Con Air (1997)

Newly paroled ex-con and former U.S. Ranger Cameron Poe 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	...	Agent Duncan Malloy
Mykelti Williamson	...	'Baby-O' O'Dell
Nick Chinlund	...	William 'Billy Bedlam' Bedford
Renoly Santiago	...	Sally-Can't Dance (as Renoly)
John Malkovich	...	Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom
Ving Rhames	...	Nathan 'Diamond Dog' Jones
Dave Chappelle	...	'Pinball' Parker
Rachel Ticotin	...	Guard Sally Bishop
Steve Eastin	...	Guard Falzon
Steve Buscemi	...	Garland Greene - 'The Marietta Mangler'
Danny Trejo	...	Johnny-23
M.C. Gainey	...	Swamp Thing
Landry Allbright	...	Casey Poe
John Cusack	...	Agent Vince Larkin
Monica Potter	...	Tricia Poe

Storyline

Cameron Poe, a highly decorated Army Ranger, comes home to Alabama to his wife Tricia, only to run into a few drunken regulars at the bar where she works. Cameron accidentally kills one of the drunks, and is sent to a federal penitentiary for involuntary manslaughter for seven years. He 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 take 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 Vince Larkin is trying to help Cameron get free and stop the criminals, led by Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom.

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Plot Keywords:

airplane hijacking | usa | united states | convict | escape | 

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Taglines:

One wrong flight can ruin your whole day

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

18A

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dave Chappelle improvised most of his lines.

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Goofs

When Diamond Dog opens the hatch and calls to Poe to tell him to check the landing gear, Cochise is sitting to the right, talking with two other cons. He has no bandages on his face or burns from when Pinball set him on fire previously.

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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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Alternate Versions

Con Air was not cut by the BBFC, but the certificate was raised from a '15' at the cinema to an '18' on video, as it was felt that original decision was too lenient. However, there are reports of cuts to all home versions (including the US releases) so these must have been made by the US distributors.

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Connections

Featured in The Hoff's Best Film... Ever!: The Hoff's Best Action Film Ever! (2013)

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Soundtracks

Sweet Home Alabama
Written by Ronnie Van Zant, Edward King (as Ed King) and Gary Rossington
Performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Courtesy of MCA Records
By arrangement with Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Classic high energy Nicholas Cage's best action flick he ever made!

Con Air (1997) is a classic high energy Nicholas Cage's best bad-ass action flick from the 90's of the decade he ever made! I grew up watching this film as a child and honestly it was my favorite action film and the first one from Nicholas Cage I have ever saw. After seeing Con Air for the first time, I bagged my mom to buy me The Rock and Face/Off along with Con Air on VHS because of Nicholas Cage! I still have all three films on VHS and I also have them on Blu-ray. I don't like Face/Off anymore I have my reasons, but Con Air is a bad ass action film and it is still my favorite action film today that I love to death. I have a blast watching this film.

Plot: Newly paroled ex-con and former U.S. Ranger Cameron Poe finds himself trapped in a prisoner transport plane when the passengers seize control.

The film is actually about Cameron Poe (Nicholas Cage) U.S. Ranger who accidentally kills a man in self defense when three goon's try's to kill him. Cameron confesses the crime, but because of his military past, Cameron gets 7 - 10. years maximum prison after years his paroled and only what he want's is to get home to his wife and to his daughter he never saw before. Cameron has to share a prison airplane with some of the country's most dangerous criminals, who actually take 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 (John Cusack) is trying to help Cameron get free and stop the criminals, including Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich).

Everyone in the cast is great and Nic Cage's Cameron Poe is one of my favorite action heroes of all time. With such lines as "I'm gonna show you God does exist" and "I'm gonna save the f**king day" you know you're dealing with a Grade A bad ass. He's not without a sensitive side though as he is prone to crying like a girl at some points too. Con Air is directed from Simon West, who directed also The Expendables 2 another film , that I love.

Why I love this movie: You have a solid likable cast that I love, awesome score from Mark Mancina, cool characters, ton's of action, a lot's of explosions, lot's of gun fire and awesome fights, including incredible stunts that I love. Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Ving Rhames, Renoly Santiago, Danny Trejo, Mykelti Williamson, Rachel Ticotin, Colm Meaney, Dave Chappelle, Nick Chinlund, Steve Buscemi, Monica Potter and M. C. Gainey gave us a wonderful action performance in a action film I have ever seen.

Nicolas Cage as Cameron Poe is a bad ass action decent hero, that I love him so much. John Cusack as U.S. Marshall Vince Larkin is awesome and incredible likable hero in this movie. John Malkovich as Cyrus Grissom is a bad ass villain and he is also very brilliant and insane. Colm Meaney as DEA Agent Duncan Malloy is amazing I really love this actor in this film. Mostly I remember Colm from Under Siege who played Dummer William Stranix's (Tommy Lee Jones) second hand, even in Under Siege I loved him as acting performance. I love Colm's character in this movie. Nick Chinlund as William Bedford was awesome I love the fight scenes with Billy and Cameron and Billy says to Cameron "Die Punk!" and Cameron kill's him. I love Steve Buscemi as Garland Greene, I love his character I don't think his character is dangerous or a serial killer, because on the airport Garland doesn't kill a young girl a child, I think he redeemed him self. Last one that I love is Ving Rhames as Nathan Jones was another bad ass villain.

I love that Cameron is desperately try's to safe his friend's life Mike O'Dell aka Baby-O (Mykelti Williamson) and get him out of the plane and he try' to safe Guard Sally Bishop (Rachel Ticotin) off the plain. He even safe's her on the plain twice when Johnny 23 (Danny Trejo) try's to rape her. I love that Baby-O protects Cameron against Cyrus and confess that he is a traitor on a plain, but he wasn't. I love this flick.

There a re a lot of action scenes that I completely love and I have enjoyed them including a explosion's fire truck who explodes in Las Vegas. A lot of gun fights. Cameron using his martial art's skills on a air field, Cameron beating three guys on a plain and force the pilot to land the plain down. The car chase scenes in Las Vegas where incredible Vince and Cameron see them Cyrus,Swamp Thing and Jones trying to flee, pursue them on motorcycles.

Overall: Con Air (1997) get's a perfect 10 by for incredible awesome high energy solid action flick of the 90's that I love to death!

Con Air is a 1997 American action film directed by Simon West and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of The Rock. It stars Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and John Malkovich. The film borrows its title from the nickname of the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System.

10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Buena Vista Pictures, Touchstone Pictures Jerry Bruckheimer Films Starring: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Ving Rhames, Renoly Santiago, Danny Trejo, Mykelti Williamson, Rachel Ticotin, Colm Meaney, Dave Chappelle, Nick Chinlund, Steve Buscemi, Monica Potter, M. C. Gainey, Brendan Kelly, Steve Eastin, Landry Allbright Director: Simon West Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer Screenplay: Scott Rosenberg Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 55 Mins. Budget: $75.000.000 Box Office: $224,012,234

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

6 June 1997 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Air bagnards

Filming Locations:

2nd Street Tunnel between Hill and Figueroa, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,131,738, 8 June 1997

Gross USA:

$101,117,573

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$224,012,234

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:

2.39 : 1