There’s a very strong argument to be made that the 1990s comfortably beats the 80s when it comes to naming the best decade ever for action cinema, and if we narrow that down even further, 1996 and 1997 in particular conspired to deliver a virtually nonstop stream of smash hits, all-time classics, cult gems, and beloved favorites.
In that two-year span alone we were gifted with The Rock, Con Air, Face/Off, Mission: Impossible, Executive Decision, From Dusk Till Dawn, Ransom, Independence Day, Eraser, Men in Black, The Fifth Element, Tomorrow Never Dies, Starship Troopers, Grosse Point Blank, Air Force One, and there’s even more on top of that. It truly was the Golden Age of blowing sh*t up.
Speaking of Harrison Ford’s spectacular stint as the most badass present in the history of film, Wolfgang Petersen’s airborne extravaganza is celebrating its 25th anniversary in style by reaching high altitude on the streaming charts. As per FlixPatrol, the desperate desire on the part of Ford’s James Marshall to get Gary Oldman’s Egor Korshunov off his plane has become one of the most popular titles on iTunes, a quarter of a century after thrilling audiences all over the world.
Take an A-list star, cast them as the holder of the highest office in the land while still leaning into their action hero credentials, put them up against a scene-stealing and scenery-chewing adversary dialed up way past 11, thrown them into a high concept blockbuster that blends newfangled CGI with old school practical effects, and you get the joyous experience that is Air Force One.