Film Review: Cliffhanger (1993)

If you want to watch generic 1990s Hollywood action film, you are more likely to pick those that did extremely well at the box office, either by successfully employing what looked like a winning content formula or providing the template by other, less successful copies. A textbook example could be found in Cliffhanger, 1993 film directed by Renny Harlin and starring Sylvester Stallone in what was one of the more successful roles of his career.

Stallone, who also co-wrote the film with Michael France, appears in the role of Gabriel “Gabe” Walker, elite mountain climber and ranger working for Rocky Mountain Rescue. During the seemingly routine rescue mission, his attempt to bring Sarah (played by Michelle Joyner), girlfriend of his best friend and colleague Harold “Hal” Tucker (played by Michael Rooker), goes wrong resulting in tragedy. Fuelled with guilt, Gabe leaves the service and eight months later come to the home of his girlfriend, helicopter pilot Jessica “Jessie” Deighan (played by Janine Turner), hoping to rekindle the relationship. Jessie instead calls him to assist Hal in another rescue mission and help bring five hikers to safety. The hikers are actually gang of ruthless criminals led by former military intelligence operative Eric Qualen (played by John Lithgow). Helped by corrupt Treasury agent Richard Travers (played by Rex Linn), they conducted daring on-air heist of plane carrying 100 million US$ in unused bills, but the plan went wrong resulting in their own plane crashing and cases with money being scattered over the mountain. They need expert climbers to help them located the cases and bring them to civilisation, after which they would get rid of them. When Gabe and Hal realise with whom they are dealing with, they would need to use all of their skill and experience in order to survive.

Originally devised as an idea by celebrated mountain climber John Long, Cliffhanger features almost everything which is associated by 1990s action cinema – macho protagonist with perfect physique, spectacular yet unrealistic action scenes featuring plenty of impressive stunts and special effects, explosions, gunfire, one-liners and psychotic over the top villain who happen to be English. Anglophobia is underlined not only with John Lithgow speaking with British accent, but also employing two of his underlings – a woman pilot played by Caroline Goodall and sadistic mercenary played by Craig Fairbrass. The latter is revealed to be former soccer player, thus showing typically Hollywood disdain for the game anyone but Americans call “football”. Anglophobia, on the other hand, didn’t matter much for the audience, which was more impressed by good skills of director Renny Harlin, by that time known for making Die Hard 2, sequel to action classic Die Hard to which Cliffhanger pays homage. Harlin’s direction is often bombastic and over the top, but it fits the general tone of the film that tries to make everything bigger and more spectacular. Same can be said for the operatic score by Trevor Jones, as well as cinematography by Alex Thomson, which puts locations in Italian Dolomite Alps (which stand for Colorado Rockies) to good use. Cliffhanger was given a huge budget of almost 65 million US$ and most of it is visible in the film (even in scenes that were obviously made in studios instead on locations). General impression, at least for the action genre fans, is positive and Cliffhanger looks even better when it is compared with Shoot to Kill, which used similar premise.

Cliffhanger became huge hit, and together with Demolition Man in the same year, brought new life to Stallone’s career, stalled after his unsuccessful attempts to prove himself as star of comedies. Yet, critical review were mixed and the film was in the end nominated both for Oscars (in technical categories) and Razzies (in all major categories). The arguments for the latter can be found in poor script, unrealistic depiction of mountain climbing, major plot holes and unnecessary subplots (like those featuring two young thrill-seekers). Same can be said for the character of Jessie, which is introduced as obligatory romantic interest for the protagonist; Janine Turner, who plays role very similar to the one that brought her fame in popular TV series Northern Exposure, isn’t very effective because lacks chemistry with Stallone and her character is reduced to damsel in distress. However, viewers who likes a little brainless action or a nostalgic towards 1990s are likely to enjoy Cliffhanger at the end of the day.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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