the audience applauded

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Jack Harris (Kiefer Sutherland) is an air traffic controller in Chicago, one of the best of the crew. His boss (Bruce McGill) values him highly. But, one tragic day, a plane goes down shortly after takeoff, killing over 150 passengers. Although it was NOT his fault, Jack goes off the deep end. In time, we learn he started drinking, went to re-hab and currently holds a job as a programmer for traffic control software. Flash forwarding a few years, the Chicago crew has a new boss, Susan (Kelly McGillis) who is out to prove something, even when it puts her underlings at risk. The operations manager (Henry Winkler) tries to tell her she is cutting corners with equipment while the comptroller (Michael Gross) is constantly annoying everyone. New AT controller Julie (Kristy Swanson) appears to be more timid than she should be. Things again comes to a crisis at the center, as Susan accepts more planes from a shut-down airport and some staff is off for the holidays. In desperation, the manager reaches out to Jack to "come back" to the station and help out NOW. Once there, will Mr. Harris have the skills and serenity to avoid another catastrophe? Will he be a hero or another victim? This by- the-book thriller has its good points, surely. The cast is the greatest asset, as the flat script is improved with their readings. Gross is a snarly hoot, as far from his understanding father in Families Ties as one can get. There is not much in the way of sets or costumes, as most action takes place inside the air traffic hub. Perhaps the direction deserves more than faint praise, for even with its formulaic premise, the movie does hold a viewer's interest. Therefore, if you like the cast members or disaster-themed films, this one will do for you.

A handful of Air Traffic Controllers in Phoenix manage a crowded sky and nurse an injured airliner back to earth. Kiefer Sutherland is an ace at the job, but he quit after one of his airplanes crashed. Now he's called back to help on a night full of tension.And there IS a lot of tension after the introductory period that walks us through the character and their equipment. It's one of those movies in which, if anything can go wrong, it goes wrong. The equipment blows out, a goose flies into the radar fan, conflicts between the ATCs emerge, and so forth. Brief spurts of Morse code add to the mystery behind all that technology, but only two letters are heard in Morse: "s" and "u". Actually it's a vast improvement over most airplane-in-jeopardy movies. First of all, we don't have a single airliner filled with diverse passengers whose back stories must be explored seriatim. Second, and most important, the ATC people are on the ground, where all human beings belong. Man was not meant to fly. I can't speak for women and children. In fact, all means of mass transport are suspect. I thought the driver on my last Greyhound bus looked a little odd.The narrative comes through neatly and cleanly. It begins in an exploratory mode and ends in crisis and triumph, accompanied by generic music. The performances are all decent, with perhaps the best acting laid on by Robert Sean Leonard as Cruise, the competent and low-keyed controller who becomes rattled by too much stress. Sutherland's role is the flashier of the two. Also notable in minor roles are Alex Wexo as a pilot and especially Drew Snyder as the avuncular pilot of a stricken airliner. It would be so easy to overact, but Snyder does a fine job. Knowing his airplane and its passengers are doomed, he languidly tells Phoenix, "Keep us away from a city." But in any case it's really an ensemble movie.The director does not indulge himself in razzle dazzle techniques. The film was shot on stilts, not by a hand-held camera wobbled around by a spazz. Even during the scenes of second-by-second action, the images remain steady.

I caught the last couple of minutes of this recently and set up a timer to catch the next showing. I told my wife at the time I was wholly expectant to be disappointed when I finally got to see it. She laughed, knowing how thin my skin is about the job I did for 30 years.So today it appeared on my list and I queued it up. Holy crap! It wasn't two minutes in when they set the scene of the ostensible Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (the chyron claims 3 July 1993 1300). I immediately started laughing. I was there in 1993 (and probably on 3 July, too), and Chicago Center never, ever looked even remotely like that. I was there from 1973 until 1997--you can take it to the bank.In truth, it's still sitting on pause because I wanted to come here and report this. Having read all the reviews, especially the ones from my fellow travelers, I know I don't really need to subject myself to it (although I will). Films featuring ATC universally get more wrong than should be humanly possible. From phraseology ("Over and out", "Roger that", and "Runway 37"), to equipment, to scenarios.Five years off and then begged to come in to help out? I was out for twenty months (guess when?) and while I was able to get all of my groove back, it wasn't simple and it certainly wasn't done in a day, or a week, or a month. Someone gone five years would likely never have recertified. It's tough.Was it too hard to get StarSets (headsets)? I hated them--my original Plantronics M-50 was so much better, but about 95% of the controllers used them. The rest used the old Bell 52--same one Ernestine used on "Laugh In". Whatever those things were, aren't FAA issue.I agree with other reviewers--how hard would it have been to get a real controller (I was available) to come in with real tips and knowledge and then LISTEN to him/her? It might have elevated this film to a 2 (which would put it above the execrable "Pushing Tin").For those reading this with whom I might have worked (Jacksonville ARTCC, O'Hare TRACON, Chicago ARTCC), yes, that username is me, LRod.Try this website on for size: http://www.TheBigSkyTheory.com It's all about big time ATC in four decades.

One has to wonder why the likes of Kiefer Sutherland, Kelly McGillis, Kristy Swanson and Henry Winkler would lend their talents to a routine drama like this. While not exactly at the peak of their game – Sutherland was still in a lull before "24" reinvigorated his career; McGillis, Swanson and Winkler were well past the heyday years of "Top Gun", "Buffy" and "Happy Days" respectively – they're collectively too good to be wasted on such uninspired fare. This drama set in the world of air traffic control is routine in every department. Watching it will not offend your sensibilities in any way, shape or form…. but neither will it have you raving to all your friends what an undiscovered masterpiece you've just unearthed.Jack Harris (Kiefer Sutherland) used to be an ace air traffic controller, until one night in Chicago he listened helplessly as a flight in his sector crashed, killing all 174 passengers and crew. Although Harris was blameless, the incident left him deeply scarred. Five years later he makes a living in Phoenix, designing computer software and gradually recovering from the break-up of his relationship and battle with alcoholism. Harris's old air traffic buddy TC Bryant (Bruce McGill) – who has also moved down to Phoenix - approaches him one New Year, asking Harris to help out at the air traffic control centre during a staff shortage. Harris is reluctant but he eventually agrees. As it happens, Phoenix is excessively busy with aircraft that night as a storm has diverted more than fifty extra flights their way. Other controllers trying to land the planes safely that night include cocksure Cruise (Robert Sean Leonard) and first-night-on-the-job rookie Julie Albrecht (Kristy Swanson). As the pressure builds, Harris finds himself struggling to remain focused and he keeps experiencing flashbacks to that fateful night in Chicago. Then the unthinkable happens – an aircraft puts in a distress call. They've lost all power and hydraulics, they can't even turn the plane, they're low on fuel and they're carrying over 130 passengers. Harris thinks he knows a way to bring the plane in safely…. but will his nerves hold?Ground Control is clichéd stuff. Every character is lifted from stock – if you have your tick boxes ready, there's the flawed hero (Sutherland) - check; the cocky rival (Leonard) - check; the rookie (Swanson) - check; the dryly humorous technical boffin (Winkler) - check; the pig-headed boss (McGillis) – check; and the inspirational father figure who draws everyone together in a crisis (McGill) – check! Much of the dialogue is incomprehensible air traffic lingo ("turn right on a 2-9er-2 heading and reduce air speed by 15 knots"), and some scenes become tedious due to the sheer weight of technical babble. However the film is not all that badly done. The actors at least try quite hard in their cardboard roles, and the final twenty minutes or so, during which they battle to bring in the stricken plane, has an element of excitement. This is an unexceptional, workmanlike drama – easy viewing for those with an hour and a half to spare.