★★★★★

starring: matt damon, viola davis, jason bateman, and ben affleck

​

REVIEWER: lyall carter

Follows the history of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball: Michael Jordan.

When I first heard that there was a film being made about the creation of the Air Jordan shoe, I really didn’t get how they would squeeze enough drama out of the story to make a compelling two hour long film. I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

​

With a stellar ensemble cast and a story that will have you on the edge of your seat, Air is without doubt one of the best films of 2023. A slam dunk.

​

From award-winning director Ben Affleck and starring Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, the comedic drama AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division, which revolutionised the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand.  

Most people know the basic story of how the Air Jordan shoe was created, especially in light of the Covid lockdown smash hit Netflix doco on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, The Last Dance. 

​

But even though we kinda know how it's all going to end, the crafting of the narrative is masterful. Director Ben Affleck alongside writer Alex Convery do this through establishing multiple high stakes throughout the story from the large scale risk to Nike as a company to the micro scale, with the possibility of individuals losing their careers and family. It really helps to ratchet up the tension so that by the final board meeting with the Jordan family you are perched right on the edge of your seat. 

​

The film is greatly helped in a number of other ways from the themes of thinking outside the box versus old thinking, to the question it poses in athletes taking an equal share in advertising profit. It is also littered with hilarious one liners that just zing right off the big screen. 

​

Air is also greatly helped in its ensemble cast. From lead Matt Damon to a mirrored shade wearing Ben Affleck and a scene stealing Viola Davis, Air is a return to great actors coming together for an ensemble drama. 

​

With a stellar ensemble cast and a story that will have you on the edge of your seat, Air is without doubt one of the best films of 2023. A slam dunk.

★★★★★