Con Air (1997)

A newly released ex-con and former US Ranger finds himself trapped in a prisoner transport plane when the passengers seize control.

Director:

Simon West

Writer:

Scott Rosenberg

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colm Meaney	...	Duncan Malloy
Mykelti Williamson	...	Baby-O
Nick Chinlund	...	Billy Bedlam
Renoly Santiago	...	Ramon 'Sally-Can't Dance' Martinez (as Renoly)
John Malkovich	...	Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom
Ving Rhames	...	Diamond Dog
Dave Chappelle	...	Pinball
Rachel Ticotin	...	Guard Sally Bishop
Steve Eastin	...	Guard Falzon
Steve Buscemi	...	Garland 'The Marietta Mangler' Greene
Danny Trejo	...	Johnny-23
M.C. Gainey	...	Swamp Thing
Landry Allbright	...	Casey Poe
John Cusack	...	Vince Larkin
Monica Potter	...	Tricia Poe

Storyline

Cameron Poe, a highly decorated United States Army Ranger, came home to Alabama to his wife, Tricia, only to run into a few drunken regulars where Tricia works. Cameron unknowingly kills one of the drunks and is sent to a federal penitentiary for involuntary manslaughter for seven years. Cameron becomes eligible for parole and can now go home to his wife and daughter. Unfortunately, Cameron has to share a prison airplane with some of the country's most dangerous criminals, who took control of the plane and are now planning to escape the country. Cameron has to find a way to stop them while playing along. Meanwhile, United States Marshal Vincent Larkin is trying to help Cameron get free and stop the criminals, including Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom.

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Plot Keywords:

convict | prison | escape | criminal | army rangers | 

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Taglines:

Welcome to Con Air.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 1997 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Air bagnards

Filming Locations:

Utah, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$24,131,738 (USA) (6 June 1997)

Gross:

$101,087,161 (USA) (3 October 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Kouf/Bigelow Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min 123 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the trailer for this movie, the flying scene where the 2 AH-1 Cobras escort Jailbird 1 during their landing in the Las Vegas strip included the dialog "Where are they going to land this thing?" spoken by one of the Cobra pilots, and the response by John Cusack's character: "How about the blackjack tables". Neither dialog was included in the final cut.

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Goofs

The prisoner transport plane is only overseen by the U.S. Marshal Service, not run by it, so on board it would make sense that all guards all wear California Department of Corrections uniforms.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Officer at Leaving Ceremony: Army Rangers have a proud history. Since the 1700s, Rangers have led the way in every major confrontation in which the United States has been involved. You men are a credit to that fine heritage, and I'm sorry to see you go. But you've served your country well, and you've displayed the ability to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete its mission, never leaving behind a fallen comrade no matter what the odds or the enemy. I thank you. America thanks you. And I wish you luck ...

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Crazy Credits

In Memory of PHIL SWARTZ

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Connections

References Lady and the Tramp (1955)

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Soundtracks

Theme From 'A Summer Place'
(instrumental)
Written by Max Steiner
Performed by Percy Faith and His Orchestra
Conducted by Percy Faith
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

The mad mad mad mad world of violence

While not as clever or amusing as _The Rock_, which this was apparently an effort to surpass, it certainly delivers the pyrotechnics. Cage, as always, delivers the best performance he can, given the confines of the script, and his best _Raising Arizona_ drawl.

The film's beginning sets a hopeful tone, we see the honorable Cage unjustly imprisoned and preparing to return to his home and the child he has never seen. Meanwhile, the penal system is filling the transport plane which will take Cage to freedom with a cast of the worst criminal psychos behind bars. There is an odd parallel to the beginning of _Stagecoach_ as the plane is loaded with the case of miscreants and a cursory description is given of each criminal. The film has a weakness for hyperbole, each character introduction, each scene, each explosion is meant to top the one before it.

Fortunately, the film does have a real ensemble cast, the full roster of villainous character actors: Malkovich, Rhames, Buscemi, Danny Trejo amongst the cons. The law is Cusack and Colm Meaney and Rachel Ticotin (Total Recall). Even Dave Chapelle is amongst the crooks.

Ultimately, the film maintains too straight a face during the ruckus. If you are going to ask the audience to accept one outrageous improbability after another, you need to keep it amusing. Chappelle keeps it funny while he's on screen but it's not long enough.

Unfortunately, the throttle has only one speed: pedal to the metal. Unlike Woo or McTiernan, who--predictable as they may arguably be--are able to build crescendos and know when to let off the gas, this one keeps on pushing harder and harder until we're feeling a bit catatonic. There is just a terrific amount of pyrotechnics and they use up twice as much powder each time. It never seems to end, which is usually a bad thing for an action movie.

But I shouldn't grouse too much. It is definitely an entertaining diversion, and Cage and Cusack are good in their roles, Colm Meaney is as always amusing. Malkovich and Buscemi are creepy enough but not the flamboyant psychos they could have been. Ironically, Cage has exactly that type of charisma (remember _Kiss of Death_, _Snake Eyes_, _Face Off_) but is forced to be restrain himself as the stolid ex-Army ranger.

Finally: what the HECK does bruckheimer have against Corvettes???