Today’s quick review: Con Air. Cameron Poe (Nic Cage) is a former Army Ranger who was imprisoned for manslaughter after a bar fight. After years in jail, his release is interrupted when fellow prisoner Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom (John Malkovich) hijacks the prison transport plane that was taking Poe to freedom. Trapped aboard a plane full of dangerous convicts, Poe must go along with their escape while engineering their capture from within if he is to have any hope of meeting Casey, the young daughter he has never seen, as a free man. Helping him from without is Vince Larkin (John Cusack), a U.S. Marshal tasked with catching the runaway plane and capturing its wayward prisoners.
Con Air is an entertaining action flick with a great cast and a surprising amount of heart. Nic Cage, John Malkovich, and John Cusack are joined by Danny Trejo, Dave Chappelle, Ving Rhames, and Steve Buscemi in a lineup that perfectly fits the tone of the movie: intensity laced with sentimentality and a sense of fun. The plot is fairly straightforward: Cyrus orchestrates the hijacking, then uses the plane to lead the convicts on a journey to freedom. Mechanical problems, pursuing Marshals, and internal strife set back their escape, with the smallest of margins separating success from disaster.
Watch Con Air if you’re in the mood for a light thriller that mixes tense moments with snatches of humor and cheap but effective emotional drama. Any fans of the cast should check out the movie as well, as it is a rare chance to see so many familiar faces in one place. Skip Con Air if you are looking for something deep or serious. While Con Air has serious and emotional moments, the overall blend of elements is geared towards entertainment rather than gravitas.
6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for sheer enjoyability.