Con Air (1997)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 1997
	Director: Simon West (The General's Daughter, Tomb Raider, The Expendables 2)
	Actors: Nicolas Cage (Face/Off, Knowing), John Cusack (2012), John Malkovich (R.E.D.)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Action
	Conditions of visioning: 12.05.2019, VOD, 10" tablet screen
Synopsis: After an unfortunate incident, Cameron Poe (Cage) is sentenced to seven years in prison right before his daughter's birth. On the day of his release he flies home in the company of some of the worst criminal, who have secretly planned to hijack the plane.
Review: This movie was released the same year as John Woo's Face/Off, both star Nicolas Cage at the top of his career and belong to the same genre of over-the-top 90's Action flicks. Con Air is slightly more realistic, maybe just because it doesn't involve a hard-to-believe face-switching technology. The main interest of this movie resides in the cast, all showing off more than the other: in addition to Cage, Cusack and Malkovich you get Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction, Mission: Impossible 1-6), Steve Buscemi (Argameddon), Danny Trejo (Machete) and a bunch of others that all look badass. As often in the 80-90's, characters are very stereotyped: the criminal can be smart but are always evil, while the hero has a pure heart. You also watch this movie for the Action and you don't get disappointed between cars chasing a plane, an ambush on the ground and the crazy finale. You definitely have to switch your brain off not to be hurt by the nonsense story, the exaggerated character's reactions, the impossible coincidences and even some bad digital effects (the practical effects are good however). Possibly invoking nostalgia for the viewers like me who were 20 at its release and liked Action, Con Air may probably otherwise make you laugh for some time and bore afterwards.
Rating: 6 /10