To what extent the different parties were involved in opium smuggling, black market guns, clandestine military operations or anything else in Laos during the Vietnam War, the public likely will never know. Or, at least, we won't know which stories to believe. The bottom line then is that one can't trust any of the claims or defenses. But, the facts about who was there and their purposes are clear, public record, and not refuted. The Internet has sources readily available about Air America. It actually started as far back as 1950. That was in the Truman Administration, so the reviewer who criticized this movie for its implication that Richard Nixon was behind it and tried to cover it up was correct in his assessment. All administrations tried to keep a lid on U.S. activities in Southeast Asia outside of Vietnam. Of course, the information and activities would eventually become known and details made available. Again, Web sites on Air America provide lots of information, some quite fascinating. .
That's enough about the background of the subject of this film. The movie itself is based on a book by Christopher Robbins. The characters are fictitious. But, the presence of the civilian pilots that flew a variety of aircraft for Air America was a fact. They did many things, as this movie shows. They flew food and made drops at remote villages. They helped the native Laotian forces against North Vietnamese incursions into their country. They did other clandestine operations ordered by the Air Force or CIA. And, they flew rescue missions for downed American pilots. The movie doesn't show this latter, but it was a very real function for the Air America pilots in Laos.
This movie is billed as an action comedy, and it does have some comedy. It's mostly light stuff, or situational scenes. It isn't laced with witty dialog. The humor serves to reduce some of the anxiety and tension there was in real life, and that we might otherwise feel in watching the film. On the other hand, this film has a great deal of action. It's loaded with good scenery shots and some fantastic scenes of flying. The plot is OK, but not particularly strong. The cast are all very good. So, the thin plot and direction and editing aside, "Air America" is a good film of action that shows a variety of aircraft. And, it does one other thing. It gives us a picture of a real event and time in history that otherwise we would not have. So, it has some added historical value as well.
The movie pokes fun at the CIA, the Air Force supervisors, and the Laotian general whose troops were the main buffer against the North Vietnamese entering Laos. The Laotians also were in the drug business. And, it shows a little of the U.S. AID operations to help refugees and the poor people of remote areas. All of that is find and good – it helps make the movie more interesting and entertaining. Unless someone has no interest in any of these things, cares nothing about aviation or flying, and wants to know nothing about that period of history, I can't imagine one rating this film fewer than five stars. I give it five just for those things, and two more for the acting, light comedy and entertainment.
