Air Force One (1997)
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A U.S. president must fight to retake his hijacked plane and rescue his family from a group of terrorists.
The story
Following the capture of a rogue dictator in Kazakhstan, U.S. President James Marshall and his entourage prepare to return home on Air Force One. However, the plane is hijacked by a group of terrorists led by Egor Korshunov, who are seeking the release of the dictator. While the President is separated from his family and his staff, he must navigate the high-stakes environment of the hijacked aircraft. The situation escalates as the hijackers demand concessions, forcing Marshall to take decisive action to reclaim control of the plane and ensure the safety of everyone on board during the tense flight toward their destination.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After the capture of a rogue dictator in Kazakhstan, President James Marshall and his family are traveling home on Air Force One. The plane is hijacked by terrorists led by Egor Korshunov, who demand the dictator's release. A mole in the Secret Service, Agent Gibbs, assists the hijackers. Marshall hides in the cargo hold and communicates with the Vice President, while the hijackers take the remaining passengers hostage. Marshall devises a plan to trick the hijackers into landing at a lower altitude for a mid-air refueling, allowing most passengers to parachute to safety. During the process, the tanker is destroyed. The hijackers then force Marshall to negotiate the dictator's release. Marshall eventually breaks free, kills the hijackers, and the dictator is also killed. The plane is then pursued by enemy aircraft and sustains heavy damage. In the final moments, a rescue helicopter arrives. Gibbs reveals himself as the traitor and is killed during a struggle. Marshall and his family are rescued as the plane crashes into the Caspian Sea.
- First release year
- 1997
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Russian
- Directors
- Wolfgang Petersen
- Writers
- Andrew W. Marlowe · writer
- Cast and characters
- Harrison Ford · President James Marshall; Gary Oldman · Egor Korshunov; Wendy Crewson · First Lady Grace Marshall; Paul Guilfoyle · White House Chief of Staff Lloyd "Shep" Shepherd; William H. Macy · Major Norman Caldwell; Dean Stockwell · Defense Secretary Walter Dean; Glenn Close · Vice President Kathryn Bennett; Liesel Matthews · Alice Marshall
- Genres
- action; political thriller
- Themes
- patriotism; survival; terrorism
- Tone and mood
- tense; action-packed
- Premise and plot tags
- aviation; political thriller; action
- Reception
- The film was a box office success and received mostly positive critical reviews.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Sound · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Film Editing · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The script was originally offered to Kevin Costner, who turned it down.; The film's production used a repainted Boeing 747-146 to replicate the Air Force One livery.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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