Air Force One

Theatrical release poster

**Air Force One** is a 1997 American political action-thriller film directed and co-produced by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Paul Guilfoyle, Wendy Crewson, Xander Berkeley, William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell, and Glenn Close. It was written by Andrew W. Marlowe. It is about a group of terrorists who hijackAir Force One and the U.S. president's attempt to rescue everyone onboard by retaking his plane.

A box office success receiving mostly positive critical reviews, it was one of the most popular action films of the 1990s.

## Plot

A combined U.S.-Russian special forcesoperation captures General Ivan Radek, the dictator of Kazakhstan. Three weeks later, U.S. President James Marshall attends a diplomatic dinner in Moscow, during which he praises the capture and insists the U.S will no longer negotiate with terrorists. Marshall and his inner circle, including his wife Grace and 12 year old daughter Alice, and several of his Cabinet and advisers, prepare to return to the U.S. on Air Force One. In addition, members of the press have been invited aboard, including Radek loyalists led by Egor Korshunov, who board the plane disguised as journalists.

After takeoff, Secret Service agent Gibbs, who is secretly a mole and Radek agent, enables Korshunov and his accomplices to obtain weapons and storm the plane, killing many of the other agents and military personnel before taking the civilians hostage. Marshall is raced to an escape pod in the cargo hold and seemingly escapes as the pod is ejected. Korshunov and his right-hand man Andrei Kolchak breach the cockpit and prevent the aircraft from making an emergency landing at Ramstein Air Base. Several F-15s escort Air Force One as it is diverted towards Kazakhstan.

Unknown to the hijackers, Marshall, a veteran of the Vietnam War and a Medal of Honor recipient, has remained hidden in the cargo hold instead of using the pod. Using his military training, he begins to observe the Radek loyalists and manages to kill some of them, then uses a satellite phone in the luggage to make contact with his Vice President, Kathryn Bennett, at the White House. Korshunov, having already contacted Bennett to demand Radek's release, and believing that a Secret Service agent is stowed away in the cargo hold, secures Grace and Alice separately from the other hostages and executes National Security Advisor Jack Doherty and Deputy Press Secretary Melanie Mitchell. Korshunov warns Bennett he will continue to execute hostages every 30 minutes unless Radek is released. Marshall dumps some of the plane's fuel reserve in an attempt to force a landing. Korshunov subsequently demands a mid-air refueling, while Marshall manages to gain access into the conference room where the hostages are being held. Marshall, along with his military advisers, devise a plan to trick Korshunov to take Air Force One to a lower altitude for the refueling, which will allow time and altitude for the hostages to parachute safely off the plane. As a KC-10 tanker docks with Air Force One, Marshall and the advisors escort the hostages to the cargo hold, where most parachute away. However, Korshunov discovers the deception and forces Air Force One away, causing the fuel to ignite and destroying the tanker.

Capturing Marshall, Chief of Staff Lloyd Shepherd, Major Norman Caldwell, and Gibbs, Korshunov forces Marshall to contact Russian President Stolicha Petrov and arrange for Radek's release from prison. Bennett is urged by Defense Secretary Walter Dean to declare the President incapable under the 25th amendment, so as to override Radek's release, but she refuses. Marshall breaks free, and kills Korshunov's remaining accomplices including Kolchak. Korshunov tries to kill Marshall, but Shepherd instead takes the bullet, leaving him wounded. Korshunov drags Grace down to the cargo hold, and to the plane's parachute ramp. Marshall chases Korshunov and Grace briefly distracts him, before Marshall strangles Korshunov with a parachute strap and breaks his neck. Marshall races back to lift his order, and Radek is subsequently shot dead attempting to flee custody.

Marshall, with Major Caldwell's help, directs the plane back towards friendly airspace, only to be quickly tailed by a second batch of Radek loyalists piloting MiG-29s. The F-15s counterattack the MiGs, but one MiG ruptures Air Force One's fuel tanks, causing the plane to lose fuel, and when one F-15 pilot sacrifices himself to intercept a missile, shrapnel from the resulting explosion damages Air Force One's tail controls, rendering landing impossible. A standby USAF Rescue MC-130 is called to help, sending para-jumpers on tether lines to help rescue the survivors. Marshall insists that his family and the injured Shepherd be transferred first. When there is time for only one more transfer, Gibbs kills the para-jumper and Major Caldwell. Marshall and Gibbs fight for control of the transfer line; Marshall gains the upper hand, grabbing the line and attaching it to himself at the last second. Air Force One crashes into the Caspian Sea, killing Gibbs. The MC-130 airmen reel Marshall in safely, where he walks into his family's waiting arms. Everyone in the White House Situation Room celebrate as confirmation of Marshall's rescue is given, and Bennett tears up the presidential incapacity order. The MC-130 is subsequently dubbed with the call sign of Air Force One as it flies safely away.

## Cast

* Harrison Ford as President Jim Marshall
* Gary Oldman as  Egor Korshunov
* Glenn Close as Vice President Kathryn Bennett
* Wendy Crewson as First Lady Grace Marshall
* Liesel Matthews as First Daughter Alice Marshall
* William H. Macy as Major Normal Caldwell
* Paul Guilfoyle as Chief of Staff Lloyd Shepherd
* Dean Stockwell as Defense Secretary Walter Dean