Air America (1990)

Director:

Roger Spottiswoode

Writers (WGA):

Christopher Robbins (book)
John Eskow (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

10 August 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

The Few. The Proud. The Totally Insane.

Plot:

A young pilot finds himself recruited into a covert and corrupt CIA airlift organization operating in Vietnam War Era Laos.

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | CIA | Vietnam | Laos | Helicopter

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Gene Ryack
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Billy Covington
Nancy Travis	...	Corinne Landreaux
Ken Jenkins	...	Major Donald Lemond
David Marshall Grant	...	Rob Diehl
Lane Smith	...	Senator Davenport
Art LaFleur	...	Jack Neely (as Art La Fleur)
Ned Eisenberg	...	Nick Pirelli
Marshall Bell	...	Q.V.
David Bowe	...	Saunders
Burt Kwouk	...	General Lu Soong
Tim Thomerson	...	Babo
Harvey Jason	...	Nino
Sinjai Plengpanit	...	May Ling (as Sinjai Hongthai)
Natta Nantatanti	...	Gene's Daughter

Runtime:

112 min | Argentina:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Lao

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Norway:10 | Finland:K-11 (re-rating) | Portugal:M/12 | USA:R (Certificate #30290) | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Chaing Mai Airport, Thailand

Company:

Carolco Pictures

Trivia:

The "golden bb" that Jack Neely talks about is a slang term referring to a single rifle shot that is so well-placed it can bring down a plane or other aircraft. The term is demonstrated in the opening of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gene arrives to pick Billy up the morning after their 'bender', Gene can be seen flying form the left hand seat of the Jet ranger (would normally be operated from the right hand seat if flying solo anyway) but when they land on at the airfield, Gene can be seen exiting the helicopter from the right hand seat.

Quotes:

Billy Covington: [Gene is loading a machine gun] Excuse me, is that an Uzi?
Gene Ryack: (glances at Babo & Billy) You know, that would make a great TV commercial? 'Excuse me, is that an Uzi?' 'Why, yes it is. Hey, self-defense is no laughing matter! That why when I want number one I pack an Uzi... accept no substitutes.'

Movie Connections:

Features "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965)

Soundtrack:

Right Place, Wrong Time

No Brainer !

Air America is an easy, fun, not hard to watch movie. I have seen it many times and find it an easy no brain. I can watch the movie and do other stuff at the same time and still catch the jokes and the plot. I like Robert Downey Jnr always and this movie is no exception. He gels really well with Mel Gibson. I am an actor and I would have loved to be cast in this movie. Love the scene where Robert Downey Jnr is asleep, hammered from the previous nights session on the booze when Mel Gibson flying his helicopter hooks him up while still asleep on garden furniture. Fab scene !

Give it a go. It now an old movie but a good one that seemed to have slipped through so many peoples viewing when it was released.

Great music !! I am a big fan of old soul and motown and this movie has some fab tunes.

What this movie on a crappy Wednesday night when there is nothing else on and not much to do and you will have a fun time.