Film Review: Air America (1990)

Vietnam War was the most traumatic event for American collective psyche in 20th Century. While Hollywood tried to exploit in its own way – either through pandering towards 1960s Boomer pacifist nostalgia, attempts of soul searching or embracing born-again militarism in Reagan’s years – there were few attempts to treat that period of history through ironic detachment of satirical comedy (like the way forgotten Korean War was depicted in MASH). One such rare attempt was Air America, 1990 action comedy directed by Roger Spottiswoode.

The film is based on 1978 book by British journalist Christopher Robbins which dealt with one of the more obscure episodes of Second Indochina War. The plot starts in 1969 when the protagonist, young Los Angeles traffic reporting helicopter pilot Billy Covington (played by Robert Downey Jr.) loses his piloting licence after altercation with truck driver. He is soon offered job in Laos where he would have to fly planes for the airline company called Air America. When he arrives there he quickly discovers that the territory of the country, although officially neutral, is used by both participants of the war in neighbouring Vietnam. Air America is actually a front for CIA which uses its planes and helicopters to deliver weapons and supplies to the government troops and various pro-American factions and tribes. The whole operation officially doesn’t exist and everyone uses that as an excuse to look the other way in case of illegal or questionable activity, like General Lu Soong (played by Burt Kwouk) who grows opium and sells heroin to American troops in Vietnam. Gene Ryack (played by Mel Gibson), veteran pilot who quickly becomes Billy’s friend and mentor, has taken similar pragmatic approach and started small gun-running operation for himself, hoping to have enough capital to start straight business career after the war finally ends. Billy, who is young and still full of idealism, is appalled and doesn’t hide his outrage with such state of affairs. This might bring him a lot of trouble when US Senator Davenport (played by Lane Smith) arrives in Laos to inspect the operation. People in charge, Major Donald Lemond (played by Ken Jenkins) and Robert Diehl (played by David Marshall Grant), decide that might need a convenient scapegoat in case any serious wrongdoing is found, at the young pilot from drug-loving California fits the bill perfectly.

Air America is rather obscure film, at least considering that it had very large budget as well as some of the most popular Hollywood stars in its cast. The high budget is actually seen in the film, which had long and troubled production beset by natural disasters. This includes only in spectacular mass scenes, including thrilling action with plenty of pyrotechnics, but also use of many planes and attractive aerial footage, covered well by veteran cinematographer Roger Deakins. Air America also features very good performances by two very different actors playing two very different characters, but with good “buddy buddy” chemistry. Gibson, who played intense manic characters is strangely but effectively laid-back man who has lost youthful idealism and sees forgotten secret war as nothing more or less than regular business opportunity. Robert Downey Jr. is also very good as idealist who tries to do the right thing, even if it includes sabotaging US government-backed drug operation (which is somewhat ironic, considering that the actor at the time had serious drug dependency problem in real life). Film also features some fine stunts, including one which features Billy’s character, while passed out, being secretly pulled up in the air by helicopter (and which Downey did by himself). Main cast is complemented by diverse and talented group of character actors, many of whom, like Lane Smith, Burt Kwouk, Robert Jenkins and Robert Diehl, actually play characters based on real life historical personalities.

However, while there are plenty of attractive elements in Air America, they fail to form coherent whole. The main reason is poor script by John Eskow and Richard Rush which is at odds whether to focus on being moralistic condemnation of US government bloody shenanigans in Southeast Asia, straight action adventure story or cynical satire. Spotiswoode tries to fill the blanks with action, at the expense of plot and character development. This lack of focus is best seen at the end, when character of Corinne Landreaux, USAID official in charge of refugee camp, which served as token female in all-male story, conveniently and not particularly convincingly presents character of Gene with moral dilemma which would be resolved in predictable matter. Air America, which could have been something more, ends as just another cliched Hollywood fantasy.

The authors apparently thought that the end of Cold War could make their approach towards the unpleasant chapter of US history would resonate well with US audience. This was especially so in light of late 1980s events related to Iran Contra affair, which showed that the same modus operandi used in jungles of Southeast Asia – financing of proxy war through various clandestine schemes with drug-dealing and similar shady characters – was being used again, closer to home, in Central America. Air America, however, had misfortune for being released shortly after Saddam Hussein occupied Kuwait; in the resulting patriotic fever drummed up by US media and establishment, audience had little willingness to be reminded over Vietnam again and preferred to embrace “splendid little war” in Middle East that would ultimately exorcise the ghost of national trauma. This led to Air America being rejected not only by audience, but also by critics. In newly united Germany, gratitude to Cold War ally and world’s only remaining superpower was expressed even by Air America being pulled out of theatres during duration of First Gulf War. This might explain why this ambitious and at times entertaining film sank into relative oblivion.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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