If one thinks of a movie that was not based directly on a comic book, yet knew that it was comic book in nature, the first one to come to mind is Con Air. This 1997 action gem is pulpy all the way through and does not apologize for it.

Consider that Con Air comes from Jerry Bruckheimer, the man who (along with the late Don Simpson) largely invented the slam-bang action genre. Bruckheimer and Simpson had a fairly distinguished run through the 80s and 90s, capping it off with The Rock in 1996 (the same year that Simpson died). Con Air was released soon enough that it still had some elements of Simpson's touch. That is confirmed by the way the Bruckheimer releases have gone since Con Air. Nearly every pic that the man has produced since then has been a mindless action flick masquerading as a high-concept film. That is what has made most of them (Armageddon, Gone In 60 Seconds) nearly intolerable. Con Air is a comic book flick and it does not pretend to be anything else and that makes it all the better.

From the opening when the Con Air logo flashes on screen, we know we're in campy territory. The movie does not stray from there as we are introduced to our hero: mild-mannered former Army Ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage). Mr. Poe is a highly decorated officer who has just retired from the rangers and wants to spend time with his pregnant wife. However, some local drunks have other ideas and he winds up defending her with his bare hands. In the process one of the thugs is killed. The prosecution uses a stupid technicality that gets him jailed for seven years. During his term, Poe becomes a model of exemplary prison behavior. Finally, he is paroled for good behavior.

On the day of his release Poe is transported home on a Marshals service plane along with his cellmate Baby-O. And it is during the loading of this flying jail that we are introduced to the villains. The undisputed leader is Cyrus Grissom (John Malkovich) AKA Cyrus The Virus ("He's killed more people than cancer"). Then there is Nathan Jones (Ving Rhames) AKA Diamond Dog ("Was involved in several militant activities...They're trying to get Denzel for the movie role") and Johnny 23 who is so named because of the 23 tattoos he has which he claims commemorate each rape he committed. Later on we add a transvestite killer and Garland Greene (Steve Buscemi) a Hannibal Lecter clone.

Of course we know that these villains are going to hijack the plane. And of course we know, it's up to Poe to stop them. Of course we know that some headstrong official will think that the best way to deal with the situation is to blast the plane out of the sky. And of course there is going to be a buddy of Poe's on the ground (In this case, US Marshal Vince Larkin played by John Cusack) that must stop him.

So yes, Con Air is essentially the same sort of picture we have come to expect from Bruckheimer. Is it good? Yes, although not quite as good as The Rock (Which also starred Nicolas Cage). The Rock had more fully developed characters and it took the premise in new directions.

Still, there is a lot to enjoy in Con Air. The action sequences are fantastic and thrilling. Cage ably fulfills the requirement of all comic book heroes by giving us a character we can root for and Malkovich and Rhames give us suitably nasty villains. Cusack is the customary cop buddy who is helpful in dealing with the bureaucracies that try to hamstring the hero.

The last word is that Con Air stands as the last pretty good film that Jerry Bruckheimer gave us.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS