Overview
A gripping tale of survival unfolds at 30,000 feet as a president faces the ultimate test of courage and leadership.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- propulsive
- tense
- patriotic
- action movie night
- 1990s blockbuster marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film to be a polished, entertaining, and genuinely tense action thriller, even while acknowledging its pulpy premise and familiar formula.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
James Marshall personally confronts the hijackers as a former Medal of Honor winner and commander in chief.
The hostage crisis unfolds aboard Air Force One while the aircraft remains in flight and under terrorist control.
The president's anti-terrorism speech, family rescue mission, and command decisions frame personal courage as national leadership.
The terrorists impose timed executions and political demands, structuring the film's escalating countdown.
Films like Air Force One, and why
Executive Decision
shares a contained aircraft hijacking premise, propulsive suspense, patriotic heroism, and high-stakes action spectacle
Die Hard
shares a charismatic lone action hero, terrorist hostage-taking, muscular 1990s blockbuster style, and escalating political stakes
The Rock
shares aviation-centered action, presidential crisis management, terrorism, and glossy geopolitical suspense
Movie Details
- Director
- Wolfgang Petersen
- Release Date
- 1997-07-25
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (3445)
Cast
- Harrison Ford
- Gary Oldman
- Glenn Close
- Wendy Crewson
- Liesel Matthews
- Paul Guilfoyle
- Xander Berkeley
- William H. Macy
- Dean Stockwell
- Tom Everett
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, BBC America
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Air Force One about?
- A determined president battles terrorists from inside his hijacked plane to save his family, passengers, and nation.
- What is Air Force One like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Air Force One as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Air Force One violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Air Force One as moderate.
- What did critics think of Air Force One?
- Critics broadly found the film to be a polished, entertaining, and genuinely tense action thriller, even while acknowledging its pulpy premise and familiar formula.
- Which films are like Air Force One?
- Films with a similar feel include Executive Decision, Die Hard, and The Rock.
- How long is Air Force One?
- Air Force One runs 124 minutes.
- Where can I watch Air Force One?
- In United States, Air Force One streams on Philo, BBC America.
