Dr. Daniel's review of Air Force One

Starring Harrison Ford, Glenn Close, Gary Oldman, Dean Stockwell, William H. Macy, Wendy Crewson, Paul Guilfoyle, Liesel Matthews, Xander Berkeley, Carl Weintraub, Jürgen Prochnow.

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen. Rated R. 124 minutes.

   Okay, here's the deal. I hope you people have noticed the alarming trend going on in our midst. It's more frightening than the liver and onions special at the Carver Point Cafe. It's more frightening than a Pauly Shore sitcom. It's even more frightening than Weekend at Bernie's Four: The Stench. Actors are trying their hand at politics, and, heaven help us, they're winning.
    Think back. We had Gopher from "The Love Boat" in the House of Representatives. No white shorts and knee socks, but he was there. Sonny Bono's a senator for a party that does not recognize the rights of his own daughter. Hmmmmm. Tennessee's answer to Winston Churchill, Fred Dalton Thompson, is frying up some taters in the hopes of actually running for the Big Chair in the Year of the Double Ought. This guy's never had more than twenty minutes of screen time in any movie he's been in, and now he's on C-Span fifteen hours a day. I guess we can all thank Grandpa Gipper for the Hollywood connection.
    Personally, it gives me the wigglies to even think about it. The only actor that should ever be in the White House is Gregory Peck. The dignity of Atticus Finch would be the only thing to save the importance of the office. If we could survive Boo Radley from 1988-1992, then Atticus Finch would work us through the next millennium nicely.
    But, my dear patients, if I had to pick an actor to be president right now, it would dang sure be Harrison Ford, 'cause, as the President of the United States in Air Force One, he leads the way through one heck of a taut action thriller.
    Ford plays President Jim Marshall, a no-nonsense prez who, after giving a speech in Moscow introducing a new policy towards terrorism (that policy being, "Try it, and we'll drop you like a bad habit"), finds himself held hostage by terrorists aboard the First Plane. A group of pro-Communist mercenaries, led by Rebel-Without-A-Gulag Gary Oldman, want their leader freed from prison, and they don't care who they've gotta x-out to earn a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card for their top honcho. And, herein lies the question: Does the President want to stand by his newly-adopted no-tolerance policy, or will he negotiate with these goons in order to keep his family and staff on the tick-tock?
    Any guesses?
    The mental images of an American President kicking a bunch of Commie butt is laughable at best (try it with George Bush, using some Steven Seagal moves. HYSTERICAL!!!), but, thankfully, Harrison Ford knows how to pull off a rough-and-tumble scene without letting it turn into high farce. He does what he's gotta do, and he keeps the rock jaw firm when he has a dialogue-driven scene. It's almost an equal blend of Ford's other action characters, Indiana Jones (without the little grin) and Jack Ryan. You get Indy's flair for the duke-'em, and Ryan's quiet grit.
    You gotta hand it to Wolfgang Petersen, the director. He made one heck of a point when he reinvented the political thriller with The Clintster in In The Line Of Fire. He keeps the hero controlled, strong and silent, while making sure the villain is as maniacal as Kathie Lee Gifford reading the seventh commandment to Frank at dinner. He also has the supreme sense to cast well and let the supporting actors do more than decorate the sets. Here, he takes the Human Scenery Sandwich, Gary Oldman, and keeps him so focused, he's actually watchable. Oldman's performance does not rival MadMan Malkovich in Line Of Fire, but he nibbles up on a close second. He is so into his character that he practically vibrates onscreen. Every word, every twitch, every eye narrow plays toward the blind faith in his leader that his character has to have. It harkens back to the news footage of those nutbags in Iran, spouting diatribes and frothing at the mouth, all while proclaiming themselves demigods.
    Also turning in a nice one-two punch are Glenn Close and Dean Stockwell. They play the vice-president and Secretary of Defense respectively, and they have a fascinating little subplot of their own, over who's actually in top-dawg while the President is taken hostage. They have to fight a sharp-edged duel over the Constitutionality of succession of power, and work together to figure out a plan to save everyone aboard the Executive Jet. Their verbal sparring sessions are nicely written, and the meshing of the rivalry and the team effort is flawless. Miss Glenn is as tough as anybody you'd want in the driver's seat, male or female, and Stockwell manages to be hard as nails and slicker than eel snot at the same time. Bravo, bravisimo.
    Alas, there are some flaws that detract from the otherwise power punch of this movie. The special effects used to do the "plane in flight" scenes are limp as hour-old Corn Flakes. The obvious use of blue-screen in some scenes is also a waste. Until you figure out how to kill the aura around the actors, fellahs, leave the effects in the trunk of the car. We've come to expect much more from Star Wars effects-meister Richard Edlund, and that makes it even more of a disappointment. There's a few clunkers in the cast that slow things down a bit, most notably in the being of Wendy Crewson as the First Lady. She's a little too cold to be believable as the loving wife stereotype, and she delivers most of her lines like a UPS guy delivers Christmas gifts, too fast and too roughed-up. Oh, to have seen Anne Archer in this role. Attention Hollywood: You want strong, loving wife characters, call Anne Archer. (I won't linger on about the complete waste of William H. Macy in this movie. From Oscar nomination to this? Bill, buddy, better hire a coupla menacing thugs to "kidnap" your agent.)
    Those minor toe-stubs aside, Air Force One works as promised. Top-flight thrills and first-rate direction, Action-Exec Harrison slappin' around some baddies in the name of the Constitution, Glenn Close and Gary Oldman acting their arses off. Heck, we've got ourselves -- can't believe what I am saying here -- an intelligent summertime thriller! Cast your vote for Air Force One, and, just like on Election Day, don't expect absolute perfection. Settle for pretty slick, and you'll get your ballot's worth.