Yup! just bought it for a chance to see some other Kiefer Sutherland movie. He does hold the movie together.

And I am always interested in Michael Gross [from Tremors] He did play an excellent by the book nerd.

And who could pass up the scene where Winkler pull the goose [or was it a duck [:-) ] out.
I generally have no use for the ultimate head-boss who makes decisions without being aware of the chaos they generate.

Then there was Leonard, mister know it all.
Yet they all worked together to make a movie of entertainment - even if the actual facts were blurred as to true life.

You had to feel the same sorrow that the emotionally wounded Jack Harris felt at the lose of the hundred and some souls.
Humanity is what it is all about. Not numbers.

Can a plane actually be landed that way? This DVD was well worth the price. Don't let others color what your opinion is of what you enjoy. Just see for yourself.

Definitely Recommend. For Sutherland alone.

In our society today, people seem to want everything to be "realistic." Who remembers when movies were escapism, when the audience didn't go to a movie to see the real thing, but to suffer along with its threatened cast or root for the good guy? So many reviewers want to shortchange a movie for its lack of technical expertise..if you want the real thing, maybe you should watch the Discovery Channel or rent a how to video. For escapism, GROUND CONTROL does well. It's main problem for me is that it is so grounded in trying to be realistic, it sabotages any dramatic effect it could have. While the climactic plane landing is well handled, the movie on a whole is nothing more than an expose on how short funded or understaffed the FAA is. Along with an expert performance from Kiefer Sutherland as guilt ridden controller Jack Harris, the movie offers nice turns from Drew Snyder as the pilot being coached in; Bruce McGill as Harris' former boss who tries to maintain both a good old Joe and a stern taskmaster demeanor; Henry Winkler as a frustrated maintenance technician hampered by bureaucratic nonsense and a non-existent budget; Kelly McGillis as the manager out to make a good impression, but ultimately deeply concerned about her team; Robert Sean Leonard as a cocky young controller who doesn't believe in thinking about the passengers on troubled flights; and Charles Fleischer as a stress-ridden controller. Wasted are Michael Gross as a fuss budget manager and Kristy Swanson as a geeky new controller.
GROUND CONTROL certainly maximizes the impact of good ground controllers, but as a movie it leaves you wanting a little more.

This film is a mockery of the aviation field. A very small percentage of the phraseology is correct, even the plot itself is severely flawed. First off, being an air traffic controller, I know first hand that you can't go and work at some facility you haven't worked at for a while, until you get evaluated to make sure you can work safely. Second of all, you can't move from your position(sector if you will) and start working at another while leaving the previous position unmonitored. If you are using this movie to learn about air traffic, then please do not apply for a job. The movies will not teach you about the job. It takes anywhere between 2-4 years to get rated at an ATC center. You can't just come in and take a position. When a movie comes out that is realistic to air traffic, I will put my stamp of approval on it.

This film is a mockery of the aviation field. A very small percentage of the phraseology is correct, even the plot itself is severely flawed. First off, being an air traffic controller, I know first hand that you can't go and work at some facility you haven't worked at for a while, until you get evaluated to make sure you can work safely. Second of all, you can't move from your position(sector if you will) and start working at another while leaving the previous position unmonitored. If you are using this movie to learn about air traffic, then please do not apply for a job. The movies will not teach you about the job. It takes anywhere between 2-4 years to get rated at an ATC center. You can't just come in and take a position. When a movie comes out that is realistic to air traffic, I will put my stamp of approval on it.

I'm not a ground controller, so I won't even try to analyze the technical aspects of this movie. I fully admit that I purchased "Ground Control" mainly because Kiefer Sutherland is the star and I love his acting. Even in movies that aren't the "best", Kiefer always delivers a fine performance, and "Ground Control" is no exception. I could list some negatives about the movie, such as the inclusion of Kristy Swanson in the cast. This woman adds nothing to the plot and isn't the least bit convincing, except when it becomes obvious that she has her eye on Jack (Kiefer)and follows him around, even during what should be private moments for him. Nothing personal against Kristy, but most of her contribution could have ended up on the cutting room floor and it would have been no loss. Kiefer Sutherland, however, proves again what a versatile actor he is as the tormented Jack Harris, a top notch ground controller, who years later, still feels responsible for a crash that was not his fault. Now, as a favor to his friend, Jack comes to lend a hand at Phoenix ground control, and soon finds himself in an all too familiar situation. This movie would fall apart if Kiefer Sutherland had not been in the role of Jack Harris. This is Kiefer's movie all the way, and every facial expression and word and action is totally Kiefer. He had me thoroughly convinced of what Jack Harris had gone through, and was still going through. I actually learned a lot from this movie. I learned that being a ground controller is NOT a cushy job, and the controllers who keep thousands of planes safe every day are more often than not overworked and in danger of burnout.....but they keep going. I know I couldn't be that dedicated......this is not a job I could handle. I give "Ground Control" high marks. Sure, it may not fit the definition of "award winning", but Kiefer Sutherland plows through the weaknesses of the film and he simply makes it work!