Con Air Monologues

Newly-paroled ex-con and former U.S. Ranger Cameron Poe finds himself trapped in a prisoner-transport plane when the passengers seize control.

"The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by observing its prisoners." Dostevsky said that... after doin' a little time.

This one's done it all: kidnapping, robbery, murder, extortion.

His name is Cyrus Grissom, A.K.A. Cyrus the Virus. Thirty-nine years old, twenty-five of them spent in our institutions. But he's bettered himself inside. Earned two degrees, including his juris doctorate. He also killed eleven fellow inmates, incited three riots, and escaped twice. Likes to brag that he killed more men than cancer.

Cyrus is a poster child for the criminally insane. He's a true product of the system.

No, but I can point a few fingers if it would make you feel comfortable.

If you can't trust a South American drug lord, who can you trust, huh?

We pick up Mr. Cindino in Carson City. From then until the plane hits Alabama, we've got two hours to get him to talk. We got you a seat right next to him, and he's known to be somewhat garrulous in the company of thieves.

That would be loquacious, verbose, effusive. How about chatty?

"Thesaurus Boy" I think is more appropriate.

You with me or do you need me to draw it in crayon like usual?

Here's the jacket on Cameron Poe. His wife's on the way here now. A U.S. Ranger, highly decorated. Did a litte hellraising when he was a kid, but nothing serious.

Fact 1: we've got a plane up there filled with killers, rapists, and thieves and we've got this guy Cameron Poe: in on an involuntary manslaughter beef, non-gang affiliated. He's a parolee hitching a ride home. Fact 2: Poe has a chance to get off the plane, doesn't do it. Why? Fact 3: our guard Falzon said a convict named Cameron Poe planted Sims's tape recorder on him.

These are interesting facts. You do the math on this... and we got an ally on that plane.

Nathan Jones, A.K.A. Diamond Dog. Former general of the Black Guerillas. He blew up a meeting of the National Rifle Association saying, and I quote, "They represented the basest negativity of the white race." He wrote a book in prison called, "Reflections in a Diamond Eye." New York Times called it a wakeup call for the black community. They're talking to Denzel for the movie.

Well, we told you today's flight would be special. That's William Bedford, aka "Billy Bedlam."

The same. He caught his wife in bed with another man. Left her alone, drove four towns over to his wife's family's house. Killed her parents, her brothers, her sisters, even her dog.

Put… the bunny… back… in the box.

On any other day, that might seem strange.

Sorry boss, but there's only two men I trust. One of them's me. The other's not you.

Don't you… I got nothing in common with them, with you. Don't you talk to me! They were insane.

Murdering thirty people, semantics or not, is insane!

It's my daughter's birthday today. So please feel free not to share everything with me.

What was I thinking about? Oh, yeah, "yee-haw", that's right. I was just wondering what a black militant - that would be you - was doin' takin' orders from a white boy on a power trip? Don't you think that's strange?

They somehow managed to get every creep and freak in the universe onto this one plane. And then somehow managed to let them take it over. And then somehow managed to stick us right smack in the middle.

If this thing goes bad, Larkin, I don't think my daughter will… understand. If you speak to my wife again, you tell her: that I love her. She's my hummin'bird. But, I couldn't leave a fallen man behind. You'll do that for me, won't you, Larkin?

Hey, man. I can think of anything I'd like…

...better, than to put a...

…bullet, into the brain-base here of every one of these…

FUCKERS! But the fact of the matter is how well do you know this Cindino? I don't know him that well, myself. Just what I read. Like how he firebombed that Senator's yacht with 2 of his cousins on board. Now, why would think he'd sweat about eliminating some hired guns after they have served their purpose, now think about that.

Hey, Cyrus. It's your barbecue man, and it tastes good. But I was just explaining to Mr.

"Dog" here that if it was my barbecue, I would wait for that ol' jumbo jet in the sky before I start killing my only leverage.