Summary
An upcomingMark Wahlbergmovie shares so many story beats with a $224 million-grossingNicolas Cageaction flick that it is hard not to see it as an unofficial sequel to the classic Cage film. While Nicolas Cage has been redefining his career with a mix of eclectic roles for quite some time now, Mark Wahlberg, too, is seemingly stepping away from his usual fare of action comedies to experiment with something different. Although Wahlberg usually plays heroic roles in action and comedy movies, his next film will surprisingly feature him as an antagonist.
Given how Mark Wahlberg was last seen as a full-fledged villain in 1996’sFear, this new change in his career trajectory alone makes his next film incredibly exciting. However, as the movie’s trailer and plot promise, it will seemingly offer a lot more than a villainous Mark Wahlberg. In more ways than one, it will be similar to a classicNicolas Cage moviefrom the late ’90s, potentially instilling nostalgia in those familiar with Cage’s early line of work.
Every Mark Wahlberg Action Movie, Ranked Worst To Best
Mark Wahlberg has starred in plenty of action movies over the past 30 years, although it must be admitted some were much better than others.
Flight Risk Feels Like The Perfect Spiritual Sequel To Nicolas Cage’s Con Air
Flight Risk & Con Air Feature Similar Hijacking Scenarios
AsFlight Risk’s trailerand official synopsis suggest, it features Mark Wahlberg as its main villain. Wahlberg’s character initially comes off as a pilot whose sole purpose is to fly an Air Marshal and a fugitive to a desired location. However, things take a dark turnwhen the character turns out to be a hitmanassigned with the job of eliminating the fugitive before the flight lands. With what follows, the Air Marshal overpowers Wahlberg’s character and ties him down, but encounters a whole new challenge: neither she nor the fugitive knows how to fly the aircraft.
Like Air Marshal from Flight Risk, Nicolas Cage’s Cameron is forced to play along with the hijackers while formulating his own plan to stop them.
In many ways,Flight Risk’s storyline seems reminiscent of the 1997 filmCon Air. Directed by Simon West,Con Airfeatures Nicolas Cage as an honorably discharged Army Ranger who is given a sentence of seven to ten years after killing a man in self-defense. When he finally receives parole after eight years and boards a flight back home to reunite with his family, other prisoners hijack the plane, hoping to escape the country. Like Air Marshal from Flight Risk, Nicolas Cage’s Cameron is forced to play along with the hijackers while formulating his own plan to stop them.
Con Air’s Reputation Has Significantly Improved Since Releasing In 1997
Nicolas Cage’s Return To Form Has Made His Previous Films More Popular
Even thoughCon Airwas a box office success when it premiered in 1997, critics did not give it favorable reviews. However, over time,it has garnered somewhat of a cult-classic statuslike several other Nicolas Cage movies. Although Cage is not as big of an oddball inCon Airas in several other films, likeMandyandGhost Rider, the movie still makes enough room for him to put his charisma and unique acting gimmicks on full display.
Given how Mark Wahlberg is also experimenting with a villainous role after ages inFlight Risk, it would be interesting to see how his hijacking film will compare toCon Air. With Mel Gibson as its director,Flight Risknot only has the potential to topCon Airbut also to rank among some of the classics in the hijacking sub-genre, likeSpeed. However, only time will tell whether theMark Wahlbergfilm will earn the same cult-classic title asNicolas Cage’sCon Airdown the line or become another forgettable addition to the genre.
Con Air
Con-Air is a 1990s action crime-thriller starring Nicholas Cage as former U.S. Ranger turned to convict Cameron Poe. Poe, in an act of self-defense and passion, is court-martialed for accidentally killing the man he protected his wife from. Having served his time and achieving Parole, Poe is on his way home with one problem - the transport plane he’s on has been hijacked by several dangerous convicts, led by one of the worst in the United States.
