Samuel LoveLong before he was Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. was a 90s heartthrob – and his charming performance in Air America is perhaps one of the greatest examples. This cult action-comedy sees the young star teaming up with action icon Mel Gibson as a pair of mismatched cargo pilots during the Vietnam War, who get caught up in a conspiracy to smuggle heroin. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode (Tomorrow Never Dies), Air America is a blast that looks and sounds utterly phenomenal in this new restoration from StudioCanal. Packed with special features, Air America is finally receiving the home video treatment it has long deserved.
Synopsis
Set in the 1960s, Billy Covington (Robert Downey Jr.) is a big-city chopper pilot who reports traffic conditions for a radio station but ends up losing his license due to a traffic incident on the freeway. Longing to do some real flying, Billy is recruited by the government for a secret and safe (he thinks) civilian airline in Laos. Knowing that by agreeing to do it he’ll get his license back, he signs up. Upon arrival in Laos, he soon befriends ace pilot Gene Ryack (Mel Gibson) and realises that Air America isn’t quite what it seems, instead of transporting civilians, it’s food, money, ammunition and napalm that are the real cargo and the pilots are risking their lives daily.
Special Features
- Revisiting Air America
- Interviews with cast and crew
- Storyboards
- Feature Clips
- Flight Log
- Making Of Featurette
- Theatrical Trailer
- Rerelease Trailer
- Commentary by screenwriter John Eskow
AIR AMERICA is available now from StudioCanal
