Production values can do a lot for a film. Take "Con Air", for example. The film has a mediocre script and story, all flash and formula. However, thanks to production values, it is perfectly watchable. The cast, cinematography and special effects are all good. Loaded with action, the film sinks in a stormy sea of machismo, gunshots, explosions, and violence. Attempts at black humor generally don't work, but let's face it, "Con Air" could be much worse.
Nicolas Cage stars as Cameron Poe, a special forces military veteran who has served time for killing a man while defending his wife and unborn child. Now he is getting his parole, but a plot contrivance has him flying to some other prison first, with a planeload of dangerous convicts. This being a movie, the cons manage to take over the plane. They are led by serial killer Cyrus the Virus (John Malkovich) and black militant Diamond Dog (Ving Rhames). Comic relief is provided by goofy Steve Buscemi and a transvestite (Renoly Santiago). Meanwhile, back on the ground, government agents (John Cusack) and (Colm Meaney) bicker and bluster about how to stop the criminals from reaching freedom in a foreign country that does not allow extradition.
Of course, Cage gets to be the hero and tough guy. It's not enough that he has an impossibly beautiful, loyal and submissive wife (Monica Potter) waiting for him, with a darling little girl (Landry Allbright). He also has to rescue a convict dying from lack of insulin (Mykelti Williamson), an attractive female guard (Rachel Ticotin) threatened by a serial rapist (Danny Trejo), and various other guards who face death at the hands of the convicts.
Guys are supposed to love this sort of mindless action film. Lots of things crash and blow up. Many people are shot. There is an attempted rape, and several fistfights. Characters are cartoonishly simple, never deviating from the stereotype they are playing. Noisy, empty and stupid, but saved from wretchedness by the quality of the cast and cinematography. (49/100)
From the hit-making producer of The Rock and Crimson Tide comes the hard-hitting blockbuster Con Air-starring Academy Award&-winner Nicolas Cage (Face...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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