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Con Air

Play trailer 2:24 Poster for Con Air R 1997 1h 55m Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
59% Tomatometer 70 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Just-paroled army ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) is headed back to his wife (Monica Potter), but must fly home aboard a prison transport flight dubbed "Jailbird" with some of the worst criminals living. Along with Diamond Dog (Ving Rhames) and Baby-O (Mykelti Williamson), genius serial killer Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) unleashes a violent escape plot in mid-flight. Secretly working with U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin (John Cusack), Poe tries to foil Grissom's plan.
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Con Air

Con Air

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Critics Consensus

Con Air won't win any awards for believability - and all involved seem cheerfully aware of it, making some of this blockbuster action outing's biggest flaws fairly easy to forgive.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek Feb 28, 2018
The saving grace of Con Air is its sense of its own absurdity. Rosenberg and director Simon West seem to know just how preposterous their story is. Go to Full Review Carol Buckland CNN.com Jan 5, 2018
It's exhausting rather than exhilarating. Go to Full Review Duane Byrge The Hollywood Reporter Jun 6, 2017
Packed high with explosive action and loaded with high-stakes jeopardy, Con Air charts a generally sound narrative course, although it hits some story turbulence before it hits its climactic jackpot. Go to Full Review James Croot The Post NZ Nov 7, 2022
3.5/5
Writer Scott Rosenberg throws in plenty of conundrums, curveballs and extra characters... Go to Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Sep 1, 2022
C
The bunny is a good indication that the script, by Scott Rosenberg, was intended as a deadpan goof on stupid action flicks. Go to Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies Aug 16, 2022
4/5
“Con Air” never takes itself too seriously. It knows how preposterous it is and doesn’t try to be anything other than wild raucous popcorn entertainment. And sometimes that’s all I’m in the mood for. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ryan T @RT91888008 Sep 10, 2026 Nothing is as exciting as watching a bunch of convicts taking over a plane! See more Robert P @Superbad Sep 5, 2026 Con Air = a *3 and 1/2* star movie! See more Kioto W @KiotoWave Aug 29, 2026 It's an okay movie, but it's only worth watching once. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't watch it again. See more Jack M @Jackhole Aug 17, 2026 Con Air is pure, uncut action-movie mayhem. Nicolas Cage goes gloriously over the top, surrounded by a killer ensemble that knows exactly how to play the material. The direction keeps the engines screaming, the dialogue crackles with attitude, and every set piece feels like it was built to leave a crater. Loud, ridiculous, endlessly quotable, and still one hell of a ride. See more Charles S @RT56165336 Aug 5, 2026 You can't have a conversation about so-bad-they're-good movies without mentioning Con Air. See more Marcelo M @RT38408369 Aug 3, 2026 Best movie of Nick Cage ever 👊🏻💥❤️ See more Read all reviews
Con Air

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Cast & Crew

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Simon West

Director

Nicolas Cage

Cameron Poe

John Cusack

U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin

John Malkovich

Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom

Steve Buscemi

Garland 'The Marietta Mangler' Greene

Ving Rhames

Nathan 'Diamond Dog' Jones

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Con Air

Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong About… Nicolas Cage Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong About… Nicolas Cage 51:46 Now Playing Con Air: Trailer 1 Con Air: Trailer 1 2:24 Now Playing View more videos
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Con Air

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Movie Info

Synopsis Just-paroled army ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) is headed back to his wife (Monica Potter), but must fly home aboard a prison transport flight dubbed "Jailbird" with some of the worst criminals living. Along with Diamond Dog (Ving Rhames) and Baby-O (Mykelti Williamson), genius serial killer Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) unleashes a violent escape plot in mid-flight. Secretly working with U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin (John Cusack), Poe tries to foil Grissom's plan.
Director
Simon West
Producer
Jerry Bruckheimer
Screenwriter
Scott Rosenberg
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Runway Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Kouf/Bigelow Productions, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Hiett Designs of Las Vegas
Rating
R
Genre
Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 6, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$101.1M
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Surround, DTS, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
35mm, Scope (2.35:1)
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