Con Air (1997)

Westbrook finds the film a hugely entertaining, exhilarating action ride despite its silliness. She especially praises its escalating set pieces and the cast’s relish, while noting a misplaced cop performance and a soggy ending.

Caro considers it a top-notch action thriller that cemented Nicolas Cage as an unlikely action hero. He praises Cage’s macho performance and John Malkovich’s tongue-in-cheek villain turn.

The review calls the film a silly, loud, entertaining action movie, despite a weak opening and an overdone finale. It praises the energetic action sequences and jokes, while noting that most of the cast has little to play with.

Virtue finds that Con Air has grown even more absurd with age, yet remains a thrillingly over-the-top action movie. He singles out the cast’s wholehearted commitment to its macho ridiculousness as especially infectious.

Maslin finds Con Air a slick, well-cast action lark whose thrills are softened by sardonic detachment. She particularly praises Nicolas Cage’s charismatic performance and the entertaining quirks of the ensemble cast.

The critic finds the film an exciting, commercially assured actioner whose strengths outweigh its shortcomings. He praises the cast and sharp dialogue, but says the overlong Vegas climax undermines the film’s momentum.

The review sees Con Air as an entertaining, commercially potent action film, though it faults the story’s turbulence and technical excess. It praises the witty screenplay and especially the well-chosen cast, singling out the performances of Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich and Steve Buscemi.

The page identifies this as a review, but the critic’s verdict is not visible. No specific praise or complaint is available in the accessible text.

Ebert’s review finds the film entertaining despite its over-the-top action and implausibility. Its outsized, action-packed spectacle is a central part of its appeal.

Turan finds the film numbing and ultimately more dispiriting than exhilarating, despite its ability to keep viewers entertained. He praises John Malkovich’s gleeful performance and notes some good lines, but faults the overwhelming noise and silly moments.