Too much of everything

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

AIR FORCE ONE is one of the last wave of 'DIE HARD IN A...' Hollywood flicks inspired by the Bruce Willis blockbuster, although DIE HARD rip-offs would continue in B-movie cinema for years to come (and are still being made, in fact). This film has Harrison Ford's everyman US president tackling a gang of murderous Russian terrorists who have stormed Air Force One and are willing to sacrifice the hostages for their political ends. The film is dated and more than a little cheesy in some of the sentimental scenes (the black woman on the parachute is one of the most unintentionally hilarious scenes you'll find here) and the CGI effects haven't dated too well either. Otherwise, I really enjoyed it. Wolfgang Petersen brings some of the same claustrophobia as he mined in DAS BOOT and even manages to fit Jurgen Prochnow into a little role. Ford and Michael Douglas were my favourite Hollywood thriller stars of the 1980s and 1990s and Ford does well here as the tough yet believable character. There's plenty of suspense and action throughout and the latter scenes are well staged and exciting. Gary Oldman reprises his volatile villain role from LEON to strong effect and as a whole this is an entertaining package where you can just switch off and enjoy.

For a movie that recycles most of its ingredients from past action movies (especially "Die Hard"), "Air Force One" still manages to stand out relatively well in its own right. This is partially due to the high concept premise that's chock full of potential.In the movie, a group of terrorists hijack Air Force One, which is the official call sign of the aircraft carrying the President of the United States of America. Luckily, the President just happens to be a tough-as-nails Medal of Honor recipient (rather than, say, a blowhard with a combover). Obviously, these terrorists are about to experience some major turbulence.Starring as the President is Harrison Ford. There aren't too many actors that could pull off this role but Ford is one of them. His pedigree as an action hero is unquestionable but he's also convincing as a stalwart leader and a loving husband & father. His worthy adversary is played by the always captivating Gary Oldman, who contributes a deliciously villainous performance. The supporting cast is headed by the formidable Glenn Close as the Vice President and is otherwise studded with the likes of Dean Stockwell, William H. Macy & Philip Baker Hall.As I alluded to above, the story borrows heavily from other (better) action movies, particularly "Die Hard". In fact, there are so many parallels that you could say that this movie is basically "Die Hard" on a plane, with the President in place of John McClane. That being said, the "Die Hard" template translates very well to the setting of "Air Force One". Unfortunately, in the later stages the action gets somewhat ludicrous, possibly in an attempt to distinguish the movie from other similar excursions.The sometimes over-the-top action isn't the only problem with the narrative, though. The catalyst for the story is a betrayal by one of the American Secret Service agents. However, director Wolfgang Peterson felt that it was unnecessary to provide a glimpse into this character's motivation, so he ended up leaving an explanatory scene on the cutting room floor. This is particularly baffling since the character figures into the action fairly significantly but he basically remains a mystery.Generally, though, from a directorial standpoint, Wolfgang Peterson did a fine job. Before eventually going overboard, the movie is quite suspenseful. Unfortunately, another drawback of the excesses in the action department is that the special effects aren't quite convincing. At least the Jerry Goldsmith score provides a rousing backdrop even when the story goes off the rails.Ultimately, "Air Force One" is a decent action movie but one that loses its way in the late stages. Apart from the aforementioned misguided action sequences, the final showdown with the terrorists also leaves something to be desired. Even so, the movie's still worth watching since Ford & Oldman going head to head makes for compelling viewing for a large chunk of the movie's runtime.

No matter how many times I see this film, I am always on the edge of my seat. The tension of wondering if the president will be rescued is just a small part of it. It's hard to believe that my emotions are always the same; I guess this is what makes a good film.Every actor in this film makes me believe they are who they are portraying from the military officers to the "future postmaster general". The scenes between the president and his daughter -- well they are priceless! And the President and First Lady moments just make me want to put these two in the White House. I also like Glenn Close's version of the Vice President Bennet and her faith in President Marshall.

Throughout watching this movie I kept waffling between "this is a piece of crap, I've got to shut it off" and "this is freaking awesome!" So I sat through the whole thing.Yes, Air Force One has its moments of utter cheese but then there are also some surprisingly intense action scenes which mostly involved the actual plane, Air Force One or mid air refuelling or parachuting or fighter jets or Gary Oldman executing someone or Harrison Ford kicking ass.There's also some decent acting; Glen Close is really good as the Vice president as is William H Macy in what must have been an early role for him. Even Ford surprised me here with a couple of poignant scenes.The moments of flag waving patriotism and the ultimate "get off my plane" line upped the cheese factor but I have to admit in a fun way. 8/10/13