This was the film that cemented Nicolas Cage’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s most unlikely action heroes.
Cage is Cameron Poe, an ex-Army Ranger jailed for a murder he committed in self-defence, whose release is interrupted when his flight home on the “Jailbird” (a convict transport plane) is hijacked by a bunch of America’s most dangerous felons.
His impossibly cool macho posturing is irresistible, as is John Malkovich’s sneering, tongue-in-cheek turn as super-criminal Cyrus “the Virus” Grissom.
John Cusack and Ving Rhames lend snappy support while Steve Buscemi steals nearly every scene he is in with an inspired pastiche of Hannibal Lecter.
Armed with an entertaining script by Scott Rosenberg, director Simon West delivered a dynamic debut that’s nearly impossible to dislike. The public certainly found it a winning formula – it went on to take more than $200 million around the world.
Cameron Poe
Nicolas Cage
Vince Larkin
John Cusack
Cyrus “the Virus” Grissom
John Malkovich
Garland Greene
Steve Buscemi
Diamond Dog
Ving Rhames
Duncan Malloy
Colm Meaney
Baby-O
Mykelti Williamson
Sally Bishop
Rachel Ticotin
Tricia Poe
Monica Potter
Pinball
Dave Chappelle
Swamp Thing
M C Gainey
Billy Bedlam
Nick Chinlund
Conrad
Brendan Kelly
Johnny 23
Danny Trejo
Sally Can’t Dance
Renoly Santiago
Francisco Cindino
Jesse Borrego
Director
Simon West