Air Force One (English, French, Italian, DVD)

Reviews

Reviewed by Micky B - 13 June 2007

Wolfgang Petersen – who also directed “Das Boot” – has spared no expense in bringing us what must be one of the best action dramas seen in the past twenty years! US President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) finds he has his hands full with Communist radicals, led by Ivan Korshanov (scary Gary Oldman) when they capture the presidential plane in mid-flight, and start making demands. Back in the White House and fully aware of the situation, the vice-president (Glenn Close) has her problems too; being under pressure from her senior military advisors to immediately assume full presidential authority, and act against Marshall’s instructions. Despite the tension, the picture is not without humour – such as when the president, hiding in the plane’s baggage hold, has to go to great lengths with the instruction manual before he can get his own cellphone to work…and when he does, the switchboard operator will not believe that he is actually the president when he ’phones in to the White House! This one’s got it all: a satisfyingly intelligent story; all the action you could possibly want; excellent acting throughout; a strident background musical score (by veteran composer Jerry Goldsmith); superior special effects…and Harrison Ford!