Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Guns, fights, attempted rape in unimaginative action movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
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Air Force One Down
What's the Story?
In AIR FORCE ONE DOWN, Allison Miles (Katherine McNamara) trains to become a member of the Secret Service like her uncle, Sam Waitman (Anthony Michael Hall). On her first day on the job, she's asked to fill in for an absent agent on Air Force One. It's an exciting day, until terrorists hijack the plane and, armed with insider knowledge likely provided by a mole, dispatch every single agent on board—except Agent Miles. She manages to get to President Edwards (Ian Bohen) and parachute him off the plane. Unfortunately, they land in enemy territory, right in the hands of General Rodinov (Rade Serbedzija), the terrorist who engineered the evil plot.
Is It Any Good?
An action thriller that's as scant on imagination and logic as it is on budget, this tired movie at least has a promising hero, but it unfortunately betrays her by doing everything wrong. Coming from the writer of the Baby Geniuses movies, Air Force One Down starts not with character development but rather with flat dialogue about Agent Miles' opinion of the president ("he had everything handed to him"). This is followed by ridiculous shortcuts to get the rookie agent on the plane on her first day, and then the terrorists take over as if nothing were standing in their way.
When the movie finally slows down, it's more of the same: opinions and statements, rather than personalities. Everyone seems to have some kind of agenda, and none of it makes much sense. But perhaps Air Force One Down's most perplexing decision is to spend so much of its running time watching Miles punch, kick, shoot, stab, and otherwise blitz dozens of villains. The choreography is fine, but the cinematography isn't: It's shaky, choppy, and often ill-lit. But it's the sheer bludgeoning repetition that kills it. It's relentlessly tiresome. Air Force One Down isn't even creative enough to choose a title that would distance it from the much better Air Force One (1997). Star McNamara clearly put in the work for this movie, and she deserved better.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Air Force One Down's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Do you consider Allison Miles a role model? Why, or why not? Why is it atypical to see a woman in this kind of role?
How are drinking and smoking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
Do you agree with the movie's assertion that people should do things by themselves and that taking "handouts" is wrong? Why, or why not?
How do you feel about the fictional President Edwards? Do you agree with his policies? His personality? How do you think he'd fare in real life?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 9, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : February 13, 2024
- Cast : Katherine McNamara , Ian Bohen , Anthony Michael Hall , Rade Serbedzija
- Director : James Bamford
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Paramount Global Content Distribution
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence throughout and language
- Last updated : February 19, 2024
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