Customer Reviews

Con Air

5 star:		(104)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

MOVIE: Con Air, an incredibly loud and in your face action movie that does what it sets out to do. Recently Disney has released a bunch of Jerry Bruckheimer produced "unrated" DVD's. Con Air was re-released with Crimson Tide and Enemy Of The State. This so called "unrated" edition is nothing but a marketing ploy, but we did need new editions of these Bruckheimer action extravaganzas. Con Air, directed by Simon West, is a flick about a man who is sent to prison after accidentally killing a man during a bar brawl. The opening scene and credits are set to a montage of Cage writing letters to his daughter that was born while he was in prison, and she writes back. So basically it's a narrated reading of the letters back and forth. Okay, we got the character development out of the way in about five minutes, now time for the action. Cameron Poe (Cage) is put on a plane to be sent back home, but he is transported with other hardened criminals. Cyrus The Virus (John Malkovich) has other plans though, and he stages a takeover of the plane. Let the mindless but fun action ensue. Nicolas Cage sports a bad southern accent, long hair, and pumped up biceps and is our protagonist. The movie has some bad dialogue and some cliched scenes, but it never takes itself seriously. We also get Mark Mancina and Trevor Rabin's full blown action score. Mancina and Rabin are members of Hans Zimmer's studio at Media Ventures, and Bruckheimer almost exclusively uses Zimmer or one of the composers that collaborate with him. The score is all electronic based, but it suits the movie well. As for the "unrated" material, there is basically nothing. The original running time was 115 minutes, so that makes 7 minutes of added footage. There really isn't anything more in terms of violence and action, just some awkward dialogue scenes that didn't really fit. So, yes, in a way the added footage hinders the movie if that's possible.

ACTING: The movie also has a topnotch cast. Nicolas Cage, who is a favorite when it comes to Jerry Bruckheimer, is great as Cameron Poe the simple southern boy. John Malkovich steals the show as the movie's antagonist. He plays a serial killer yet adds class to the character. John Cusack plays the good cop who is back on the ground trying to handle the situation and believes that Poe is a good guy. So, you see the characters are pretty much cardboard cutouts, but they work. We have some great support from Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, and good ol' Dave Chappelle.

VIDEO: The original release came with a non-anamorphic transfer, which is why this release is appreciated. This release comes with an anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer. The picture is sharp, no signs of any major flaws.

AUDIO:The sound mix isn't the best, it's pretty much the same thing from the old disc, a basic 5.1 Dolby Digital track. It's not as spread out as I'd like it to be, but it's okay.

SPECIAL FEATURES: None. When you have no special features, that's a sign that this DVD's only purpose is to sucker in losers like myself into buying them. Oh well, I enjoyed it and don't mind double dipping for a better transfer.

BOTTOM LINE: They should have just thrown in a featurette or something to at least show some effort was put into it. I feel a little cheated that there is absolutely nothing on this set, especially since the added footage is pretty much crud. For those who don't own it, get this edition. However, if you do own it then don't double dip unless you really liked the movie or if you have a widescreen set that would benefit from the anamorphic transfer. Con Air is your typical mid 90's Bruckheimer actionfest. Nothing here to intrigue your mind, just entertain it.

Pound for pound, for pure fun, this is one of the greatest movies ever. Please note that I said for pure fun. I'm not comparing this movie to "Ben Hur," "I, Cladius," "Shakespeare In Love," or any other movie that has a great deal of scope & breadth. Again, I'm only talking about movies that are for unfettered entertainment's sake.

"Con Air" is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, and you shouldn't, either. This is a Bruckenheimer movie that is heavy on action and comedy, and light on plot & character development. Yes, most of the movie is absurd, but it is also absurd in a fun way.

The cast is absolutely impeccable, featuring Nicholas Cage, John Malchovich, Steve Buscemi and John Cusack. We even get Colm Meaney as an irate Irish DEA agent - a wonderful touch! The direction is superb, and Trevor Rabin delivers yet another riveting score.

This is a can't miss for anyone who wants to sit back & watch an hour & a half of hilarious mayhem. This is what I would call a guy movie - squared!

Con Air is a good action film and several things keep it alive. One is acting. John Malkovich is good as Cyrus "the Virus" Grissom, who claims he's killed more people than cancer. John Cusack is in good form as U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin, who owns the plane the criminals take over, named "the Jailbird". Nicolas Cage delivers one of his best performances as Cameron Poe, a decorated military hero who is catching a ride home after being in prison for 8 years for defending his wife in a bar fight. Other good performances were by Steve Buscemi as serial killer Garland Greene and Ving Rhames (Mission:Impossible) as Nathan "Diamond Dog" Jones. The musical score was very good. There are a few plotholes but hey, there aren't too many movies that don't have a few plotholes here and there. Another good thing is action. Most of the action on board the plane is hand-to-hand combat. Probably the best action scene in the movie is where the criminals stop to get a new plane. U.S. troops attack them in a long and great gunfight. The other action sequence is when Cusack and Cage chase Cyrus on motorcycles through a tunnel in Las Vegas. It is very humorous when the plane is crashing and Garland Greene is singing "He's got the whole world in His hands". At the Academy Awards Con Air was nominated for two things:Best Sound and Best Original Song. It did not win either. Though Con Air may be a level below Crimson Tide, The Rock, and Air Force One, it's still a great action film

Most people don't consider this movie to be an action-comedy, but is. This is definetly John Malkovich's funniest movie. It is about a plane transporting deadly convicts across the country, until it is taken over by the convicts. The convicts include, Cyrus "the virus" Grissom (Malkovich), a deadly killing machine who's violated every law in the book. A black-supremeist leader "Diamond Dog" (Ving Rhames), and a quiet, psychotic killer, Garland Greene (Buschimi) who's creepy in his own little way. Cyrus's plans are fouled by a parolee, Cameron Poe (Nicholas Cage), an ex-army ranger charged with manslaughter returing home to see his family. This movie is packed with action, plenty of laughs, and great actors give this movie two thumbs up.

Nothing. Not even a trailer. What a wasted opportunity for a commentary by West (who does do them -- he did one for When A Stranger Calls) or a retrospective featurette.

All you do get with this extended version is additional dialogue between Cusack's character and a female law enforcement officer in a hanger, footage of a prison riot during the opening credits montage and a few more graphic shots of hapless inmates being killed during the course of the movie.

I don't see see what was so wrong with this movie. I heard a lot of people complaining about it but I really liked it. You got give these guys their due. Here, in this movie, you've got a good cast, cool dialogue, and a non-stop action thrill ride.

Cameroen Poe is just being released from prison, boarding a flight filled with the world's meanest, baddest bad guys, two of which are top priority: Siris the virus and diamond dog. John malkovich does a great villian. He always does. But now, after the flight gets overtaken, Cameroen Poe is forced to save the day once again. It's hard not to find this movie funny or entertaining. Enjoy!

Well, Con Air is an action film. There's no escaping that. And when the name Jerry Bruckheimer pops up in the opening credits, we know it's going to be a big action film in every sense of the word.

Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) is a retired US Ranger who, the day of his return, gets involved in a drunken brawl protecting his wife from some local thugs, accidentaly killing one of them during the scuffle. It's not long before he's convicted and sent to prison for his crime.
Determined not to screw up again, Poe spends the next five years or so growing his hair and doing push-ups, from what we see in the opening shots. Eventually he gets paroled and he and his friend, Baby-O are brought on board The Jailbird - a lumbering troop transport designed to fly prisoners around the country.

But they are not alone on this aircraft. Onboard are an assortment of master criminals and general nutters from all over the country. There's super-clever Cyrus the Virus (a shaven-headed John Malkovich), black militant Diamond Dog (big bloke Ving Rhames), serial rapist Johnny 23 (greasy Danny Trejo) and creepy mass murderer Garland Green (Steve Buscemi).
Needless to say, it's not long before the cons break out and take control of the aircraft. With Baby-O dying from lack of insulin, Poe is forced to remain on the aircraft and try somehow to get things under control. On the ground, Federal Marshall Vince Larkin (John Cusack) does his best to calm things down and work out just how the hell to stop the whole thing turning into a bloodbath.

The plot isn't anything spectacular, but at least it's better than the likes of Armageddon. The first two-thirds of the film are relatively slow, with Poe skulking around the aircraft and generally doing his best to help the good guys without getting himself killed.
It's only in the last half-hour that the film succumbs to the inevitable Bruckheimer influence and disintegrates into an orgy of guns, explosions and even a bit of fist-fighting. Still, the action sequences are solidly staged and competently shot, particularly the battle in the deserted airfield.
The only real problem is that the film just doesn't know when to stop. After crashing an aircraft into the heart of Las Vegas, we're then treated to a fire truck chase through casino's, tunnels and even construction sites, resulting in a totally over-the-top death for the villain. The film reaches a high with the airplane crash, but it keeps going for more and by the time Cyrus is finally disposed of, it comes as an anti-climax.

The performances are good rather than great. Malkovich, since his performance in The Line Of Fire, has become the new Alan Rickman - a thinking mans bad guy. He's always ready with a sarcastic remark or witty postulation and he certainly looks nasty enough, but he doesn't really have the presence to carry off the role.
Cage turns in a solid performance as all round good-guy Cameron Poe, but after the likes of The Rock and Face/Off, this film certainly doesn't push his limits as he mumbles his way through his simple-Simon dialogue. Still, he seems to have put in some hard time at the gym for this movie, and wastes little time on showing off his new physique.

The rest of the actors are there mostly as cannon fodder or comic relief. John Cusack does what he can in what is really quite a limited role, while Steve Buscemi turns in one of his patented 'Creepy little guy' performances, still managing to raise a few laughs with his occasionally insightful remarks.

The soundtrack for Con Air is top class, perfectly summing up the mood of the film. There's a lot of heavy bass whenever one of the villains strolls up (usually in slow motion) and plenty of electric guitar during the fight sequences. The dialogue is rather intermediate, mostly witty and entertaining, but occasionally flat and dull. At least most of the puns are good. Upon seeing a sports car hanging in the air behind their plane, Poe remarks simply, "On any other day, that might seem strange."

All in all, a good movie with some interesting and stylish touches. Above average, but not a classic.

This is a classic 90's Action Movie. As such, you either like it or you don't; so I will not discuss the quality of the movie.

The blu-ray is of excellent quality and certainly brings me back to when I first saw it in theaters. The detail is crisp in each scene and even when the action is fast paced. The audio is sharp.

My recommendation is if you enjoy 90's action movies, this is a must have.

I was suprised by how subtle some of the extended footage was and some of it being not so subtle. The footage certainly adds depth to the storyline, the relationship between Poe and Baby-O and why poe made the choices he did other than "just" being a Ranger. While the extended and unrated footage isn't to the extent of say Aliens or Terminator 2 it amazes me how 7 additional minutes can add so much to an already great film.

The bottom line is you've probably seen the movie many times and are wondering if an unrated and extended edition is worth buying the movie again or maybe you don't own it and are asking why not just buy the theatrical version? It seemed to me being unrated it was a bit more graphic, a bit more blood, a bit more violent,and there are many, many more f-boms thrown in including a new great one liner between Cameron Poe and Johnny 23. This is the definitive version of the film.

This is the throw everyting including the kitchen sink edition. The widescreen looks good and clear, the sound is crisp it's an enjoyable film with a great cast, a movie you'd expect to hit theaters with all the other Summer Blockbusters. So some of the extended and unrated footage works, some works really well and some falls flat, some could have stayed out of the movie but for the most part it adds to the enjoyment of the movie. For instance some thing that may not have been on screen you just assumed or figured out for yourself and now it's right there for you to see and hear.

With the constant deluge of new movies being released either in theaters or onto DVD and Blu-ray, it often proves difficult to find the time to revisit older favorites that haven't been watched in quite awhile. This was most recently the case with the 1997 action hit "Con Air". I remembered thoroughly enjoying this movie upon its release to theaters 12 years ago, and having re-watched it again, I discovered that I still enjoy it just as much to this day.

"Con Air" is the story of parolee Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage), a former Army Ranger, who's placed into the middle of an extremely deadly situation when the prison airplane that he's aboard is overtaken by the other prisoners. Now, Poe must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds against some of the worst society has to offer in order to make it home to his family in time for his daughter's birthday.

This movie proudly features all the elements that are crucial for any successful blockbuster action flick. From the relentless pacing, hard-hitting action sequences, clearly defined roles of good and evil, and even a little bit of humor, "Con Air" ticked off every box on the action movie checklist. Over the course of the film, the proceedings never felt tired, boring or lacking in entertainment value. Of course, one would expect nothing less when Hollywood's most prolific action film producer, Jerry Bruckheimer ("Armageddon") is overseeing the project.

Written by Scott Rosenberg ("Gone in 60 Seconds") and directed by Simon West ("Lara Croft: Tomb Raider") the film moves along at a very brisk pace from start to finish. The execution from page to screen, is that of a smash-mouth actioner that is fully aware of who its audience is and what they expect, all the while delivering in full.

Rosenberg's script would never be recognized as being one of the great dramatic screenplays of our time, not that anyone would expect such an achievement from this type of film. That being said, the script is jam-packed with sharp, quick-witted dialogue and engaging characters that draw you in no matter how depraved they may be. If a writer can make characters that represent the basest criminals of our society interesting, and dare I say entertaining to watch, then everything else should just fall into place. On the flip side, perhaps it's not a good thing to make these types of people entertaining to audiences. Maybe the fact that something like this is acceptable is just another example of how far our society's moral compass has degraded. Either way, that's a debate for another time and place.

In my estimation, for an action film to succeed, it's not enough that there be action aplenty. The characters, be they the heroes or villains, need to be more than merely one-dimensional clichés. There must always be a purpose driving both sides of the movie for it to endure over time with audiences. If there is no drive or reason behind the events unfolding: then, don't bother with releasing the movie to theaters. Instead, let the movie die a slow and painful death alongside the plethora of Steven Seagal movies that no cares to remember. Not to mention, there must also be some element within the various players (primarily the hero or heroes) that connects with the audience enough for us to be willing to go along for the potentially wild ride that lies ahead. In all of this, "Con Air" succeeds, which is why myself and numerous others still find the movie just as entertaining after all these years.

Speaking of the characters within this film, they of course would be nothing if it wasn't for the myriad of talent employed to bring them all to life. Leading the cast is Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage ("Leaving Las Vegas") as former Army Ranger turned unfortunate victim of circumstance, Cameron Poe. Cameron is the epitome of what it means to be a hero no matter the cost. Honestly, he's a borderline cliché of stoic heroes past. He's a man whom through training has been honed into becoming the perfect weapon; conversely, he has the proverbial heart of gold and will do anything to protect his friends. Despite the familiarity, Cage portrays Poe as a hero conflicted by his desire to reunite with his family; however, he feels honor bound by his sense of duty to stand his ground against seemingly overwhelming odds. It is this inner-conflict, along with his dry wit and clear compassion for others on display that allows Nic to elevate his role beyond the one-dimensional character he could have been.

The supporting cast of characters is an eclectic collection of talented performers from John Malkovich ("The Man in the Iron Mask") to Ving Rhames ("Mission: Impossible") to Steve Buscemi ("Reservoir Dogs"). Each supporting cast member clearly enjoys their time onscreen, especially those portraying the various criminals.

Veteran actor John Malkovich could have gone extremely overboard with his portrayal as Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom, a man whom, as described in the movie, "...is a poster child for the criminally insane." Yet, Malkovich merely gets to the edge of overacting before reining his performance back in. John delivers a character that is intriguing, disturbed, and above all, devoid of morals. He's a killer without mercy, complete with a sardonic wit that makes you cringe just a little every time you laugh at one of his comments.

Alongside John in the criminal cavalcade are Ving Rhames and Steve Buscemi, as a militant raging against anything and everything and a cannibalistic serial killer respectively. Rhames is entertaining as the man known as Diamond Dog; sadly though, we never really get to see what makes his character tick. Unlike Cyrus, Diamond Dog is relegated to merely playing second fiddle in both the story and as a villain. A little more time with this character could have provided the story with even more depth and intrigue, but we'll have to make do with what we got.

As for Steve Buscemi, what can I say other than the man's physical appearance (perhaps slightly accentuated for the role) is nearly perfect for the deranged serial killer, Garland Greene. His character was one that could have been taken too far into Hannibal Lecter territory, and there is one scene that introduces the possibility; thankfully, Scott Rosenberg had the smarts to not go that route. While taking Garland to that level of evil onscreen would have lent the movie an even more serious tone, the end result would have been detrimental to the film. The decision would have thrust the film into such a dark territory that it could have potentially lost its commercial appeal and resulted in a weaker performance at the box office.

Of course, as is the case with all movies, all of these elements alone cannot make for a thoroughly entertaining experience. To finish the experience, you need a director capable of harnessing all of the loose elements together to create something worthwhile for audiences to enjoy. For this film, former commercial director and first-time film director Simon West ("Lara Croft: Tomb Raider") seemed to be the ideal man for the job.

As a director of TV commercials, Simon undoubtedly knew the importance of grabbing an audience's attention from the get-go and never letting up. A trait which I believe benefited him greatly on this film. Despite his background, Simon seemed to restrain himself from rushing the story along in order to get to the more thrilling aspects of the film. By doing so he allowed the audience time to get to know his characters somewhat before thrusting the proceedings into high-gear. Although, I do wish a little more time could have been spent on expanding upon Cameron's time as an Army Ranger or exploring a few of the other main criminal characters. Even with that slight drawback, the film, as it is, stands far above so many other action films out there.

Finally, "Con Air" is an extremely entertaining action film rife with surprisingly entertaining characters, humor, action, and even some drama. If you're a fan of all those crappy Steven Seagal Direct-to-DVD movies (or any of the others that are just like his) then do yourself a massive favor and pop this movie in the next time you feel like watching an action flick.

"Con Air" is rated R for violence and language.