Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- irreverent
- chaotic
- witty
- action movie night
- buddy movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a muddled, inaccurate war comedy whose charismatic stars and occasional aerial stunts could not overcome its weak script and confused treatment of the Air America story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The CIA-backed airline transports supplies while superiors facilitate opium smuggling and pilots engage in gun-running.
Air America emphasizes dangerous supply flights, aircraft stunts, and aviation peril across Laos.
Billy Covington is absorbed into a team of unruly pilots and forms a friendship with the gun-running Gene Ryack.
The film turns a secret CIA operation during the Vietnam War into a chaotic comedy about compromised authority.
Films like Air America, and why
The Great Waldo Pepper
shared aviation action, irreverent military comedy, and charismatic buddy dynamic
Good Morning, Vietnam
shared Vietnam-era military satire, morally compromised institutions, and dark comic tone
Lethal Weapon
shared action comedy, buddy partnership, covert operations, and 1980s Hollywood exuberance
MASH
shared antiwar satire, drug trafficking, and chaotic military adventure
Movie Details
- Director
- Roger Spottiswoode
- Release Date
- 1990-08-10
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (683)
Cast
- Mel Gibson
- Robert Downey Jr.
- Nancy Travis
- Ken Jenkins
- David Marshall Grant
- Lane Smith
- Art LaFleur
- Ned Eisenberg
- Marshall Bell
- David Bowe
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- 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 America about?
- A reckless new pilot discovers that a CIA-backed airline in wartime Laos is as entangled in criminal schemes as it is in dangerous humanitarian flights.
- What is Air America like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Air America as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Air America violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Air America as moderate.
- What did critics think of Air America?
- Critics broadly found the film a muddled, inaccurate war comedy whose charismatic stars and occasional aerial stunts could not overcome its weak script and confused treatment of the Air America story.
- Which films are like Air America?
- Films with a similar feel include The Great Waldo Pepper, Good Morning, Vietnam, Lethal Weapon, and MASH.
- How long is Air America?
- Air America runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch Air America?
- In United States, Air America is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
