Cliffhanger 1993
I remember seeing this movie when it first came out and being impressed. Sylvester Stallone does great as this mountain climbing action hero, capable of amazing feats of strength and agility. Tension is cranked up all the way throughout the movie with some amazing action sequences plus some nice development of a crew of villains led by a ruthless John Lithgow and Stallone's team of plucky park ranger rescuers. The setting makes for some gorgeous cinematography (set in the Rockies, but filmed in the Italian Alps), which looks especially great in 4k. Even the plot is pretty solid as a heist goes wrong and the villains have to track down suitcases full of money after a plane crash. The movie really breaks down in the details, causing major eye rolls as Stallone is just entirely too superhuman and the villains entirely overprepared and overqualified (two helicopter pilots? And they brought mountain climbing gear?). Too often a character will be at the bottom of a valley, only minutes later able to be at the very top of the highest mountain. Still, it is fun to pick some of those things apart and it keeps you guessing when absolutely anything is possible. The movie reminds me a lot of Speed in the way it serves up suspense and a dollop of character development along with almost nonsensical action. It is certainly a spectacle and still fun to watch.
Written: 03 Nov 2024
Owned on: Digital