Fairly Entertaining Action Film

Rating: 6/10 (25 March 2005)

This film is really pretty good for what it is. Since it's about a recently-released prisoner on his way home when prisoners seize control of the prisoner-transport plane he's in, it's a relatively unusual action film. The relatively unique setting (it's kind if like Die HArd in a general way only) and plot have potential, with Cage's character trying to solve the situation in the air whilst cops on the ground try to handle it there. And, for the most part the film uses the potential well. There's action, tension, and drama, and the momentum keeps up throughout.
That said, of course the film has some failings. Some themes and elements are well-trod and even clichéd while parts of the whole things are rather implausible, and in some parts the story has not handled very smoothly.
One other point is that some people don't like the range of characters, especially among the criminals, and think that the film tried to do too much. I think, however, that all of this added to the film. Although the number of singular characters does prevent much exploration of each one, that is not something to be expected in a film such as this and it is not a very significant problem. Thus, the variety of characters increased the film's depth and the range of entertainment value, added to the realism and tension, heightening the mistrust, etc., among some of the prisoners, and it provided some more rich characters with personality. Some claim that Buscemi's much-feared serial-killer character was superfluous, but I find him a great addition in part because he's a relatively complex and interesting character and he provides a very different aspect to the lot of criminals on the plane. The fact that the other criminals kept him tied up because they thought he was just a dangerous nut case, while in the end he ends up coming off as much more intelligent and less savage than they is a fun and interesting spot in the film. This is heightened by the fact that he appears to be the only prisoner who escapes, which adds more fun irony to the film.
Could this film have been better? Yes, it could have been much better if different themes were introduced, characters handled differently, etc,., but as it was it is still a pretty good film for what it is.