Critique: Film> Reviews.

"They somehow managed to get every creep and freak in the universe onto this one plane. And then somehow managed to let them take it over. And then somehow managed to stick us right smack in the middle."

-- Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage)

It's hard to imagine Nicolas Cage as an action hero these days, but back in 1997 he was achieving his highest box office successes with hits like this, The Rock and Face/Off.

Cameron Poe (Cage) is an ex-US Ranger reuniting with his pregnant girlfriend (Monica Potter) in Alabama. A fight ends up breaking out after serving hours between him and a bunch of drunken thugs, resulting in one of the men dying. Poe ends up pleading guilty to manslaughter later on in court, and is sentenced to seven years in prison.

He's not such a bad guy, just in the wrong place at the wrong time (very John McClain-esque, eh?) So, when he is hitching a ride home at the end of his sentence -- on the Justice Prisoner Transportation System, "Con Air" -- things quickly begin to get out of hand when the criminals seize control of the plane. All the guy wants to do is make it back in time for his daughters birthday.

Meanwhile on the ground, U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin (John Cusack) attempts to thwart the efforts of his colleagues in shooting down the plane. He succeeds, and receives communication from good-guy Poe in the air via a subtle message written on the body of one of the dead prisoners that has fallen from the sky. Yes, it all sounds completely ridiculous, but that's all part of the fun.

Cage is deliberately over the top in his heroic character, and endures with a quiet confidence that everything will turn out okay in the end. It's almost a self-parody of the whole action genre when he says "What do you think I'm gonna do? I'm gonna save the fucking day," with him, of course, being the only man that can stop the criminals from escaping to their freedom.

Prior to the inevitable outcome, we're treated to some lasting impressions from each of the main bad guys. "Cyrus the Virus" (John Malkovich) is the head of the motley crew, and makes such an intriguing character: He's well educated, full of malice, and as quotable as they come. Ving Rhames is "Diamond Dawg" is badass as the black convict activist due rights for his movie; Johnny 23 (Danny Trejo) is menacing with the heart tattoos on his arm for each of his rape victims; and Harlem Greene (Steve Buscemi) is definitely memorable as the insane mass murderer.

Overall, Con Air delivers in terms of big budget explosions, lots of shootouts, and conflicting egos of masculinity. Even then, beneath it all, there is a heart-warming tale of a man wanting to be reunited with his family. Add to that Leanne Rhymes' song "How Do I Live" and you may actually find yourself wiping away a few tears at the ending. I definitely was, anyway (shame on me).

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.