---
title: "Air Force One: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/air-force-one/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/air-force-one"
critics_score: 73
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Air Force One (1997): what the critics said

Critics' score 73 from 8 reviews: 5 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative.

Most critics like Air Force One, and none dislike it. Five of the eight reviews are positive and the other three are mixed, which puts the consensus in the recommending range. The praise gathers in two places. Harrison Ford’s president is called charismatic and commanding throughout, and Petersen’s direction is credited with building and holding tension inside the confined space of the aircraft. The stunt-filled midair sequences come up repeatedly as the film’s main pleasure.

The reservations are about familiarity rather than failure. The New York Times finds the relentless action offers few surprises, and Total Film thinks the film leans too hard on clichés and on flag-waving American patriotism, though both still find it entertaining. The spread is narrow: even the cooler notices land around the middle, and nobody argues the film does not work on its own terms. The Hollywood Reporter is the most enthusiastic, treating it as political drama as well as thriller.

## The Hollywood Reporter — Duane Byrge

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 July 1997. 

Byrge gives the film an enthusiastic verdict, praising its taut, high-energy action and forceful political drama. He especially singles out Harrison Ford’s charismatic, convincing performance as president.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/air-force-one-review-movie-1997-1221852/)

## Empire — Ian Freer

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Freer calls it a supremely entertaining crowd-pleaser and says its old-fashioned action expertise makes it hard not to cheer. He especially praises Petersen’s taut, masterfully escalating tension in the confined setting.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/air-force-one-review/)

## Radio Times — Sue Robinson

Rating 4/5. 

Robinson presents it as a relentlessly entertaining action thriller. She singles out the stunt-filled midair action and its nasty villain for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-t6ip21/air-force-one/)

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Rating 3/4. 25 July 1997. 

Ebert finds it an effective, entertaining action thriller. He praises its confident pacing and Harrison Ford’s commanding presence.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/air-force-one-1997)

## Variety — Todd McCarthy

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 July 1997. 

McCarthy finds the film pulpy but entertaining, with enough tension to overcome its excesses. He particularly praises the spectacularly staged action sequences and Petersen’s vigorous direction.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/air-force-one-1117329619/)

## Time Out — TJ

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The accessible page identifies this as a review but does not reveal the critic’s verdict. No praise or complaint from the review is available in the text provided.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/air-force-one)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 25 July 1997. 

Maslin finds the film an enjoyable, vigorously directed thriller, though its relentless action offers little surprise. She especially praises Harrison Ford’s warmly charismatic portrayal of the president.

[Read the review](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/force-film-review.html)

## Total Film — Total Film

Rating 3/5. 12 September 1997. 

The review finds the film entertaining and spectacular, though weighed down by clichés and over-the-top American patriotism. It singles out Harrison Ford’s charisma and the dazzling action set pieces as what make the familiar hijack thriller work.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/air-force-one-review/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/air-force-one.md