Really, really stupid but somehow...

Rating: Null/10 (18 July 2003)

I don't know. I saw this in the theater, I hated it then. I saw it on cable, I hated it then also. On the way to a ski lodge, it was playing on the bus ride. I hated it then also. Yet, this garbage is strangely watchable. It's very easy to suspend your disbelief while watching it for some reason. A bunch of convicts take over the plane they're being taken to some prison in and all sorts of mayhem ensues. Maybe it's because it doesn't take itself too seriously and all the actors involved seem to be enjoying themselves, that it doesn't fail completely. It has enough action for at like fifteen movies and there's a point in the movie that it just doesn't let up for like a straight hour. It's got a pretty good cast and never gets boring. I think Nicolas Cage was wrong for the role. I'm surprised to see he even did this. I don't picture him as a buff action hero but he manages to be as convincing as you can be, given the character he plays. You have all sorts of villains with colorful names like Cyrus the Virus, Billy Bedlam and Sally Cant Dance (I'm not a homophobe but that character just gives me the willies). This is one of those movies that definitely contributes to the decline of cinema quality as a whole. For every Memento, you're gonna get three of these kinds of movies. It's loud, it's dumb and it's violent enough to make you want to seek counseling for having sat through it. But on a rainy day, this movie'll do. Besides, you can probably do a lot worse.
RATING: ** out of *****.