The Film “Air Force One” by Wolfgang Petersen Essay

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Updated: Dec 23rd, 2023

Air Force One was directed by the German Wolfgang Petersen and released in 1997. The film’s representations of American democracy, anti-terrorism policy, and the public’s attitude toward the nuclear family are all grounded in realism while also using exaggerated political jargon. General Ivan Radek was successfully kidnapped from the outset. The picture shifts to President James Marshall of the United States making a “Be Afraid” address at a diplomatic luncheon in Moscow without identifying the kidnapped general or his captors. His voice is low because of his serious demeanor and resolve. When the President declares that, the only way to achieve true peace is to alter the policy, there is no other way to understand his resolve. Professor Anker’s assessment of theatrical political discourse is reflected in the contrasts in the facial emotions of American and Russian officials and the enthusiasm of Moscow’s residents upon seeing the fleet of the President of the United States.

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In the movie “Air Force One,” President James Marshall travels to Moscow to deliver an impassioned address detailing the United States’ new “zero tolerance” stance against terrorism. A terrorist manages to board Air Force One (the President’s official jet) while in flight, kidnapping the President, his wife, and their daughter. The President is safely removed from the scene by the protective detail, whose primary responsibility is the President’s protection. The terrorists aim to kill one captive every half an hour unless their demands are satisfied.

The President of the United States stays behind after being abducted by terrorists from Kazakhstan in order to make attempts to reclaim control of Air Force One. The terrorists are from Kazakhstan. The lights on the flight were never switched off, not even in the shaking lower cabin or in the conference room where the hostages were being kept. Both of these areas were illuminated during the whole ordeal. The ground at both of these locations was fiercely trembling. Everything that may be dangerous has been brought to light due to the lighting, including threats to democracy in the United States and the security of the whole world. An audio recording was produced when a terrorist threatened to kill the President’s family. This tape captured the President’s agony and suffering during this time. He and other American officials and pilots discovered a method to escape, and he decided to give it his all. He put his life on the line to save his family, which consisted of only a few people.

Director Wolfgang Petersen experimented with a wide range of lenses because of the studio’s encouraging environment; these lenses were all well-established by the turn of the century that proved use of ethos in the video. The director strategically placed cameras so the entire scene would fill the screen. The filmmaking behind the camera was superb. There was no way to shoot the same scene repeatedly using the same method in a period picture. The film was shot with several different cameras by the filmmaker. The film’s two main aerial segments were filmed at the Channel Islands off the coast of California and at Rickenbacker International Airport in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. Wolfgang Petersen took quick photographs, and the following camera was cleverly concealed to capture pictures at random around the plane. Thunderstorms, heavy rains, and wind were all captured using state-of-the-art camera methods, giving the video a natural contrast. The expert camerawork truly elevated the film’s aesthetic appeal.

The director took precautions to guarantee that the movie’s pacing remained comparable to that typically seen in modern Hollywood action blockbusters and succeeded in doing so thanks to his efforts. Even though the film’s tone and look were startlingly relevant to the current day, the individuals in the movie were a natural fit for the modern environment. This was the case even though the setting was modern. In the opening sequence, the camera moves fast through a crowd of individuals shown to be acting suspiciously. This gives the idea that these people are engaged in some nefarious activity in a very dramatic way. The author employs tragic acting in those stages of the war where the terrorist is responsible for the deaths of numerous innocent bystanders.

The sound design in this film is excellent, from the wind blowing outside to the gunfire of the terrorist and the security guards to the screams of the women threatened by the terrorist to the ringing of a mobile phone that caught people’s emotions. Cinematic chaos abounds in the picture, yet it has all been cleverly braided together to provide light on the characters’ shifting emotional states. For instance, the film exploits a loud setting soon after the terrorist tells everyone to follow one route and starts killing victims. During the fierce conflict, the director seizes the opportunity to silence the gunfire and women’s screams by having a voice from the cell speakers demand that the authorities release the chief terrorist.

I appreciate the film partly because of its well-shot scenario, which leaves everything inconceivable after the President has made it from the clutches of the terrorist with his family. Beautiful slow-motion and fast-motion editing highlight the thrilling action. The film’s length of 2 hours and 50 minutes may appear excessive. However, it proves to be fascinating as it leaves the audience waiting in anticipation of the next move made by the powerful United States military. Unpredictability is one of the film’s strongest points, and it keeps viewers’ attention right up to the last scene. It gets more exciting when the vice president, Kathryn Bennet, stays true to her ideals and refuses to divulge the despite receiving unsubstantiated knowledge regarding the President’s death.

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Wolfgang’s cinematography, artwork, and natural contrasts have all been compelling. A combo of superb technique and fascinating characters make the picture one of the best I have viewed so far. He adopts fast-paced editing of fighting sequences which is innovative. Everybody does their part so smartly and naturally. Many viewers may think that Kathryn Bennet is the film’s main attraction. Even though he does not make it off Air Force One alive, Major Caldwell does a fantastic job as presidential advisor and provides invaluable counsel to the President. The film’s narrative and characters are intricately woven to create a powerful and memorable whole.

This movie does a terrific job of recreating the spirit of a traditional Hollywood thriller, and it does it thrillingly and excitingly. The President and his bodyguards are depicted with a significant amount of care to detail, and it is indicated that they have formidable combat powers that they utilize to triumph over more than ten attackers. Another topic that is brought up for debate is the kind of clothes that people wore in the 20th century.

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IvyPanda. (2023, December 23). The Film "Air Force One" by Wolfgang Petersen. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-air-force-one-by-wolfgang-petersen/

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IvyPanda. (2023) 'The Film "Air Force One" by Wolfgang Petersen'. 23 December.

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IvyPanda. 2023. "The Film "Air Force One" by Wolfgang Petersen." December 23, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-air-force-one-by-wolfgang-petersen/.

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IvyPanda. "The Film "Air Force One" by Wolfgang Petersen." December 23, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-air-force-one-by-wolfgang-petersen/.

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