Con Air

Con Air (1997)

  • 55% of critics liked it
    (62 reviews)

  • 77% of users liked it
    (390,278 ratings)

Former war hero Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) is sentenced to eight years in prison when he accidentally kills a man in a barroom brawl while defending his pregnant wife. When his release comes through, he's eager to see the daughter he's never met. However, Poe's original flight is delayed, so he's… More

R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By
Simon West
Written By
Scott Rosenberg
Genres
Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Jun 6, 1997 Wide
On DVD
Mar 24, 1998

Critic Reviews

  • Todd McCarthy, Variety

    Rosenberg's sarcastic, tough-guy dialogue is full of lean-and-mean one-liners, and the superbly cast actors know how to milk them for all they're worth.

  • Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

    They're 'the worst of the worst.' So's the movie.

  • Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

    Numbing but not boring, it's finally more dispiriting than exhilarating, like a wild night of debauchery that leaves only a fearsome hangover for a souvenir.

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    Sitting through this movie is like watching a dog running in circles chasing its tail -- the amusement factor dies quickly as the situation become repetitive.

  • Janet Maslin, New York Times

    All of the principals normally work in films more interesting and human than this one, which gives Con Air a touch of the subversive and turns it into a big-budget lark.

Read all 19 critic reviews

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

  • Jeff "


    Con Air, for me is a decent action film that is fairly entertaining despite the flaws. The film is a mindless action film that is fun. The performance from the actors range from decent to good to bad. John Malkovitch was the best actor in this film. I felt that the film could have… More

  • Manu G


    Buckle Up! Very exciting action movie. The story was good and entertaining. Very nice cast, lots of crazy people. If you like action this is a movie you must see. Cameron Poe is an Army Ranger who was going to go home to his pregnant wife when he got into a fight with three men. He… More

  • Spencer S


    This film's reaction and criticism seem to be based purely on taste. Let's look at the nitty gritty: we have a stellar cast, great use of explosions, and Nicolas Cage with a hillbilly haircut and an offputting Alabama accent. In review, yeah, these things can make for the… More

  • ♥Robyn


    this is a great movie which kept me on the edge of my seat with some of the best actors of our time, Nic Cage, John Malkovich, and John Cusack.Con Air is about these prisoners who have taken over an air plane meant to transfer some prisoners to other states and some are actually… More

  • Conner R


    You definitely can't watch it straight forward, then it would make no sense. However, when you think of all the outrageous and nonsensical action movies out there, Con Air comes to the top of the list. The dialogue is priceless, delivered by the masters of bizarre performances,… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast