History Film / AirForceOne

The United States has just deposed Ivan Radek, the dictator of Kazakhstan. [[UsefulNotes/ThePresidentOfTheUnitedStates US President]] James Marshall (Ford) is returning to the United States on the titular aircraft after a conference in Moscow. Little does he know that Radek loyalists have snuck on the plane by disguising themselves as journalists. Shortly after takeoff, the terrorists hijack the plane with the goal of securing Radek's release. Unfortunately for them, Marshall has no intention of surrendering to the hijackers.

The United States has just deposed Ivan Radek, the dictator of Kazakhstan. US President James Marshall (Ford) is returning to the United States on the titular aircraft after a conference in Moscow. Little does he know that Radek loyalists have snuck on the plane by disguising themselves as journalists. Shortly after takeoff, the terrorists hijack the plane with the goal of securing Radek's release. Unfortunately for them, Marshall has no intention of surrendering to the hijackers.

The cast includes Creator/GlennClose as Vice President Kathryn Bennett, Creator/WendyCrewson as First Lady Grace Marshall, Liesel Matthews as Alice Marshall, Creator/GaryOldman as Egor Korshunov and [[Creator/JurgenProchnow Jürgen Prochnow]] as General Ivan Radek.

** '''B'''oris '''B'''azylev, the terrorist who is played by Creator/AndrewDivoff and is killed second.

** On the canopy of the F-15 whose pilot informs the President of the damage to Air Force One, his rank is shown as "LTC", an Army rank. As the Air Force were the only branch of the armed forces to use [=F-15s=], it should read "Lt Col".

* DisneyVillainDeath: Suffered both by the bad guys and good guys when the hostages are caught jumping off the plane. Played with when Korshunov, who's neck gets broken, floats safely thanks to his parachute.

* MeaningfulRename: [[spoiler:When Liberty 2-4 retrieved President Marshall safely on board, they changed their call sign to Air Force One. ([[ShownTheirWork Which is how it works in reality too]]; Federal Law says any US Air Force aircraft carrying the President automatically becomes Air Force One)]].

* MeaningfulRename: [[spoiler:When Liberty 2-4 retrieved President Marshall safely on board, they changed their call sign to Air Force One. ([[ShownTheirWork Which is how works is in reality too]]; Federal Law says any US Air Force aircraft carrying the President automatically becomes Air Force One)]].

The cast includes Creator/GlennClose as Vice President Kathryn Bennett, Creator/WendyCrewson as First Lady Grace Marshall, Liesel Matthews as Alice Marshall, Creator/GaryOldman as Ivan Korshunov and [[Creator/JurgenProchnow Jürgen Prochnow]] as General Ivan Radek.

* BigBad: Ivan Korshunov, as he masterminded the Air Force One hijack to have his idol Radek released from prison.

* DragonAscendant: From a ''story'' standpoint Ivan Korshunov is this. His boss, General Radek, being in prison elevates Korshunov ''functionally'' to the level of an "acting main villain."

* AFatherToHisMen: Ivan Korshunov takes it ''very'' personally when Marshall kills Krasin. General Radek is this, too.

'''Ivan Korshunov:''' What arrogance to think you could ever understand my intentions.\\

* OneSteveLimit: Averted; both Radek and Korshunov have the first name Ivan.

* PostClimaxConfrontation: After killing lead terrorist Ivan Korshunov, retaking the plane, and fending off [=MiGs=] in a dogfight, [[spoiler: [[TheMole Agent Gibbs]] tries one final attempt to kill the protagonists during the movie's ending escape sequence.]]

-->--{{Tagline}}

** Also Radek after being released. He chooses to smugly walk towards the chopper instead of of running to it and getting the hell out of dodge. By the time he does run towards the chopper?? Marshall has already called to stop the release, which makes Radek a prisoner trying to escape and the Russian guards shoot to kill and succeed.

* PatrioticFervor: On both sides of the line. Korshunov and his comrades love for Mother Russia and Marshall and his entire cabinet. Neither side takes it lightly.

* TheOperatorsMustBeCrazy: President Marshall finds a satellite phone and attempts to get through to the Vice President, but is thwarted by the White House switchboard operator who refuses to believe the caller is actually who he says he is, until they get a trace on his phone and put him through...just as he is discovered by one of the hijackers.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Korshunov's plan is nearly derailed before it gets off the ground by Air Force One's pilots who try and very nearly succeed in landing it in a Ramstein Airbase. This is before Marshall, his target ironically, gets around to thwarting it.