Air America (1990)

13% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
37% of users liked it
(47,068 ratings)

Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. play a couple of what-the-hell flyboys flying contraband to Laos during the Vietnam War. Gibson doesn't seem to care about anything but the "guts and glory" aspects of the job, but Downey has serious questions about the moral implications of their mission. When a… More Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. play a couple of what-the-hell flyboys flying contraband to Laos during the Vietnam War. Gibson doesn't seem to care about anything but the "guts and glory" aspects of the job, but Downey has serious questions about the moral implications of their mission. When a Laotian general expresses more concern over the wellbeing of an opium shipment than the men who are risking life and limb to fly it in, Gibson comes around to Downey's way of thinking. By film's end, Gibson is stuck in one of those character-building dilemmas so common to films of this nature: should he deliver his cache of weaponry, or should he dump it all to rescue a bunch of refugees? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 53 min.
Directed By: Roger Spottiswoode
Written By: John Eskow, Richard Rush
Genres: Action & Adventure, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 10, 1990 Wide
On DVD: Jul 25, 2000
Studio: Live Home Video

Critic Reviews

Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
Air America never finds a righteous pace -- it's an expensive ghost town mood with two handsome leads spending their screentime mentally cashing their paychecks.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Everybody on-screen seems awfully bored.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Full of action and Mel Gibson.
Larry Carroll, Countingdown.com
An interesting storyline, but it's mostly a waste of time.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Gibson does what he can, but not even Olivier could salvage this one.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Dean !

Just about remember seeing this ages ago. It was quite a funny film with a fair bit of action and 2 good male leads.
Conner R

Such an interesting take on the surrounding conflict in Vietnam. It manages to infuse buddy comedy flawlessly with a truly serious situation. Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. are as good a pair as you can find, they play off of each other like they had been best friends for life. The… More
Such an interesting take on the surrounding conflict in Vietnam. It manages to infuse buddy comedy flawlessly with a truly serious situation. Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. are as good a pair as you can find, they play off of each other like they had been best friends for life. The drug trade aspect is dealt with in a serious matter, but it does make the movie serious and it certainly doesn't lose its power as an action comedy. Visually, most people might be surprised by this. It's actually a lot more impressive than you'd expect.
Anthony L

I really like this film, I don't own it but I always make sure I watch it when it?s on TV!
Al S

An awsome comedy that never gets old. A terifficly entertaining mixture of buddy comedy, adventure and black ops. Mel Gibson and Robert Downy Jr. have fantastic chemistry. This film has you falling down in laughter.
Cindy I

The only reason I wanted to see this was because Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr were both in it and they both were hot. And that's pretty much all I got out of it. A couple of hours of eye candy.
Phil H

What a surprise this was, looked naff when I saw the trailer all those moons ago but it turned out to be funny and enjoyable. Cant quite put my finger on it, there's just something so likeable here, Gibson and Downey work well together, it all looks so fun and relaxing doing… More
What a surprise this was, looked naff when I saw the trailer all those moons ago but it turned out to be funny and enjoyable. Cant quite put my finger on it, there's just something so likeable here, Gibson and Downey work well together, it all looks so fun and relaxing doing there job, makes you wanna join up n bum around in the air force to haha
Jason D

Very poor and boring movie.
xGary X

I find the concept of this film absolutely bizarre...a story about CIA black ops during the Vietnam war. Played for laughs?? If you can ignore the obvious tastelessness of the whole idea, Gibson and Downey Jr. actually have some great chemistry and it IS quite funny. A guilty pleasure… More
I find the concept of this film absolutely bizarre...a story about CIA black ops during the Vietnam war. Played for laughs?? If you can ignore the obvious tastelessness of the whole idea, Gibson and Downey Jr. actually have some great chemistry and it IS quite funny. A guilty pleasure indeed.
danny d

great flick. mel was good and they had good chemistry together
Ross C

Comical account of the CIA's involvement in the vietnam war.
Dean M

It's not a bad action-comedy of two devil-may-care pilots during Vietnam War.

Read all 11 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Mel Gibson as Gene Ryack

            Robert Downey Jr. as Billy Covington

            Nancy Travis as Corinne Landreaux

            Ken Jenkins as Maj. Donald Lemond

            David Marshall Grant as Rob Diehl

            Lane Smith as Sen. Davenport

            Art La Fleur as Jack Neely

            Ned Eisenberg as Pirelli

            Marshall Bell as O.V.

            David Bowe as Saunders

            Burt Kwouk as Gen. Lu Soong

            Tim Thomerson as Babo

            Burke Byrnes as Recruiter

            Sinjai Hongthai as Gene's Wife

            Harvey Jason as Nino

            Greg Kean as DJ

            Ernie Lively as Truck Driver

            Meesak Naakkarat as Nightclub Singer

            Natta Nantatani as Gene's Daughter

            Purin Panichpan as Gene's Son

            Chanarong Suwanapa as Kwahn

            Yani Tramod as Gene's Brother-in-Law

            Wasan Uttamayodhin as Nightclub Singer

            Chet Vimol as Tribal Warrior

            Roger Welty as Ambassador
See full cast

Air America (1990)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Cast

Trailers & Clips