Air Force One (1997)

2/24/06

Also seen by me for the first time this night is the 1997 film Air Force One, The movie stars aging action hero Harrison Ford as tough as nails American President James Marshall, who is returning home from Russia with his family (onboard the films name sake vessel) after giving a policy changing speech in Moscow on terrorism. The plane is taken over by a group of Kazaykstani terrorists (boy that country is a thorn in the side of fictional presidents) disguised as a Russian news crew and a treacherous Xander Berkely, all at the behest of the late 90's favorite villain Mr. Gary Oldman. The Kaziks take about fifty hostages and intend to use them to force the US government to put pressure on a weak Russian president to release a recently apprehend Kazik general who is bent on genocide and the re-establishment of a Russian empire.

However the terrorist should have seen more Harrison Ford movies, I mean if the fake President in question was played by Michaell Douglas, John Travolta or even James Cromwell they might have succeeded, but no against Indiana Jones/Hon Solo/Jack Ryan. While he should have exited the plane via escape pod "butt kicking president" Marshall stays onboard to personally execute his foreign policy, proto-24 style action and suspense follow. This film is great for what it is and I'm glade that I finally saw it. Lastley 'President Ford and the Deadites' would be a great name for a band.