'Con Air' packs mighty punch

By Julia Shih
Daily Arts Writer

Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage plays convicted murderer turned hero Cameron Poe in the summer action extravaganza "Con Air." The film's ample explosions and scenes of spurting blood provide edge-of-your-seat excitement.

The summer movie season heated up with the release of the sizzling blockbuster, "Con Air." If you thought last year's "The Rock" was good, get ready to be blown away by one of the biggest, baddest and most exhilarating thrillers to hit the movie screen in a long time.

This awesome movie brings together an all-star ensemble cast under producer Jerry Bruckheimer ("The Rock" and "Top Gun"). Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich, Ving Rhames and Steve Buscemi duke it out with much at stake aboard a large plane set for destruction.

Cage is Cameron Poe, a recent parolee hitching a ride aboard a prisoner transport flight. After serving nearly a decade in prison for unintentionally killing a man while defending his wife, Poe is anxious to return home and see his wife and daughter.

Also aboard this plane are some of the most dangerous and notorious criminals in the country. When Poe finds himself in the middle of a mid-air skyjacking masterminded by Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (Malkovich), he attempts to avert the takeover with help on the ground from U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin (John Cusack).

"Con Air" is filled with nonstop action and destruction that'll give you one of the most thrilling rides of your life. About two-thirds of the movie involves some form of blood spurting, bones breaking, buildings on fire or something large being spectacularly blown up.

The movie begins building suspense from its first moment and refuses to let up. Throughout the movie, an aura of danger permeates the air as Poe is surrounded by dozens of hardened criminals who wouldn't think twice about massacring everyone on board. Audiences will be captivated by the prisoners' brutal takeover, and by Poe's efforts to save the lives of the innocent people on board while bringing the plane down.

The humorous aspects of "Con Air" also make it different from your average blow-'em-up action thriller. Many times, the movie seems to be spoofing the other films of its genre. In one scene, the plane comes crashing down on the Las Vegas strip, causing enormous amounts of destruction, much like the devastation in "Independence Day." And perhaps the most hilarious scene in the movie involves a great shot of a car tethered to the back of the plane as it takes off. Much like the flying cow in last summer's hit, "Twister," the spectacle of the gracefully floating car trailing the plane looks so ridiculous that even Cage's character can't help quipping, "On any other day, that would seem strange."

Director Simon West worked with Bruckheimer and writer Scott Rosenberg to create some of the wittiest dialogue to appear in an action flick. The dialogue is a definite highlight in this film, especially as spoken by Cage, who is an expert at deadpanning hilarious lines. Only in scenes done with skill can a hero, during a tense and suspenseful moment, seriously threaten a murderous bad guy with the line, "Put the bunny back in the box."

Nicolas Cage has established himself as a competent action star who could give Schwarzenegger and Van Damme a run for their money. He brings his talent for comedic and dramatic acting to his role as an action hero, making his character more than one-dimensional. Steven Seagal should take note.

John Cusack looks to be a welcomed newcomer to this genre, after showing his proficiency at shoot-out scenes in "Grosse Pointe Blank." He plays the intellectual hero who isn't afraid of dodging bullets and getting dirty amidst the explosions. Cusack's performance is riveting and fun to watch, as he charmingly threatens to steal the spotlight from Cage. Nevertheless, Cusack and Cage make a good team, especially near the climax of the movie, when they ride off together like Batman and Robin in pursuit of the bad guys.

Malkovich does an excellent job playing the creepy villain, and even Steve Buscemi can send chills down your spine with a mere glance. Ving Rhames, though labeled in the movie as a mass-murdering vigilante, is too pleasant to be an effective antagonist.

Some aspects of "Con Air" seem excessive or unnecessary, such as a few of the explosions near the movie's conclusion, as well as the effeminate criminal who spends most of the movie in a dress and ends up getting bitch-slapped by Poe. But overall, "Con Air" is a neat little package that carries one hell of a punch.

09-03-97