Familiar Formula Helps ‘Air Force One’ Soar

Mon., Aug. 4, 1997

Jeff Sackmann Mead

Early in “Air Force One,” U.S. President James Marshall bludgeons a bad guy with a stool. Do we wonder if the bad guy lives? Do we wonder why the president is killing people? Of course not.

Why? Because the line between good and evil in this movie is more clearly drawn than in the most blatant Disney movie ever made. And, in the same way that “Independence Day” became a megahit, “Air Force One” was made better by it.

As was, “ID4,” “Air Force One” follows formula. There’s the dedicated, exceedingly moral hero, the several brushes with death, the psychopathic bad guys and the endangered family of the hero.

This formula usually makes for the best films, and “Air Force One” is no exception.

Harrison Ford stars as President Marshall, who boards his plane to leave Moscow just after making a landmark speech condemning terrorism. So, it’s no surprise when a complement of Russian journalists along for the ride turn out to be hijackers.

Their goal is to hold the president hostage until Russia releases General Raddock, the leader of their violent political faction. Will it work? Of course not: This is Hollywood.

Two quick-thinking Secret Service agents foil their plans by rushing Marshall off to the aircraft’s escape pod. After that disaster, the only leverage the terrorists have is the president’s family and part of his cabinet.

A few minutes later, after the escape pod is found grounded in Germany, empty, Marshall reappears on the baggage deck, ready to take matters into his own hands. He quickly corners one of the terrorists, attacks him and steals his weapon.

All the while the clock is running out. Vice President Bennett (Glenn Close) is faced with the decision whether to release Raddock (which, it is established, could lead to nuclear war and the fall of Russia) or to allow the bad guys to systematically kill several people on the plane.

I won’t give away the ending, but the last half-hour of the movie certainly doesn’t disappoint.

From beginning to end, “Air Force One” is truly compelling. It’s one of those movies that you spend sitting on the edge of your seat, brutally attacking your fingernails. The suspense almost never stops. The rare calm moments are worse than the suspense because they make you realize how wrapped up in the movie you are.

Besides a little bit of excess violence, there isn’t anything in “Air Force One” not to like. It’s not nearly as intelligent as “Face/Off” or as sarcasticly funny as “Men in Black,” but when it comes down to good, old-fashioned entertainment value, it doesn’t get any better.

Grade: A

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