Opened: July 25, 1997

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson, Liesel Matthews, Paul Guilfoyle, William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell, Xander Berkeley, Elya Baskin, Levan Uchaneishvili, David Vadim, Andrew Divoff, Ilia Volok, Alan Woolf, Tom Everett, Jürgen Prochnow, Donna Bullock, Michael Ray Miller, Carl Weintraub, Spencer Garrett, Bill Smitrovich, Glenn Morshower, David Gianopoulos, Dan Shor, Philip Baker Hall, Richard Doyle, Willard Pugh, Diana Bellamy, Don McManus & J.A. Preston

From the very start, you can sense the late 1990s style that the film has, but you can also tell that it’s going to be a thrilling ride.

President James Marshall (Harrison Ford), First Lady Grace Marshall (Wendy Crewson) and their daughter Alice (Liesel Matthews) are returning to the U.S. from Russia when Air Force One is hijacked by Kazakhstani terrorists. As President Marshall fights in the air, Vice President Kathryn Bennett (Glenn Close) negotiates from the White House.

Ford and Gary Oldman – playing lead antagonist Ivan Koshunov – are strong sparring partners when paired together. Close is the fantastic voice of reason.

The special effects are dated, and you can definitely tell what moments happen on a green screen, but the tension is palpable the entire film and will have you holding your breath.

Final say: A daring president. ★★★★☆