While considered a joke today, in the 90s, Nicolas Cage was one of the biggest actors at the time. He achieved box office success with The Rock and Face/Off, and even won an Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas. At the same time, there was also Jerry Bruckheimer, a major Hollywood producer who rose to fame in the 80s. Alongside fellow producer Don Simpson, the two brought us Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, and Bad Boys. However, things went awry when Simpson and Bruckheimer disagreed over the concept of their next film, and the two separated. Unfortunately, Simpson passed away shortly after producing The Rock, and his death had little effect on the next film. Many feel that after Simpson’s death, the subsequent productions of Bruckheimer lost the age they had beforehand. That said, some of that edge from their earlier productions was still visible in 1997’s Con Air.
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Coming back from the war, Army Ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) returns home to his wife Tricia (Monica Potter). She works as a waitress at a bar where she gets hassled by some drunk guys. While defending her, Poe accidentally kills a guy and ends up getting put in prison for involuntary manslaughter. Cut to years later where Poe is granted parole and is free to return to his wife and new daughter. However, in order to get home, he has to board a plane full of convicts called the Jailbird. Things go well until the convicts, led by Cyrus Martinez (John Malcovich), take control of the plane. While FBI Agent Duncan Malloy (Colm Meany) wants to shoot them down, Agent Vince Larkin (John Cusack) thinks otherwise. With few options and little time left, it’s up to Poe to stop the convicts and return home.
Now, I’m not going to lie, this movie is pretty ridiculous and definitely a product of its time. There are cheesy one-liners, big set-pieces, total disregard for collateral damage, and a silly melodramatic love song that plays throughout. That said, this is still a fun example of how entertaining 90s action films were. While not as over-the-top as usual, Nick Cage is still fun to watch between his flowing mullet and thick accent. John Malcovich is fun as the villain, acting like he’s constantly annoyed and on edge, and has some great one-liners. Another stand-out is Steve Buscemi, who is essentially doing a toned-down version of Anthony Hopkins from Silence of the Lambs. There are also some great appearances from character actors like Danny Trejo, Ving Rhames, and M.C. Gainey. The action sequences are well-shot and the score gets you in the right mood.
Of course, this movie isn’t without its problems, but then again, no movie is perfect. For a major portion of the film, Monica Potter isn’t really given much to do. She just shows up at the beginning, appears here and there, and comes back at the end. Also, as fun as John Cusack is, there isn’t really much to his character except the rivalry with Colm Meany. Obviously, there’s no point in addressing the flaws with this film since it’s not trying to be high art. This is simply meant to be a big, dumb, fun summer blockbuster, and in that respect, it succeeds. Sure, it’s dated and feels like a product of its time, but it’s still a fun time. Con Air, while over-the-top and ridiculous, still has some fun action sequences and larger-than-life characters to keep you entertained.
