A young pilot finds himself recruited unwittingly into a covert and corrupt CIA airlift operation in Laos during the Vietnam conflict.A young pilot finds himself recruited unwittingly into a covert and corrupt CIA airlift operation in Laos during the Vietnam conflict.A young pilot finds himself recruited unwittingly into a covert and corrupt CIA airlift operation in Laos during the Vietnam conflict.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
Art LaFleur
- Jack Neely
- (as Art La Fleur)
Sinjai Plengpanich
- Gene's Wife
- (as Sinjai Hongthai)
Yanee Tramoth
- Gene's Brother-in-Law
- (as Yani Tramod)
Chanarona Suwanpa
- Kwahn
- (as Chanarong Suwanapa)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Air America is a fun, entertaining film in my opinion. I've read a few user reviews and have noticed people who don't enjoy this movie seem to want to label it to a certain genre.
I think you just have to sit back and enjoy it for what it is. There are some good one liners along with some great action. The overall story is solid but nothing spectacular. I grew up with this film and probably watched it 4 times before i fully understood the whole war/heroin corruption storyline. I wouldn't go into this movie thinking you're going to get an Apocalypse Now masterpiece, it's just a light hearted war flick.
I think you just have to sit back and enjoy it for what it is. There are some good one liners along with some great action. The overall story is solid but nothing spectacular. I grew up with this film and probably watched it 4 times before i fully understood the whole war/heroin corruption storyline. I wouldn't go into this movie thinking you're going to get an Apocalypse Now masterpiece, it's just a light hearted war flick.
This film rendition of Christopher Robbin's "Air America", the story of CIA's secret airforce in Laos during the Vietnam War has been fluffed up a tad too much. I would have hoped they would have kept the tone of the book which was a bit edgier; more like the film version of MASH. This version makes the "non-war" in Laos seem like a Disney World Ride. However Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr make it worth the price of admission. After you watch the flick track down the book for the REAL story.
Air America is an easy, fun, not hard to watch movie. I have seen it many times and find it an easy no brain. I can watch the movie and do other stuff at the same time and still catch the jokes and the plot. I like Robert Downey Jnr always and this movie is no exception. He gels really well with Mel Gibson. I am an actor and I would have loved to be cast in this movie. Love the scene where Robert Downey Jnr is asleep, hammered from the previous nights session on the booze when Mel Gibson flying his helicopter hooks him up while still asleep on garden furniture. Fab scene !
Give it a go. It now an old movie but a good one that seemed to have slipped through so many peoples viewing when it was released.
Great music !! I am a big fan of old soul and motown and this movie has some fab tunes.
What this movie on a crappy Wednesday night when there is nothing else on and not much to do and you will have a fun time.
Give it a go. It now an old movie but a good one that seemed to have slipped through so many peoples viewing when it was released.
Great music !! I am a big fan of old soul and motown and this movie has some fab tunes.
What this movie on a crappy Wednesday night when there is nothing else on and not much to do and you will have a fun time.
... because, whilst it doesn't have anything overly outstanding about it, it manages to be very entertaining. Perhaps it's just because the pairing of Gibson and Downey, Jr. appeals to me. Whatever it is, I found the setup interesting, the comedy funny and the action nicely staged.
I'm tempted to say that its lukewarm reception was down to poor marketing, but I'm not sure that's true. Maybe I just have to accept that I quite like a movie that the majority think is bad.
I don't know what it is with Gibson and 'non-Lethal-Weapon' action comedies, but "Bird on a Wire" seems to be regarded as another commercial failure, and I enjoyed that one too. Time to take me off to the funny farm... ?
I'm tempted to say that its lukewarm reception was down to poor marketing, but I'm not sure that's true. Maybe I just have to accept that I quite like a movie that the majority think is bad.
I don't know what it is with Gibson and 'non-Lethal-Weapon' action comedies, but "Bird on a Wire" seems to be regarded as another commercial failure, and I enjoyed that one too. Time to take me off to the funny farm... ?
Yeah, it's an "action flick"--lots of explosions, tough-guy posturing, bombast--but it also has depth.
If you like good writing, good scenario work, fine acting (including "minor" roles), and realpolitik, you could spend a far worse 90-odd minutes of an evening.
And seeing it reminds me of an amazing fact: Behind the macho action swagger of Gibson beats the heart of a truly great actor. And, I guess, the same has to be said for Downey; I watched this, in part, as a sort of "catch up" on his career after seeing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Nice to see him in his nubile years, and realize that he has accomplished more *with* his personal issues in tow than some of us accomplish while living within conventional bounds of correctness.
And... Why does Downey always get these parts where he's the voice of down-home morality in a sea of squalor? Anyway: Check it out.
If you like good writing, good scenario work, fine acting (including "minor" roles), and realpolitik, you could spend a far worse 90-odd minutes of an evening.
And seeing it reminds me of an amazing fact: Behind the macho action swagger of Gibson beats the heart of a truly great actor. And, I guess, the same has to be said for Downey; I watched this, in part, as a sort of "catch up" on his career after seeing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Nice to see him in his nubile years, and realize that he has accomplished more *with* his personal issues in tow than some of us accomplish while living within conventional bounds of correctness.
And... Why does Downey always get these parts where he's the voice of down-home morality in a sea of squalor? Anyway: Check it out.
Did you know
- TriviaThe sequence where Robert Downey, Jr. is seen hanging from a rope flying across the skies above Thailand, including a Buddhist temple, was done for real, with Downey performing the stunt himself after director Roger Spottiswoode had rejected doing it using such alternative techniques as blue screen or back projection.
- GoofsWhen Kwuan is pushing the cargo out, he clearly has a safety line attached. As he and the cargo go over the edge, there is no line present. The safety line is back in the next cut.
- Quotes
Billy Covington: [Gene is loading a machine gun] Excuse me, is that an Uzi?
Gene Ryack: [glances at Babo and Billy] You know, that would make a great TV commercial? 'Excuse me, is that an Uzi?' 'Why, yes it is. Hey, self-defense is no laughing matter! That why when I want number one I pack an Uzi... accept no substitutes.'
- Alternate versionsUK television screenings are usually missing the translation subtitles of Gene's conversation with the 'Hillbilly's' when he and Billy are captured shortly after the helicopter crash. The subtitles are present on both the R2 Optimum Home Entertainment DVD and Guild Home Video VHS releases.
- ConnectionsEdited into Soldier Boyz (1995)
- SoundtracksFree Ride
Performed and Produced by Edgar Winter & Rick Derringer
Written by Dan Hartman
Published by Multi-Level Music Inc. and Silver Steed Music Inc.
Administered by EMI Blackwood Music Inc.
- How long is Air America?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $35,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $31,053,601
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,064,480
- Aug 12, 1990
- Gross worldwide
- $33,461,269
- Runtime
- 1h 53m(113 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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