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Air America (film)

From Alfawiki
Air America
Company typeFilm
IndustryMotion picture
Founded1990; 36 years ago (1990)
FounderRoger Spottiswoode (director)
ProductsAction comedy film
ParentCarolco Pictures

Air America is a 1990 American action comedy film helmed by director Roger Spottiswoode, featuring Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. as pilots working for the CIA-supported airline Air America amid the Vietnam War. They uncover that their planes are utilized for heroin smuggling and must evade being implicated.

Based on Christopher Robbins' 1979 factual book, the movie depicts the CIA-funded airline's operations transporting arms and supplies across Cambodia, Laos, and South Vietnam during the conflict.

Although promoted as a lighthearted buddy comedy, the film addresses serious subjects such as an anti-war stance, the opium trade, and offers a critical depiction of Royal Laotian General Vang Pao (represented by Burt Kwouk as "General Lu Soong").

Plot

In 1969, helicopter pilot Billy Covington loses his flying license due to safety infractions but is recruited by a government official to pilot for Air America in Laos—a covert CIA operation.

Billy meets unconventional pilots, including Gene Ryack, who exploits official missions to acquire black market weapons for personal profit, aiming to retire rich.

Senator Davenport probes allegations of drug trafficking connected to Air America. CIA officers Major Lemond and Rob Diehl strive to suppress the truth, while Davenport's diplomatic blunder with General Soong undermines his credibility.

After their helicopter is shot down during a livestock airdrop, Billy and Jack Neely crash on an abandoned airstrip. General Soong's troops confiscate opium from the crash site but leave the pilots behind. Gene comes to their aid, revealing he has a family.

Following another crash, Gene and Billy are captured by a local tribe; Gene negotiates their release by trading weapons. Disenchanted with U.S. involvement, Gene advises Billy to quit, yet Billy pursues vengeance against General Soong.

With Jack’s death, Lemond and Diehl accuse him of leading the drug network. Billy destroys a heroin processing facility but is spotted escaping. Davenport demands evidence of smuggling activities.

Gene liquidates his weapons stockpile to exit Air America and Laos. Billy agrees to one final mission delivering flour but uncovers heroin concealed in the shipment. After another crash landing, he conceals the wreckage.

Davenport threatens to expose them; Lemond counters by using political influence to silence him.

Gene rescues Billy from danger at a refugee camp caught in crossfire. Under pressure, Gene jettisons weapons to protect refugees and destroys their stockpile.

They devise plans to sell aircraft to recover funds. In post-credits scenes, General Soong relocates to America owning a Holiday Inn; Gene wins a Thai lottery in 1975; Billy is deported from Thailand for rigging that lottery.

Cast

Development

Director Richard Rush initiated the film's development in 1985, originally envisioning it as a comedy set during the Vietnam War. The project was acquired by Carolco Pictures, with Sean Connery initially cast as Gene Ryack. For the role of Billy Covington, several actors were considered, including Bill Murray, James Belushi, and Kevin Costner. However, escalating costs led to Connery and Costner stepping away from the project. Producer Daniel Melnick then assumed control and enlisted screenwriter John Eskow to craft a new screenplay. Eventually, director Roger Spottiswoode was brought on board. Mel Gibson was chosen to portray Ryack with a salary around $7 million, while Robert Downey Jr. was cast as Covington. Nancy Travis replaced Ally Sheedy in the role of Corinne Landroaux, and Michael Dudikoff was selected to play General Lee.

Filming

The production budget expanded to $35 million, reflecting a large-scale operation involving 500 crew members across 49 different sites located in Thailand, London, and Los Angeles. Filming took place from October 3, 1989, through February 10, 1990, utilizing up to fifteen cameras simultaneously. The shoot encountered difficulties such as two earthquakes and a typhoon. To support aerial sequences, producers leased 26 military aircraft from Thailand; some stunt performers declined to execute complex maneuvers, necessitating the use of experienced pilots. Due to concerns raised by PepsiCo regarding scenes depicting opium processing at their former factory site, the film incorporated a line acknowledging Pepsi’s awareness of the matter. Six months after post-production concluded, Gibson and principal actors returned to film an alternate ending.

Reception

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a 12% approval rating based on 17 critiques, with an average score of 3.4 out of 10. Meanwhile, Metacritic assigns a weighted average of 33 out of 100 from 13 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. Audience polling by CinemaScore resulted in a "B" grade.

When released, Air America sparked controversy over its depiction of the covert CIA airline operation. Following the onset of the Persian Gulf War in January 1991, it was pulled from more than 100 theaters across Germany. Critical reception was predominantly negative; The New York Times labeled it a flawed "star vehicle" that failed as an action film, buddy comedy, or scenic adventure. Film historian Alun Evans described it as a "... tawdry, unfunny war comedy."

The film also faced criticism for historical inaccuracies. The St. Paul Pioneer Press highlighted its omission of actual war heroes such as Hmong pilot Lee Lue. Both author Christopher Robbins and historian William Leary condemned the film for misrepresenting Air America's history, branding it misleading and mediocre.

Nonetheless, some praise came from aviation aficionados; British critic Andy Webb commended the impressive aerial stunts that injected excitement into an otherwise flawed movie.

Conversely, Alexander Cockburn of the Los Angeles Times contended that the film received unfair criticism for addressing uncomfortable truths about U.S. covert operations and their connections to illicit activities—subjects frequently ignored in mainstream discourse.

Box office

Air America debuted at number three at the box office behind Flatliners and Young Guns II. It earned $31,053,601 domestically and $3,243,404 internationally, accumulating a total worldwide gross of $36,297,005.

Bibliography

  • Carrick, Peter. Mel Gibson. London: Robert Hale, 1998. .
  • Clarkson, Wensley. Mel Gibson: Man on a Mission. London: John Blake, 2004. .
  • Curry, Robert. Whispering Death, "Tuag Nco Ntsoov": Our Journey with the Hmong in the Secret War for Laos. Bloomington, Indiana: IUniverse Inc., 2004. .
  • Evans, Alun. Brassey's Guide to War Films. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books, 2000. .
  • Hamilton-Merritt, Jane. Tragic Mountains: The Hmong, the Americans, and the Secret Wars for Laos, 1942-1992. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1999. .
  • Robbins, Christopher. Air America. Cassell Military, 2012. .


External links

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