Air Force One (1997)
76%RT Audience Score: 66%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
7 wins & 13 nominations total
This late-period Harrison Ford actioner is full of palpable, if not entirely seamless, thrills
Air Force One is the kind of movie that makes you want to stand up and salute, or at least stand up and cheer. It’s a thrilling ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Wolfgang Petersen knows how to craft a blockbuster, and he does it with style and panache. Harrison Ford is at his best as the President of the United States, and Gary Oldman is a delightfully evil villain. Sure, it’s a bit silly at times, but who cares? This is the kind of movie that reminds you why you love going to the movies in the first place. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride.
Production Company(ies)
Sidus C J Entertainment, Muhan Investment
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Buena Vista International [us], Buena Vista Home Entertainment [br], Columbia TriStar Home Video, Columbia Tristar
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Mansfield Reformatory – 100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield, Ohio, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 4m
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Language(s):English, Russian
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 25, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 26, 2000
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
Air Force One, Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Wolfgang Petersen, Andrew W Marlowe, Action, $172.7M, R, Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Buena Vista International, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Columbia TriStar Home Video, Columbia Tristar, reviewed by Duane Byrge, Owen Gleiberman, Manohla Dargis, Stephen Hunter, Desson Thomson, Peter Travers, Cory Woodroof, Harrison Ford as President James Marshall, Gary Oldman as Ivan Korshunov, Glenn Close as Vice President Kathryn Bennett, Wendy Crewson as Grace Marshall, Paul Guilfoyle as Chief of Staff Lloyd ‘Shep’ Shepherd, William H Macy as Major Caldwell
Worldwide gross: $315,156,409
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $587,477,030
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 230
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 64,065,107
US/Canada gross: $172,956,409
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $322,404,732
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 168
US/Canada opening weekend: $37,132,505
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $69,217,992
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 139
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $85,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $158,446,873
Production budget ranking: 199
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $85,323,641
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $343,706,516
ROI to date (est.): 141%
ROI ranking: 791
Gary Oldman – Ivan Korshunov
Glenn Close – Vice President Kathryn Bennett
Wendy Crewson – Grace Marshall
Paul Guilfoyle – Chief of Staff Lloyd ‘Shep’ Shepherd
William H. Macy – Major Caldwell
Director(s)
Wolfgang Petersen
Writer(s)
Andrew W. Marlowe
Producer(s)
Jonathan Shestack, Gail Katz
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
7 wins & 13 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (60) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (13)
This pulsating political actioner should prove cathartic for mainstream viewers who yearn for a decisive, gutsy executive branch of government.
July 26, 2019
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Most of the time it’s a kick.
October 3, 2002
Manohla Dargis
L.A. Weekly
TOP CRITIC
It’s a great ride.
January 22, 2002
Stephen Hunter
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Moments of silliness are more than balanced by Petersen’s extraordinary ability to keep this movie flight-worthy, Ford’s almost-executive presence and an outstanding performance from Oldman.
January 22, 2002
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Air Force One doesn’t insult the audience. It is crafted by a film-maker who takes pride in the thrills and sly fun he packs into every frame.
May 11, 2001 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
God bless Wolfgang Petersen for mounting such a thrilling, phenomenally stupid-yet-surprisingly deep studio blockbuster at a time where we need way more of that than Spider-Man 7.
June 25, 2022
Cory Woodroof
615 Film
Air Force One is one of those films stuck in amber that knows exactly what it is and what it’s trying to do — and then does it very well.
December 14, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Christopher Lloyd
The Film Yap
…a wildly over-the-top premise that’s employed to entertaining, sporadically enthralling effect by Petersen…
October 20, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Air Force One holds up almost 25 years later and the film remains one of the greatest presidential action thrillers to grace the big screen.
September 27, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
A capable thriller bearing Wolfgang Petersen’s signature flair for suspense.
September 9, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Everything about it was unreal, except it did a big box office.
April 24, 2016 | Rating: C+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews…
Plot
The President of the USA goes to Moscow and gives a stirring speech outlining the USA’s new “Zero-tolerance” policy with respect to terrorism. On the flight home, terrorists take over Air Force One (the President’s official plane) and take the passengers (including his wife and daughter) hostage. The terrorists plan to execute one hostage every half-hour unless/until their demands are met. However, the President is a former Medal of Honor winner, so the terrorists may be in for a surprise…
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about Air Force One, but it does mention that Harrison Ford plays the President of the United States.
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