Con Air
A Touchstone Pictures Production
Starring: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi,
Ving Rhames, Colm Meaney
Category: Action-Adventure
Rating: R
Released: 1997
Available for rental.
Con Air is everything you won't expect. It's starts with a simple enough plot: plane-load of the worst imaginable convicts - murderers and rapists - meets Murphy's Law. But at the moments you might find yourself cringing in one direction, this tilt-a-whirl will take you in the opposite. Con Air is from the same duo who also brought us Top Gun and The Rock, Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer.
Nicolas Cage stars as ex-Army Ranger, almost ex-con Cameron Poe, on his last flight to parole. He's the good guy, the last best hope. Poe is driven by his desire to reunite with his wife and daughter - born three months after his incarceration and who he only knows through pictures and letters. Remember the Trisha Yearwood mega-hit "How do I Live Without You"? It's Poe's story.
John Malkovich stars as Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom. Cyrus is ironically the brains behind the hijack - ironic because he's out of his mind (typical Malkovich here). The main strong-arm is Ving Rhames as Nathan "Diamond Dog" Jones. And along for the ride is serial killer Garland "The Marietta Mangler" Greene, played with surprising grace and "restraint" by Steve Buscemi.
On the law side is John Cusack (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Grosse Pointe Blank), playing United States Marshal Vince Larkin - Con Air is his plane. Larkin is a sandal-wearing wonder, at complete odds with his DEA counterpart (played by Meaney). This is a Marshal who's more criminal psychologist than tracker - although he does that just as well.
Con Air is rated for its violent content, adult themes, and language. It's not for kids, but gets a thumb's up anyway for taking the road less traveled.
Thumb's Up!
Copyright 1999 by Kathe
