The-Reel-McCoy -- Con Air

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Con Air is quite a ride. If you like action, you will not leave disappointed. The movie has quite a setup, as 20 or so of the nation's most dangerous criminals are being transported across the nation to a newly built facility. The title leaves little doubt to the fact that these cons will overtake the flight, and stuck in the middle of all of this is a man who wants to go home to his family: Cameron Poe (Nicholas Cage).

Cage shows one thing with this movie: something different. From Raising Arizona to Leaving Las Vegas to The Rock to Con Air, Cage is anything but typecast. In this movie he displays an extremely loyal valor not common in our society today. And once again, he delivers. And like all good action heroes, he even utilizes those one-liners. My favorite: "Put the bunny in the box."

But Nicholas Cage would have been NOTHING without such a deep and talented cast. One of my favorite actors, John Malkovich (shown left), starred as Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom: the ringleader, so to speak. His high intelligence is what made him so dangerous and eerily admirable. And there was also Steve Buschemi, from Fargo, who played the nation's most deadly serial killer, Garland Greene. Buschemi was perhaps the most captivating to watch as he displayed such a calm and almost humorous demeanor while still hinting at the deadly rage that lie beneath. Ving Rhames as Diamond Dog could have done better. He was nothing like the black militant that he was hyped up to be. But there were other criminals who were mean enough to warrant cheers at their demise. And on the other end of the spectrum was John Cusack who was somehow the lone ranger when it came to stopping this mad flight.

However, Con Air had two weaknesses. First of all, such cooperation and obedience to the con leader Cyrus among such violent, nonconformist criminals is somehow something that would only happen in the movies. Second of all, to assume that this could happen as easily as it did and that there are "no contingencies" for such a situation and that John Cusak is the only person our nation would have in line to stop such a disaster is quite naive.

Nevertheless, Con Air delivers on action and suspense. There is always enough going on as to never permit a dull moment. And the cast is the biggest and baddest one yet this summer.