Air Force One (1997)

78% of critics liked it
(51 reviews)
62% of users liked it
(355,052 ratings)

In this action drama, Harrison Ford plays James Marshall, a onetime combat hero in the Vietnam War who is now President of the United States. While visiting the former Soviet Union, Marshall gives a speech in which he supports a get-tough attitude against both terrorists and a right-wing general and… More In this action drama, Harrison Ford plays James Marshall, a onetime combat hero in the Vietnam War who is now President of the United States. While visiting the former Soviet Union, Marshall gives a speech in which he supports a get-tough attitude against both terrorists and a right-wing general and war criminal from Kazakhstan imprisoned in Moscow, earning him few friends in the Eastern Bloc. While flying back to the United States aboard Air Force One, Marshall and his staff discover that one of the journalists returning with them is actually Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman), a Kazakhstani terrorist, who hijacks the plane with three associates and holds the president hostage -- with his wife and daughter on board. Marshall must use his strength and intelligence to keep the terrorists at bay and devise a plan to allow his family to escape to safety, while on the ground the vice-president (Glenn Close), the secretary of defense (Dean Stockwell), and the attorney general (Philip Baker Hall) grapple over what to do and how much control to take in this crisis. Slam-bang action sequences and plot twists fly fast and furious in this nail-biter from director Wolfgang Petersen, who previously generated suspense under water (rather than in the air) with Das Boot. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 4 min.
Directed By: Wolfgang Petersen
Written By: Andrew W. Marlowe
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Jul 25, 1997 Wide
On DVD: Feb 1, 1998
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Critic Reviews

, Globe and Mail
...it flies on and on until its power to hold us simply peters out.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
It's a great ride.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Moments of silliness are more than balanced by Petersen's extraordinary ability to keep this movie flight-worthy, Ford's almost-executive presence and an outstanding performance from Oldman.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Air Force One doesn't insult the audience. It is crafted by a film-maker who takes pride in the thrills and sly fun he packs into every frame.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
A piece of expertly crafted entertainment that gets the job done with skill and panache
Todd McCarthy, Variety
Seeing the president of the United States as a kick-butt action hero pretty much sums up the appeal of Air Force One
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media
Ford makes farfetched action-hero-prez electable.
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
[An] unabashedly jingoistic action extravaganza starring Harrison Ford as...'The Ass-Kicking President'...[Blu-ray]
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
The bad guys are the original snakes on a plane, and they don't care who they bite.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
As the familiar cat-and-mouse plot unfolded, I let myself enjoy the unapologetic masculine thrills.
Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
It's embarrassing to see [Ford] hanging by a thread ... behind his own 747. No image better fits the fragile state of his [career] at this point... he's losing his grip.
Manohla Dargis, L.A. Weekly
Most of the time it's a kick.
Wade Major, Boxoffice Magazine
Unfortunately, as the film winds to a close, claustrophobic tension once again gives way to overblown digital effects and set pieces.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Ford and company do keep things going at a fast, fun pace

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Alexander D

By now, we know Wolfgang Petersen as someone who has a fondness for making motion pictures about danger at sea. His directorial credits have included DAS BOOT, a German war epic about the crew of a U-96 boat; THE PERFECT STORM, a disaster movie about the Andrea Gail fishing vessel… More
By now, we know Wolfgang Petersen as someone who has a fondness for making motion pictures about danger at sea. His directorial credits have included DAS BOOT, a German war epic about the crew of a U-96 boat; THE PERFECT STORM, a disaster movie about the Andrea Gail fishing vessel struck by a hurricane; and POSEIDON, a tedious remake of 1972?s THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. Looking at the almost-fifteen-year-old AIR FORCE ONE, he should stick to plane mayhem instead. I have yet to see DAS BOOT, but I was disappointed with THE PERFECT STORM, and I try not to talk about how big the question mark hanging over my head was when I watched POSEIDON. The level to which his thrills elevate in AIR FORCE ONE is insurmountable. We could give this nod to Harrison Ford, as well. The best of his career has consisted of nothing but pure excitement: WITNESS, STAR WARS, BLADE RUNNER, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, to name a few. Even in the worst of his movies, his performances have always been strong and brave. Of any actor famous from the '70s onward, he would be the absolute first pick as a role for the President of the United States. READ MORE ABOUT THIS MOVIE ABOUT PRESIDENT FORD (WELL, SORT OF): http://themoviefreakblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/review-air-force-one
Albert K

GETOFFMYPLANE. A good time at the movies.
Joe M

Get off my plane!
moon r

The President of the U.S.of A. as not just a voice on the radio or a image on the television but as a guy who'll put knuckles in your face if crossed: patriotic blah-blah sure but cute whimsy.
Brad W

Fun and exciting, but lacks a WTF feel to it. Ford was good but nothing new. And a decent story.
Candy R

Typical American hero film. Foreign bad guys kidnap the president on board his plane. Harrison saves the day! I watched it in US and everyone stood up and clapped at the end of the film.
Chris W

This film really isn't all that origina lor unique, but I give it high marks because it is fun, entertaining, and I have a personal soft sot for it. I love that they take advantage of the setting. Hostages movies on a plane were nothing new by 1997, but I like movies that use… More
This film really isn't all that origina lor unique, but I give it high marks because it is fun, entertaining, and I have a personal soft sot for it. I love that they take advantage of the setting. Hostages movies on a plane were nothing new by 1997, but I like movies that use an isolated or limited space to produce scares or tension. Just because a movie does this though doesn;t mean it is good or that I will like it. It has to have some other good stuff to, but using the setting to the film's advantage definitely helps. Ford is relaible as always as an aging yet still credible action star. Gary Oldman pretty much owns this movie, stealing every scene, and being a generally terrific and menacing villain. The movie is predictable, and liberties with realism are taken, but that's okay, because this movie is supposed to be escapist fun, and not a docudrama about a "what if?" type of scenario. The movie is a little cheesy with it's uber patriotism, but it's still a lot fo fun. The score isn't too bad either.
Jeff "

Air Force One is a terrific film. It boasts some strong performances by everyone, Gary Oldman is terrific as the villain. He is just jaw dropping. I think that Gary Oldman is seriously an underrated talent, and he deserves more praise than he gets. Both Harrison Ford and Oldman keep… More
Air Force One is a terrific film. It boasts some strong performances by everyone, Gary Oldman is terrific as the villain. He is just jaw dropping. I think that Gary Oldman is seriously an underrated talent, and he deserves more praise than he gets. Both Harrison Ford and Oldman keep this film afloat by bringing some believable acting to the table. Also worth mentioning is the performance of Glenn Close who was great as the vice President. Air Force One is a superb action film brilliantly directed by Wolfgang Peterson director of Das Boot (one of the best War films ever made) and In The Line Of Fire. Overall this is a solid work cinematic action and is a very enjoyable popcorn flick, Air Force One is one bad a$$ed thrill ride!
Al S

A riveting and adrenaline-charged action-packed thriller. It's explosive, high-flying and tension-packed from start to finish. A strong and very suspenseful film that's packed with explosive action and great performances. Harrison Ford is at the top of his form. Gary Oldman… More
A riveting and adrenaline-charged action-packed thriller. It's explosive, high-flying and tension-packed from start to finish. A strong and very suspenseful film that's packed with explosive action and great performances. Harrison Ford is at the top of his form. Gary Oldman is brilliant. Glen Close is terrific.
Film C

well gary oldman looks gorgeous whoo watching it! Well its alright, i mean a bit of a cheesy political movie, where you feel sorry for the people who layed down there lives to be honest lol!! Gary Oldman looks gorgeous and i love william H macy!! its alright not the best… More
well gary oldman looks gorgeous whoo watching it! Well its alright, i mean a bit of a cheesy political movie, where you feel sorry for the people who layed down there lives to be honest lol!! Gary Oldman looks gorgeous and i love william H macy!! its alright not the best movie in the world!!
Conner R

A great action thriller. Harrison Ford plays the ultimate president, who can solve terrorist problems in a number of different ways. Gary Oldman made for a perfect villain, a great match for Harrison Ford. The story is fun and well executed.
Anthony L

It crashed in more ways than one!
Jason O

I'd like to see this one again to see what my true opinion of it is, but I remember being rather disappointed in it the one time I did see it.
Thomas B

an interesting concept with one great line. cool movie.
Dan S

A thriller that is consistently entertaining and features two rock-solid performances from Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman. Although it is entirely implausible, the thrills come by the minute, and you can't help but root for Ford as the President. Also fun seeing one of my favorite… More
A thriller that is consistently entertaining and features two rock-solid performances from Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman. Although it is entirely implausible, the thrills come by the minute, and you can't help but root for Ford as the President. Also fun seeing one of my favorite character actors, Xander Berkeley, pop up here as a secret service agent. Definitely worth a look, especially for the line Ford delivers - "Get off my plane"
Jani H

"Get off my plane!" What happened here? What happened to Wolfgang Petersen? After making his true masterpiece with 'Das Boot' back in '81, he managed to do another hit with 'In the Line of Fire' in '93. I must admit that I haven't seen so… More
"Get off my plane!" What happened here? What happened to Wolfgang Petersen? After making his true masterpiece with 'Das Boot' back in '81, he managed to do another hit with 'In the Line of Fire' in '93. I must admit that I haven't seen so many of his earlier work, when he worked in Germany, but I do believe that he must be more lucky than talented. With this I mean that his masterpieces have had so talented casts that they've made a bigger impact on the films success than Mr Petersen himself. I can't really forgive him for making 'Poseidon' and this crappy thriller/action waste of time. In '96 'Independence Day' featured a young, former fighter pilot turned US president with Bill Pullman. The movie was a big hit so of course there was no choice but to bring a superpresident back on the big screen. The film gave the studio shitload of money. Thank God they didn't make a sequel. Guess they knew they were lucky too.... The story is so... Having trouble finding a proper, more intellectual word. The only word I can get from the depths of my brain is so simple. So accurate. Crap. Fighting terrorists, single handed in the most protected airplane in the world. With William H. Macy on board. Please! Anti-terrorism is a key word of today but do they have to make bad and not credible movies about it? 'Air Force One' has a lot of these so called A-list stars. Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close etc but they all seem so wrongly cast. They aren't at all convincing in their roles. Such a waste... And if there is something I hate is an actor who acts with terrible dialect. Why can't they cast an actor that actually has the origins they intended the character to have? I see no point why people should see this film. It is not the worst film made but it is so far fetched that it only makes it not good. At all. If a film advertises itself as an action thriller, you'd think that at least the action would be good. Wrong again. Avoid.
Cassandra M

#6 Air force one If only a president could be more like Indiana Jones. Then the global economic crisis could be prevented or handled with just a crack of that fantastic whip. Take that, banking crisis. President Marshall (Ford) manages to thwart a gang of murderous terrorists from… More
#6 Air force one If only a president could be more like Indiana Jones. Then the global economic crisis could be prevented or handled with just a crack of that fantastic whip. Take that, banking crisis. President Marshall (Ford) manages to thwart a gang of murderous terrorists from aboard his own plane. Sure, we never learn much about President Marshall's health plan, stance on environmental issues, or energy policies, but when it comes to punching out baddies, you always know where he stands. President Speak: "GET OFF MY PLANE!"
Curtis L

Patriotic garbage, but hey it has gary oldman being awesome.
Aaron N

President James Marshall: Did you hear my speech? Grace: Yeah. President James Marshall: Yeah? Grace: You're gonna get yourself re-elected. President James Marshall: That's what I keep telling them. Harrison Ford stars in this hostage thriller as the President of the United… More
President James Marshall: Did you hear my speech? Grace: Yeah. President James Marshall: Yeah? Grace: You're gonna get yourself re-elected. President James Marshall: That's what I keep telling them. Harrison Ford stars in this hostage thriller as the President of the United States, who's own private plane, Air Force One, has been hijacked by a terrorist group led by Gary Oldman. The terrorists want a radical Russian General released from prison and are prepared to do what it takes to achieve that. Problem is, Harrison Ford doesn't escape his plane, he stays on and decides to turn the tables on the hijackers, which is especially important since he just made a speech declaring the United States unwillingness to ever negotiate with terrorists. President James Marshall: If this works, you get to be Postmaster General. Is this a great movie, no, but Harrison Ford as a badass president ready to kick ass instead of handing out gifts to terrorists, is good enough for me. Then you have Oldman playing another crazy villain complete with enough over-the-top action to keep things moving. Plus, you have a supporting cast that includes Bill Macy and Glenn Close, director Wolfgang Peterson who knows how to make a thriller work, and a score that so cheesily injects patriotic themes that you don't mind the number of explosions that take place. President James Marshall: I'm counting on you, red, white and blue. This is the kind of movie that comes on TV and doesn't get turned off, because its fun and easy to watch in the background. Egor Korshunov: I want General Radek released from prison. President James Marshall: How can I do that? I can't do that! DON'T ASK ME FOR SOMETHING I CAN'T GIVE YOU! Apparently the movie was originally setup for Kevin Costner to play the president, but he handed it off to Ford when he still had work to do on The Postman. Another great thing to come out of this movie - no Costner. President James Marshall: GET OFF MY PLANE! (of course I put this quote in)
Craig S

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen. Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson, William H. Macy. << "Never again will I allow our political self-interest to deter us from… More
Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen. Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson, William H. Macy. << "Never again will I allow our political self-interest to deter us from doing what we know to be morally right. Atrocity and terror are not political weapons. And to those who would use them, your day is over. We will never negotiate. We will no longer tolerate and we will no longer be afraid. It's your turn to be afraid." >> The story follows the president of the U.S in Moscow who just told the world that his new personal regime is to not negotiate with terrorists. Soon after, on the flight home, Russian neo-nationalists hijack Air Force One disguised as reporters and it is up to the president who is the planes only hope, to save the day. What follows is simply silly, stupid and kind of insulting to anyone's intelligence that is switched on during this film. I had a feeling it would be mindless but never thought it would be so blatant. The screenplay has the right bearings (no pun intended) and knows, at times what it is talking, mainly politically, but before long we are slapped in the face with some extremely stupid setups (only a number keypad for the 'secure and secret' gun locker on Air Force One?) and moral decisions that just showed how blind and undeveloped some of these characters and ideas really are. Thankfully it doesn't pull the film under as much as you would expect, but even when you choose to turn your brain off, you still notice it. Wolfgang Petersen is at his best here...but is that really saying something? The man does have the potential to be something more and shows that in brief moments where the claustrophobia and tension does kick in nicely, but before long deteriorates to over-the-top set pieces and action sequences that don't exactly have the best special effects to support it, but at least he knew when to step back and let the leads have there chance and keeps the film going on a thin line through its worst moments. And saying that, the performances are pretty damn acceptable. Harrison Ford is given the obvious and has many major scenes where he kicks major ass and really is as we all know him, but funnily enough he is also given a few brief chances to show how strong and focused he really can be as an actor. Gary Oldman is brilliant as always and is easily a memorable villain this time around. Air Force One is saved from being a very middling actioner to a degree by the outstanding performances by Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman, as expected and a few rare moments of excitement delivered by Wolfgang, but I also can't deny that the film has one quality to its side...it's simply big, dumb fun.