At one point in “Con-Air,” Nicholas Cage looks out of an airplane and sees a vintage Corvette tied on a rope flying behind. “On a normal day,” he says, “that might seem strange.”
On a normal day, in a normal movie, about 95% of “Con-Air” would seem completely outrageous. However, the film’s taut, minimal dialogue and impressive and believable special effects create a nail biter that is thoroughly enjoyable.
Anyone who liked either of producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s last two movies, “Crimson Tide” and “The Rock,” will love “Con-Air.” The film is directed by relative newcomer Simon West, but his inexperience is not evident. He pulls off complex scenes and effects with the mark of a master.
“Con-Air” most differs from Bruckheimer’s other movies by its originality. “Tide” and “The Rock” had rather trite storylines - the possible end of the world, and the destruction of the bay area, respectively, but “Con-Air” takes a walk on the wild side.
Nicholas Cage plays Cameron Poe, a highly decorated soldier who, in a drunken fight, kills a man and is sentenced to seven to ten years in jail. He waits patiently but eagerly to see his wife and daughter, who he has never met.
At the end of his sentence, he flies home on a plane transporting several convicted mass-murderers, several of whom are on death row. As one might expect (this is Hollywood) the criminals take over the plane, planning for a rendezvous with a Colombian drug lord who agreed to transport them to safety.
The criminals in “Con-Air” are perhaps the best part. John Malkovich plays Cyrus the Virus, who leads the group and claims to have “killed more people than cancer.” Ving Rhames (of “Striptease” and “Mission: Impossible” fame) plays Diamond Dog, second in command.
Other convicts include Swamp Thing (M.C. Gainey), who is called into service flying the plane when the pilot is inadvertently shot, and Garland Green (Steve Buscemi), a mass murderer who talks like a psychologist about his own condition, baffling his fellow escapees.
Poe is faced with single-handedly taking the plane back from the criminals. The main reason he attempts this Aegean task is to secure an insulin injection for his diabetic cell-mate, Baby-O (“Forrest Gump’s” Mykeleti Williamson). The weakness of this reasoning is possibly the one flaw in this movie. In “Con-Air,” though, the last thing anyone thinks about is the strength of the storyline.
Believe it or not, the suspense doesn’t stop there. On the ground, officials nearly agree to shoot down the jet, sacrificing the innocent few on the plane (like Poe) for the greater good. Arguments on the ground create a tension level atypical for this kind of film.
Despite “Con-Air” being an action film, the acting more than suffices. Nicholas Cage, as usual, manages to play a multi-dimensional character in a fairly one-dimensional role. He doesn’t succumb to cartoon hero status, and the movie benefits for it.
The criminals, with the exception of Steve Buscemi, are all quite cartoonish, but that style of character fits the roles. John Malkovich plays the role he was born for, and his occasional philosophical outbursts are among the highlights of the film. Ving Rhames is in very much the same situation.
While his role in the film is unclear, Buscemi, manages to contrast the other criminals by not showing a violent streak, and admitting his problems. He sounds more like a guest on a talk show than a bit part in “Con-Air” but he is entertaining, nonetheless.
For those action-adventure fans out there who have had enough of “The Lost World,” “Con-Air” should hit the spot. It is actually more of a summer film than “World,” as it is more entertaining, and not nearly as dark. I’m not sure how the body counts stack up, but “Con-Air” probably has less gore, as well.
This movie carefully but brilliantly bridges the gap between a real-life action flick like “The Rock” and a cartoon one, like “Batman and Robin.” The result may be outrageous, or a little bit strange, but it sure was fun to watch.
Grade: A