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Airplane!

Airplane! (1980)

tomatometer

98

Average Rating: 8.3/10
Reviews Counted: 52
Fresh: 51 | Rotten: 1

Though unabashedly juvenile and silly, Airplane! is nevertheless an uproarious spoof comedy full of quotable lines and slapstick gags that endure to this day.

100

Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 0

Though unabashedly juvenile and silly, Airplane! is nevertheless an uproarious spoof comedy full of quotable lines and slapstick gags that endure to this day.

audience

85

liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 262,533

My Rating

Movie Info

This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on ridiculous sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style that would be imitated for the next 20 years. Airplane! pulls out all the clichés as alcoholic pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays), who's developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, boards a jumbo jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend (Julie Hagerty). Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to

PG, 1 hr. 28 min.

Comedy

,

Oct 24, 2000

Paramount Pictures

Cast

All Critics (52) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (60) | Rotten (1) | DVD (29)

The gags aren't exactly clever, but there are a lot of them, and the cutting finds a fast, effective tempo.

April 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment (1)
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The fact that the movie doesn't work as well today as it did in 1980 in no way diminishes its importance in recent motion picture history.

April 1, 2008 Full Review Source: ReelViews | Comment
ReelViews
Top Critic IconTop Critic

From the clever Jaws take-off opening to the final, irreverent title card, laughs come thick and fast.

April 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It is sophomoric, obvious, predictable, corny, and quite often very funny. And the reason it's funny is frequently because it's sophomoric, predictable, corny, etc.

December 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comments (2)
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Airplane! is more than a pleasant surprise, in the midst of this dim movie season. As a remedy for the bloated self-importance of too many other current efforts, it's just what the doctor ordered.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Charmingly dated, but still immeasurably funny.

January 29, 2012 Full Review Source: IGN DVD | Comment
IGN DVD

Rapid-fire parody aimed squarely at teen boys.

January 1, 2011 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

A hyper spoof of disaster films.

August 17, 2010 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Entering imto Mel Brooks' turf, the first lampoon of the disaster-in-the-air subgenre (such as the prepoterously Oscar nominated Airport) is silly but funny, with many good sight gags, campy one-liners and slapstick comedy.

March 15, 2009 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | Comment

Most of the jokes are groan-worthy, and some are downright racist.

September 22, 2008 Full Review Source: LarsenOnFilm | Comments (72)
LarsenOnFilm

Is it the best comedy ever made? I don't know, but it surely is the funniest.I stand by that. And don't call me Shirley.

July 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Seanax.com | Comment
Seanax.com

Surely as good as modern comedy gets?...and don't call me Shirley.

April 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | Comment
Empire Magazine

Surely, this is essential. Maybe, but don't call me Shirley, etc.

April 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | Comment
Empire Magazine

Although the gags aren't entirely consistent, it's inspired stuff. And whatever you do don't switch off during the closing credits.

April 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

Loaded with slapstick silliness and schoolboy wordplay, featuring tongue-in-cheek performances by familiar television personalities, and mostly just plain goofy.

April 1, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Brilliant, still funny airplane disaster movie parody. Started new comedy career for Nielsen.

February 23, 2008 Comment
Video-Reviewmaster.com

Still the funniest and most inspired of the madcap genre spoofs. For every dumb or tasteless joke that doesn't fly, a dozen land directly at Laugh Central.

October 30, 2006 Full Review Source: Boulder Weekly | Comment

Some of the humor has become very politically incorrect 25-plus years later. And God love it for that.

February 20, 2006 Full Review Source: FulvueDrive-in.com | Comment
FulvueDrive-in.com

Psycho ground controllers (Stack and Bridges), laff-a-second pace, and bludgeoning innuendo make this the acceptable face of the locker-room satire.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Airplane!

Please like this movie everybody who hasn't seen Airplane yet... "I just wanted to tell you good luck because were all counting on you". It's fun and its silly. It's just one of those movies almost no one could hate. It will surely make you laugh, maybe even laugh out loud, but wont necessarily make you wet yourself

October 1, 2011
Directors Cat
Directors Cat

Super Reviewer

This is probably the mother of all spoof films, and, despite eing a tad dated, and having a few gags that fall a little flat, it's still one of the funniest and best of its kind. The fiilm is a spoof of 70s disaster films, specifically the Airport series, and it follows a former fighter pilot named Ted who has a fear

June 9, 2006
cosmo313
Chris Weber

Super Reviewer

    1. Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious!
    2. Dr. Rumack: I am sure. And don't call me Sherly
    – Submitted by Abdulmalik A (10 days ago)
    1. Kramer: No... that's just what they'll be expecting us to do!
    – Submitted by Francis L (3 months ago)
    1. Dr. Rumack: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.
    – Submitted by Josh T (5 months ago)
    1. Dr. Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.
    – Submitted by jackson h (6 months ago)
    1. Capt. Oveur: Joey, have you ever been in a... in a Turkish prison?
    – Submitted by Kerby H (9 months ago)

Latest News for Airplane!

September 23, 2011:
Robert Hays Airplane! Interview
Surely you're going to read Hays' thoughts on the comedy classic's Blu-ray release.

December 28, 2010:
National Film Registry Adds The Empire Strikes Back, Airplane!, and More
The National Film Registry has added another 25 films, and the latest batch includes a "Star Wars"...

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