Common Sense Media Review
By Charles Cassady Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Ford makes farfetched action-hero-prez electable.
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Air Force One
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Based on 42 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is an entertaining action thriller featuring Harrison Ford as the heroic President, although many reviews argue that it should be rated PG-13 instead of R due to its violence and language. While some appreciate the film's suspense and positive messages about leadership and family, they caution that it contains intense scenes and graphic moments that might be disturbing for younger viewers.
- entertaining action
- questionable rating
- positive role models
- intense violence
- strong language
- family themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Shortly after the fall of Soviet communism, a U.S. commando team, with Kremlin cooperation, captures an upstart warlord general from his palace in Kazakhstan (this movie was made long before Borat turned poor Kazakhstan into a big joke). In appreciation, U.S. President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) flies with his wife and daughter to Moscow to thank the new Russian government. On the return flight aboard Air Force One, however, ruthless communist gunmen loyal to the deposed general violently hijack the plane, intending to use the First Family to bargain for their leader's release. At first both the marauders and the panicking U.S. authorities believe Marshall ejected in an escape pod -- but the Chief Executive, a Vietnam War hero, has secretly stayed behind on the imperiled plane, where he risks his life fighting back against the terrorists from within.
Is It Any Good?
This film's thrill-machine goes on at a jet-fueled pace that doesn't let up. Not even a politician would argue lumping AIR FORCE ONE in with the many, many imitators of Die Hard -- "It's Die Hard on a plane with the president!" is probably how the script pitch went -- but it's a well-made cinematic roller-coaster, even when stunts and dangers get over-the-top absurd.
What keeps the picture from crashing are good actors taking this popcorn stuff with utmost seriousness, reminding the viewer it's not just any CIA-Shaolin Temple muscleman-kickboxer-Green Beret-Navy SEAL up there, it's the president. Kudos to Harrison Ford, as not many actors could manage to make James Marshall believable as, all at once, an action hero, caring dad, virile husband, and a righteous and thoughtful Commander-in-Chief -- imagine Rambo) mixed with Josiah Bartlett . But Ford pulls it off. Largely thanks to him, this mayhem actually restores some of old-style Hollywood reverence and awe for the Oval Office, a quality so many films tore down since the 1960s and the Watergate scandal.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the actions undertaken by President Marshall. Should a U.S. president perform lone-wolf heroics like that? You can educate kids about the post-Cold War time period. Going further back, cite presidents who were war heroes and whether that translated into good leadership or not (compare George Washington to Ulysses S. Grant, for example). What did kids think of all the Cabinet bickering about authority and command protocol while President Marshall was in jeopardy?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 25, 1997
- On DVD or streaming : February 10, 1998
- Cast : Glenn Close , Harrison Ford , Wendy Crewson
- Director : Wolfgang Petersen
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Tristar
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 125 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence.
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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