DEAN STOCKWELL) are nothing short of ridiculous. But screenwriter Andrew Marlowe (HOLLOW MAN) knows what button's to push to make this bird fly... and he also knows how to bring it down.

The DVD has an okay transfer and a difficult to follow audio commentary by director Wolfgang Petersen (In the Line of Fire).

57 Kick butt - USA!
This is definitely one of the good ol' us vs. them - good vs. evil story. Harrison Ford plays a different kind of US President (one that I would like to see in "real" life), a President that takes matters into his own hands and deals his own "justice" by kicking some serious ... and shooting the heck out of everything. Good action movie, great for a 4th of July party...

58 great prez!
No one can play a role like this but Harrison Ford. Just another great move in a long line of work!!

59 Mr President.
Thanks for leting me in this rating, i love it.one thing i like about the movies is the way he act as the president,he just song like he is the real president of the USA.Also like the way he handle his men to fight against his ememies.i like him in movies like that.
thanks again.
Tina.

60 Great, caliber action movie
Great movie. Lots of action, suspense, and a little humor.
Definetely good! Only problem: Harrison Ford is his best in his role but...THE PRESIDENT FIGHTING TERRORISTS? The President? Anyway, still good movie to rent or buy.

I also saw Con Air and I think Air Force One is better.
Yes, Con Air was fun. The only problem: COn Air doesn't have that much action.

Air Force One is awesome! Go buy it now!
(Also, Gary Oldman is great as a terrorist. Better than the Fifth Element.

61 Our Hero... the President
This was in perfect Harrison Ford fasion. Action, action, and oh yes action. From Han Solo to Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford is known for action movies and this one doesn't disapoint. A definite must see for anyone who enjoyed his other films.

62 An well made action film.
When the lead Russian Terrorist (Gary Oldman) Hijack the Plane-Air Force One, when the President of the United States (Harrison Ford), an Ex-Soldier. The Terrorists thought that the President has escaped from his escape Pod. Now the President takes action take on the Terrorists one by one to Rescue his Wife (Wendy Crewson) and His Daughter (Liesel Matthews), Officers & Civilans from inside the Plane.

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, Enemy Minds, In the Line of Fire) gives an entertaining Action-Thriller. Fine music score by Jerry Goldsmith. One of the Highest Grossing Films of 1997. One Hell of a Time, you will enjoy. Panavision. Grade:B+.

63 Mr Kick-[butt]... President
This is a highly entertaining film in which Harrison Ford plays an American president who puts his money where his mouth his. Russian dissidents who believe in the old order seize control of Air Force One, hoping that the hostages will force the Americans to persuade the Russian premier to release a prominent Russian soldier. Once released, the threat of another cold war can only be the blink of an eye away.

While the White House ponders on how to deal with the situation, the president has remained on board Air Force One, determined to rescue the hostages.

This is a very good fil, well-paced and well acted. The commentary by Wolfgand Peterson reveals many interesting facts about the film including the professionalism of Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman.

My only complaint is about two sequences involving Air Force One - this is a personal thing. I hate action or stunt scenes which stretch credibility. The first scene, when Air Force One has just landed but the hijackers take off again is a little bit unbelievable. The second scene, at the end, is not only ridiculous and laughable, it is a very poor effect - looking as if the budget has just run out. Ironically, Wolfgang Peterson states that a lot of money was spent on this and he was impressed.

Still, if you enjoy a good action film which is also an edge-of-the-seat thriller, this is a good choice.

64 Great Movie!
Air Force One-1997
124 mins/colour
Harrison Ford
Gary Oldman
Glenn Close
Wendy Crewson
Paul Guilfoyle
William H. Macy
Liesel Matthews
Dean Stockwell

In his most powerful role ever, Harrison Ford is the President of the United States in the must-see blockbuster action thriller of the year......AIR FORCE ONE! Aboard the presidential plane-the most heavily guarded aircraft in the the world-President Marshall (Ford) is returning home with his wife, daughter and a plane-load of top government officials. But no sooner have they lifted off when the plane is hijacked by Communist radicals led by the ruthless terrorist Korshunov (Gary Oldman-The Fifth Element). Unless the country's imprisoned dictator is freed, Korshunov will start killing passengers. Now the most protected man in the world must take responsibility for the safety of all on board and the future free world! With high-stakes action and suspense, and featuring Glenn Close as Vice President, AIR FORCE ONE is sky-high thrills at full speed!

65 One of the best Harrison Ford movies ever made
This is one of the best action packed movies I have ever watched. Should defenitely be in everyones movie collection. Plus Harrison Ford kicks butt in this movie!

66 Harrison Ford Fails, Flounders, and Falls.....What a Waste
This silly farce may have worked if it had been promoted as satire. No matter. There was NO excuse for this doozy.

Glenn Close as vice president is trying to maintain order after learning Soviet terrorists have hijacked the president's plane with his staff, wife and daughter aboard. Close's high octane drama was silly. If you didn��?t like Hillary, you��?ll hate Glenn.

On Air Force One after the hijacker takeover, ��?President��? Harrison Ford issued some pretty sappy dialogue with his cookie cutter pretty little wife and daughter. The little girl's dippy words were an embarrassment. She sounded like a Pollyana Retard telling "daddy" not to worry, all would be all right. Ford��?s insipid marshmallow smile ("Oh, out of the mouths of babes")in return underscored the absurdity of the scene. I didn��?t know whether to laugh or cry.

In "Star Wars", a Sci-Fi fantasy, using gangbuster-type special effects with macho fighter planes piloted by arrogant hot shot captains was acceptable....including exploitation of the audience's jingoistic allegiance to the overdone heros. In "Air Force One" the same approach was insulting.

The finale too was insulting....and a joke. This skinny little man, President Harrison Ford, has somehow managed to save everyone else off his doomed airborne presidential plane (I'll let you rent the movie and learn how). Alone now, he has managed to attach himself to a cable between the doomed Air Force One and the attendant savior plane to save himself. This he does but it is not fun watching him blow in the wind in his little gray presidential suit, what..? 15,000 feet up, at 300/500 miles per hour? I don��?t know the coordinates. I��?ve never had to consider that kind of thing before I saw this movie.

Who wrote the script? Where was the director when the lines were delivered? Where have you gone, Harrison Ford - a seasoned, respected and sober actor, I assumed - that you could sell out for this shallow silliness and then pretend you are a genuine actor?

A couple big names, an idiotic script/story line and overdone phony special effects with chauvinistic fighter planes exploding to the rescue to STP (Save the President) do not an intelligent movie make.

Watch ��?Air Force One��? if you want to, but pretend it was meant to be satire only. In other words, avoid at least some of the insult.

67 a brilliant plot
i'll be brief this film is an absolute rollercoaster. people who like SPEED and Gone in 60 seconds should see this movie. I really don't think much of plots but i thought this one was good. You'll enjoy the visual and special effects.

68 Solidly mediocre film
This movie has an interesting, action-filled plot as well as a good, but it fizzles, perhaps because the screen time lavished on the action scenes robs screen time that could have been spent on character development.

Even so, in the small screen time they get, Glenn Close is convincing as the tight-jawed Vice President and Wendy Crewson scores points as a dignified First Lady, compassionate mother and loving wife. Harrison Ford, appealingly macho as ever, occasionally distances himself from his character with a lapse into tongue-in-cheek line-readings or facial expression. Otherwise, he is properly presidential. As the first daughter, Liesel Matthews displays a range of emotion that many of the more seasoned supporting actors lack.

One viewing will probably be enough for most people.

69 This action thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat.
The airplane carrying the US President gets hijacked and the president may be the only person who can save the hostage and get the plane down.

This is an unrealistic action movie (unfortunately it doesn't seem quite as unrealistic anymore). But if you don't mind unrealistic action movies, which I don't, I am sure you will be very entertained by this movie. It's well written, and very thrilling, with good actors, especially Harrison Ford and Glenn Close. I have seen few action thrillers that were more entertaining than this one. It kept me at the edge of my seat for two hours and a couple of minutes. I highly recommend it! This is action at its best!

70 High Flying Fun!
This action blockbuster is a pretty fun romp. It's a little far stretched, but who says it can't be?. Director Wolfgang Petersen delivers a top notch, high octane action film that will definitley please any action film fan. Harrison Ford stars as the President Of The United States whose plane, Air Force One, is taken over in mid-air by russian terrorists. The always excellent Gary Oldman plays the lead villain, and he does it with complete scene stealing bravado. Glenn Close co-stars as the Vice President who tries to communicate with Oldman from Washington D.C. headquarters. We've seen this before, but this is a million times better than most action films that involve hostages and planes. The action is pretty high once it gets going, and the violence is all over the place. Ford is, once again, cinema's leading hero. He can be a space pirate, adventurous professor, or the President. He can make it work every time. Even if the script doesn't always hold up to his excellence. This is one of those. If you realize that this is just pure 100% adrenaline fun, then you will have a grand time watching this fun ride. Afterwards, you'll definitley be thinking 'Harrison For President!'.

71 Crash And Burn
The worst film I have ever seen. Absolutely terrible! You can't care about any of the characters, especially those who are shot within minutes of their first appearance, and the countless explosions and bad one-liners leave you with a headache to beat the band. After suffering through this dreck, the only thought in your head that is still audible will be, "Why, Harrison, why?"

72 Harrison Ford's Got My Vote...
...because he is one mean-old President when he gets his Irish up! When terrorists take over AirForce One, it's up to the President himself to subdue the enemy. Suspenseful from start to finish, although feminists should take umbrage at the indecisiveness displayed by the female Vice President who's willing to placate the evil-doers. Notwithstanding that, just the kind of patriotic movie to fire up every red-blooded American.

73 AIR FORCE ONE!
I swear that "Air Force One" is really a Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan story. I mean, HARRISON FORD plays Jack Ryan (or did at the time) and in the latest Tom Clancy books Jack Ryan is President, and here is Harrison Ford as PRESIDENT JAMES MARSHALL! Sounds logical to me! Here is a President who FIGHTS BACK against terrorists! GARY OLDMAN gets to play the terrorist, who is some sort of RUSSIAN neo-natioanolist type named Korshunov! Everybody on the plane wants the president to be SAFE, but not our HERO! Nice job by GLENN CLOSE as the Vice-President with DEAN STOCKWELL doing an Al Haig impersonation and WILLIAM MACY as a regular air force guy! Solid ACTION film from director WOLFGANG PETERSEN, but I sure am curious what the Secret Service and the USAF think about the stuff that happens for the terrorist to take over the plane!

74 Air Force 1 - Supre BIt Version
Don't bother buying the super bit version. I didn't see a difference. And I also didn't see any increase in the bit rate. It was between 6 and 8 all the time. But so is the standard version.
The movie is a great action movie and if you like those kinds of movies, you'll like this one.

75 "Get off my plane!" President Marshall exclaims!
That line itself is the most classic line of all from this smash hit! Harrison Ford plays the president who after making it clear to the world he will never negotiate with terrorists falls victim to a terrorists hijack of Air Force One! The president is pressed to the ultimate limit when his wife and daughter are held hostage by a Russian goon (Played so deliciously by Gary Oldman)! With the fates of the world & his family both hanging in balance, it up to the president to kick some butt. Although the dialog & action is 100% macho, some of the CGI effects for Air Force One leave much to be desired. When you see the end of the movie, you'll know what I mean! Still it has heart and attitude which makes it out to be a true action classic!

76 "Get off my plane!" President Marshall exclaims!
That line itself is the most classic line of all from this smash hit! Harrison Ford plays the president who after making it clear to the world he will never negotiate with terrorists falls victim to a terrorists hijack of Air Force One! The president is pressed to the ultimate limit when his wife and daughter are held hostage by a Russian goon (Played so deliciously by Gary Oldman)! With the fates of the world & his family both hanging in balance, it up to the president to kick some ... Although the dialog & action is 100% macho, some of the CGI effects for Air Force One leave much to be desired. When you see the end of the movie, you'll know what I mean! Still it has heart and attitude which makes it out to be a true action classic!

77 "Get off my plane!" President Marshall exclaims!
That line itself is the most classic line of all from this smash hit! Harrison Ford plays the president who after making it clear to the world he will never negotiate with terrorists falls victim to a terrorists hijack of Air Force One! The president is pressed to the ultimate limit when his wife and daughter are held hostage by a Russian goon (Played so deliciously by Gary Oldman)! With the fates of the world & his family both hanging in balance, it up to the president to kick some butt. Although the dialog & action is 100% macho, some of the CGI effects for Air Force One leave much to be desired. When you see the end of the movie, you'll know what I mean! Still it has heart and attitude which makes it out to be a true action classic!

78 "Get off my plane!" President Marshall exclaims!
That line itself is the most classic line of all from this smash hit! Harrison Ford plays the president who after making it clear to the world he will never negotiate with terrorists falls victim to a terrorists hijack of Air Force One! The president is pressed to the ultimate limit when his wife and daughter are held hostage by a Russian goon (Played so deliciously by Gary Oldman)! With the fates of the world & his family both hanging in balance, it up to the president to kick some butt. Although the dialog & action is 100% macho, some of the CGI effects for Air Force One leave much to be desired. When you see the end of the movie, you'll know what I mean! Still it has heart and attitude which makes it out to be a true action classic!

79 A stand up and cheer anti-terror flick -- Just what we need.
You want to see some hijacking terrorists get their butts kicked by Harrison Ford? Well, this does the trick. A lot of folks complained about the supposed unrealistic nature of this film, but I think we know now that it isn't as unrealistic as we would have hoped. As far as this movie goes, it is a thrill ride that is sort of like Die Hard on Air Force One, with the president playing the John McClane character in place of Mr. Willis. The terrorists are complex in their rationale, but ultimately, like all terrorists, they are evil at heart. Frankly, it's a bit unnerving to watch it all happening on the screen. But unrealistic is not the word to use any more. Sure, parts of it strain credulity, but so does virtually every action adventure film (automatic weapons fire never seems to actually hit the good guys in Rambo, or Mr. Schwarzenneger, or Mr. Willis, for example).
In fact, I was sold on this movie mainly by the performance of Ford, who does an absolutely Oscar-caliber portrayal of the kind of president we all imagine in our dreams. He brings a believability and an integrity to every character he plays, whether it be as president, Han Solo or Indiana Jones.
This ultimately isn't exactly deep, and it is somewhat derivative, but it's still a great action flick. And it may be just what you need right now.

80 Die Hard Remake!!!!!!!!!
Harrison Ford has always & will be one of my favorite actors,but this film is not him, I mean could terrorist actually hijack Air Force One??, & if so, wouldn't the Secret Service take out half if not all of them??? this film makes the Secret Service look like idiots, I mean coming from the director of "In the line of fire" you would think they would at least kick a**, but they are taken out very quickly, & Ford who is the president has to fend for his self,this film is disturbing in that it comes off as a way to make the viewer think that Ford is one president who can take on terrorist by his self, despite that his wife & daughter are being held hostage, Glenn Close realisticly portrays the Vice President, but comes off as a reluctant leader, the only one who is the most convincing is Gary Oldman who gives a chilling performance as the lead terrorist who has an agenda & will kill without hesitation, Ford does his best with what he has to work with, but his president is tooo perfect, which makes this film unrealistic, there has never been a perfect president, & I not sure there will ever be, what is even more disturbing is that this film borrows to heavily on the first DIE HARD, I know many films have tried to repeat the success of DIE HARD, but this one does way toooo much, not a bad film, just a worn out concept & certainly not Ford's best work.

81 A Presadents worst fear comes to life
Harrison Ford brings to life a good presadent traveling on Air Force One that gets highjaked by world terriost and the terroist are seting demands to have a relese of a russin general from jail or he will crash the plane and he kills a hostege every hour.

This is a movie that is a must keep.

82 Entertaining, but in the wrong way
This movie was very, very entertaning the first time. Lots of action, tense, and plenty of good gunplay.

Then I watched it a 2nd time, and couldn't stop laughing at the corniness, unrealism, and movie-ruining scenes.

You all know the plot, yadda yadda, Harrison Ford plays a Medal of Honor-winning president, he gets hijacked, saves the day. Ford has a whole heckuva lot of good movies, but this is not one of them. Let me go over several parts of the movie which annoy me or make me guffaw:

--The "escape pod". This is not Star Wars, nor is it Apollo 13. Air Force One does not have an escape pod!!! Or was that just an excuse for the director to have a corny scene where a bunch of soldiers get to open the pod and look at each other in silly disbelief that he's not on board? There's another corny scene where Air Force One lands, keeps rolling, then takes off again. You get to see another corny scene where about 500 soldiers are on the tarmac staring off into space like a bunch of helpless morons.

--The parachuting scene. The whole movie was dragged down at least two stars by the part where you see the fat, giggly secretary parachuting in the darkness down to the ocean with a stupid grin on her face. Haha, hope she keeps her feet and knees together when she hits the water! SPLASH. And why would they have the nice square parachutes in Air Force one?

--The explosion of the refueling plane. TOTALLY unrealistic. Why were sparks generated between the aluminum-on-aluminum contact of the two planes in the first place? Refueling planes are designed for rough handling, and that would NEVER happen.

--Glenn close as the crybaby vice president.

--Don't you think all the bullets flying would, at some point, cause the plane to depressurize and crash?

Actually, there's more. The script is generally cheesy, and the terrorists are completely fake. They seem a little too clean and educated, if you ask me.

Anyhow, watch it, enjoy it for what it is, but don't buy it or rent it.

83 Absolutely stupid,boring film.
Compared to '97's other action smashes Con Air and Tommorow Never Dies , this meandering nonsense is the definable example of studio overbearing.It's slightly better than Face/Off maybe,but it still very poor.The action itself is slow moving and uninvolving,and nothing that hasn't been done ten times better and to more exciting effect in earlier highjack features like Passenger 57 and Under Siege.Harrison Ford is nauseatingly mundane,routine in his leading man role,doing the usual mumbling act he's done in previous action roles.He's showing his age really badly too (but he still should have got the role as Jack Ryan in The Sum of All Fears instead of Ben Affleck,dagnammit!)Meanwhile,Gary Oldman is laughably OTT as the rashan terrorist ,while Glen Close and William H. Macy are totally wasted in their roles.The story itself is completely unbelievable and insults the viewer's intelligence beyond breaking point.For one example out of many others,in one scene,Ford uses a mobile phone to make contact with Close and we all know that in real life,this would cause the plane to crash.And towards the end,it doesn't half drag on like anything,just when I thought this dire mess was coming to and end,it just went on more and more until I was close to just turning it off and walking out.For an impressive instance of Ford's action man status,check out his turns as Jack Ryan in Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games.And sign a petition to get him as the lead in the new film,not Aptless Affleck.

84 An utterly awful film.
This movie never really appealled to me when it first came out a while back. I thought it would be an alarmingly patriotic and gung-ho affair with little thought for anyone outside of the US, with the amount of disbelief needing to be suspended astronomical. Having only recently seen it on terrestrial television, I can say that I was absolutely right.

Harrison Ford plays the President with his usual rigid sub-Schwarzenneger style, utterly emotionless and unbelievable as always. Glenn Close hams along as a cringe-inducingly patriotic vice president, with some of the most cliched and predictable lines ever. Gary Oldman is a little better, but still plays a stereotypical hollywood villian who engages in just about every deadly sin possible in this movie.

Wolfgang Petersen fails to engage the watcher or bring about any of the sweaty claustrophobia present in his previous epic, Das Boot. Even In The Line Of Fire questioned the all-American dream and morals, partly because of the presence of the brilliant John Malkovich. This film doesn't. At all.

To say that I'm not a fan of action movies would be incorrect. I've just never seen a good one. This was no exception.

85 I don't like action movies, but. . .
. . .I liked this one. Of course this is the president we'd all like to have, a loving father, a stunning fighter, and great one-liners for any life threatening situation. This movie was suspense from beginning to the end, and chances are you already know that, cause who likes action has seen this film.

86 Would make anyone proud ...
... to be an American! (No matter where you're from.)

Terrorists hijack Air Force One. Harrison Ford is President. Take it from there.

A well-paced thriller, with characters - good and bad - having more than one dimension. Moments of ruthless cruelty - and moments of extraordinary courage and valor.

87 It's your turn to be affraid!
This movie was Awsome! The casting for this movie was among the best i'have ever seen. Harrison Ford along with Gary Oldman and Liesel Matthews(who by the way is a beautiful girl) made for a great movie. The action was great and the plane set was extremely detailed. Wolfgang Peterson (the director) made sure to include every detail, he and the rest of the crew did an excellent job.

I would recommend this movie to all audiences..Great MOVIE!!!!

88 We do not negotiate with Terrorists! Now Get Of My Plane!
Movie Summary: The President has just laid down a strict antiterrorism policy in a speech in the former Soviet Union. He then boards Air Force One and starts the flight home. Once in the air, a group of Russian terrorists disguised as a news crew takes over the plane. They are brutal and do not hesitate when it comes to having to kill a hostage to make a point. The President must put his new policy into practice and fight to regain control of Air Force One.

My Opinion: This is a kick butt action classic. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Sure there is a little of suspension of disbelief required but this is entertainment, not a documentary. Harrison Ford is terrific as the fighting President. He is a great action hero and proves it here again. The entire cast does a terrific job of pulling this movie off. The action scenes and special effects are truly awesome.

DVD Quality: Widescreen anamorphic and full screen. DD 5.1 Commentary and Trailers. This is pretty much a bare bones DVD.

What You Should Do: See it. Buy, Borrow, or Rent but see it any way you can!

89 One of the best action films out there!
Harrison Ford plays the President of the United States and does a great job at it. I have watched this movie too many times to count. This is one of those movies that have you cheering for the President. It's about time someone made a movie where the President stands up for himself instead of someone always trying to save him. Gary Oldman does a fantastic job as the terrorist. He really makes you believe that his cause is the right cause. Some scenes did remind me of Die Hard, but if you liked Die Hard you will love this movie. My wife was watching the movie with me and kept digging her hand into my arm! She really gets into the movie more than I. Overall, the DVD sound and picture is excellent. This is definitely a buy not a rental!

90 Read This: Great Action Packed Movie!!!!!!
This great action packed movie is a real heart thumper. The action gets it going, than the wonderful dramatazation and sacrifices the people make gets your eyes going. Harrison Ford played this movie with the best he's ever given a movie! When russian terrorists high-jack the air force one, its up to the world's all-time favorite president to make it out. But he doesn't want to do that. His wife and daughter are on the plane, and he's getting them and his crew safe before he goes. When the Russians get him and are black-mailing D.C., whats gonna happen? Is he going to give up his life for his family? Is he gonna let the US blow the plane? You'll have to whatch it to find out! I reccommend this movie to mature teens and adults who can handle this movie. Like i said, its action packed, and tear jerking. THIS MOVIE ROCKS!

91 Remember Indiana Jones?
Harrison Ford does a great job in this film. He's so convincing in both emotion and action wise as in his great old movie Indiana Jones!

Although we have seen so many films about airplane accidents and hijacking but this one is a Master Piece of all.

the suspense is very original and the action is very entertaining... of course you see that US politics plays a major role in HollyWood!

92 Cracking entertainment
Air Force One

Score: 69/100

Wolfgang Petersen, that is a great name isn't it? He made The Boat, In the Line of Fire and numerous other classics. Well, is Air Force One really as good as his older movies? No, the answer is no. But it's not as far off as you may have heard. Air Force One is awesome entertainment, and although it has its share of flaws in the script, you probably won't even notice because you'll be too enthralled with the high-flying adventure.

The President of the USA (Harrison Ford) goes to Moscow and gives a stirring speech outlining the USA's new "Zero-tolerance" policy with respect to terrorism. On the flight home, terrorists actually take over Air Force One (the President's official plane) and take the passengers (including his wife and daughter) hostage. The terrorists plan to execute one hostage every half-hour unless/until their demands are met. However, the President is a former Medal of Honour winner, so the terrorists may be in for a surprise...

We are certainly in for tonnes of surprises. The action is blasting and will grab you when you least expect it and the visual effects are a treat to the eye. The story is weak, but the action delivers plenty of goods and it the films makes darn sure that you and your head won't be turning away from the screen to go to sleep. Harrison Ford is good, but, surprisingly, it's Glenn Close who plays Vice President Kathryn Bennett that really steals the show. Sure, Harrison takes all the action, but Glenn is more powerful. The cheesy lines such as "Get off my plane!" and some silly sequences don't do the film any good. But, it's got plenty of eye-candy and goodness about it with the thrills and most of the performances, so don't worry too much.

Air Force One has some small flaws, but it is still cracking entertainment with a good plot and breathtaking visual effects.

93 Boundless human nonsense!
I hope they make a sequel so that Harry could go to Mars and get'em all.

94 Not exactly Ford's best work
I actually just bought this DVD a few days ago. I was fairly astounded at the visual quality of the movie, even in full screen mode. The sound was nothing to marvel at (the gunshots, however, did sound really defined on my 5.1 surround sound system). But I didn't buy the movie for Ford, the sound, or even the amazing clarity of its visuals. I really bought Air Force One because of its supporting cast and its "in your face" directorial style (Wolfgang Petersen's trademark). From William H. Macy to Gary Oldman to Glen Close to many others, this movie really shines in its supporting cast (the plane included, who gives a stunning performance, without even a stunt double). However, an outstanding supporting cast does usually mean that the lead role (or roles) isn't doing his or her job. I think that's the only area where this movie fails to be convincing.

Don't think I'm against Harrison Ford or anything. I believe these kinds of movies make the public feel very patriotic. And I believe that if Harrison Ford ran for president, he would probably be victorious.

95 Intelligent script, plenty of action, but somehow lacking
To me the best thing about this film is the fact that the American point of view is not the only one given voice. There was much truth to what Gary Oldman's character says to the President about american involvement abroad. And as such, for one of the first times, an american film is not so pro american. Bravo!

Now to detract. If our secret service is as inept as they were portrayed in this film I feel sorry for the President. And I have to say that at times certain scenes came off incredibly staged and unrealistic. And some scenes just seemed very inplausible.

All that said I have to say that the film is very entertaining. I just wouldn't rate Air Force One as a purchase.

96 Konnichi wa, minna-san!
Ne,This movie was AWESOME!!!! Man, heaven forgive me for not putting it on my "Best Movies on Earth" Wish list. Grr!!! Oh well. Maybe I'll make a another list. Anyway, the action here, is spectacular. Acting?! For the love of God, HARRISON FORD'S IN IT!!! Of coruse it was good! This is movie really is awesome! DVD quality? Same as any other DVD. But if you have a DVD player in your home, I advise you to take the biggest speakers you can find and connect it to the TV that's connected to the DVD .You'd be be amused for ages. Okay. I'm done. Baibai.

97 Action, suspense, everything you need
This movie, made in 1997 by Wolfgang Peterson, is probably one of the better action movies around. It is filled with a great introduction scene that immediately catches your attention, and the acting between Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman is fantastic. You really want to think that they truly hate each other. That's what you get from good acting. We haven't seen that in some time. Also, the action is truly amazing. You want President Marshall--Ford--to succeed and save his family.

The plot, as most already know, is about how the president's plane Air Force One is highjacked by a group of Russian radicals. The president is held hostage while aboard.

Glenne Close does a marvelous job as a woman Vice President, and overall, I think this movie is supurb. It is rated "R" for pretty strong violence and some blood, although it comes nowhere near than what is seen in "Saving Private Ryan" or even "The Rock". Also, there is some mild language, but nothing too severe in my opinion. I love this movie and am even considering purchasing the soundtrack that makes this film even better.

98 Harrison Ford for President!!
Air Force One is about a president, played by the tough Harrison Ford, who after authorizing the kidnapping of a former Russian republic president for acts of terrorism, faces his own troubles. Air Force One, the most sophisticated aircraft in the sky, is hijacked by a group of Russian terrorists trying to get their leader free from jail. But they did not count on the president fighting back!

With his wife and daughter on the plane, Ford must race against time to save them. Glenn Close, as the Vice President on the ground, becomes acting president after Ford is presumed dead. She tries to talk down the terrorists, the leader played by Gary Oldman, in his most terrifying role ever. But with no success, it is up to Ford to take them out.

This film has some of the best action scenes in a long time, and the DVD transfer is fantastic. This was released close to the birth of the DVD format, so there isn't a whole lot of extras on it. But the picture is nearly perfect and the sound is very good. If you have a dolby digital encoder, you will be in heaven! I subtracted one star only because there were not more bonus features on it. but other than that, this one is an entertainer!

99 Harrison at his best.
As a 21 year fan & collector of Harrison's, this is him at his best. Great film. Which he would do more films like this. Great disc as well.

100 Action-packed and edge-of-seat suspense!
I like this movie because it was action-packed and suspenseful. At first, I didn't want to see it but my dad made me. I'm glad he did. The DVD version has better sound quality and sharper imaging. I only gave it four stars because, even when the cold war was over, this American-made movie potrayed Russians as terrorizing commies.