Customer Reviews

Cliffhanger

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

In 1993, Renny Harlin (director of "Die Hard 2') returned with a new action film starring Sylvester Stallone ("Rocky" and "Rambo" films), John Lithgow ("Dexter", "3rd Rock from the Sun"), Michael Rooker ("The Marine 2', "Jumper") and Janine Turner ("Friday Night Lights", "Strong Women", "Northern Exposure").

The film would feature cinematography by Alex Thomason ("The Scarlet Letter", "Demolition Man", "Hamlet") and music by composer Trevor Jones ("The League of Extraordinary Gentleman", "Around the World in 80 Days", "Dinotopia").

The film which cost around $65 million to make did well in the box office as it made over $255 million worldwide and received fairly positive reviews despite many rock climbers felt the depiction of rock climbing was too Hollywood, unrealistic and had quite a bit of inaccuracies.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Cliffhanger" is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:40:1 Widescreen) and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment did a great job in bringing this film to HD. The Italian alps look absolutely beautiful and there is great detail for the rocks, surrounding scenery. The film is not too vibrant as there is overcast and there are not many vibrant colors seen in the film. But there is extreme detail captured on the rocks and the ice/snow.

The scenery is just breathtaking and despite the cold and challenging conditions, director Renny Harlin and cinematographer Alex Thomson did a wonderful job in filming the location and various aerial views of people on the mountains.

There is a fine layer of grain on the film, skin tones are natural, blacks are nice and deep and for a 1993 film, no sign of muggy DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) that I can see in this film, nor did I see any major compression artifacts.

But what fans of the film will enjoy is the lossless audio track for "Cliffhanger". If you thought "Air Force One" sounded good on Blu-ray, Sony repeats the aggressive audio track for this film as helicopters, explosions and various sound effects are heard all around you. The surround channel is utilized heavily during the action sequences of the film as well as a good amount of LFE coming from the subwoofer. The film just sounds incredible! Dialogue is clear through the center channel and music and effects sounds great coming from the front channels.

Overall, impressive PQ and AQ with subtitles in English, English SDH and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Cliffhanger" comes with the following special features in standard definition, English stereo:

* movieIQ and BD-Live connects you to access real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie! - Note: You need a BD-Live (Profile 2.0) Blu-ray player that can connect to the Internet to access movieIQ.
* Commentary with Director Renny Harlin and Sylvester Stallone - Director Renny Harlin sets up the scenes and shows us what is real and what he wanted to accomplish with certain shots. Stallone talks about his scenes and how it was hard for him to film because he was scared of heights.
* Technical Crew Commentary - Commentary on the technical crew of how they accomplished the rock climbing and various action-based sequences of the film and challenges they experienced.
* A Personal Introduction from Renny Harlin - (4:53) Director Renny Harlin talks about how he got involved with "Cliffhanger" and working with Sylvester Stallone. Both men wanted to do something than your usual action film. Something with more depth and more serious in tone.
* Deleted Scenes - (8:18) Featuring two deleted scenes (Kings Leap, Ice Climb) plus an optional introduction by Director Renny Harlin (3:01) who discusses why the scenes were cut from the movie.
* Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhanger - (20:03) Featuring interviews with director Renny Harlan and the talents of the film. Featuring a behind-the-scenes making of the film, shooting on location in the Italian alps, the challenges that the filmmaker and talents had to endure and a tour through the set from Sylvester Stallone.
* Special Effects Featurettes - (7:24) Special effects featurettes for "Sarah's Fall" and "Helicopter Explosion" and commentary and video on how those two sequences were created.
* Storyboard Comparisons - (12:01) Storyboard comparisons for "Sarah's Fall", "Air-to-Zip Line" and "Helicopter Explosion". Featuring the storyboard sequences on the top and video on the bottom.
* Original Theatrical Trailer - (3:26) Includes an optional introduction by Renny Harlin.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Cliffhanger" was definitely one of the enjoyable films that Sylvester Stallone did in the 1990's (along with "Judge Dredd"). After the disastrous "Rocky V" in 1990, Stallone started to do more international films throughout the 1990's and in this case, both he and director Renny Harlin wanted to do something different in their careers and that was to have an action film that was more serious in nature.

Personally, I enjoyed "Cliffhanger" when it came out in theaters but there were certain situations that bugged me at the time and that was mainly Sylvester Stallone in the very cold weather without a jacket, high up in altitude and climbing the mountain with a t-shirt (it's further explained by Sylvester Stallone in the commentary) but it was one of the scenes that I had a hard time believing especially in freezing temperatures.

But it was definitely an enjoyable Stallone film. Michael Rooker did a wonderful job in this film and the same with Janine Turner (and I'm glad that director Renny Harlin did not emphasize or use a major romantic sequence between Gabe and Jessie).

But I'm sure the question for fans of the film is if "Cliffhanger" is worth purchasing again? Especially if you owned the two previous DVD's that were released in 2000 and the Superbit version in 2004.

If you enjoyed this film, my answer is yes. The reason being is that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has improved with the picture quality and audio quality of their films. Especially this 1993 film because in previous years, there was some DNR that made the film look to cloudy/waxy in appearance due to the DNR but with this film, you really can't tell it's 1993 when it comes to picture quality. Video looks absolutely great compared to the original DVD.

You see the details of the rocks quite well but the location of where the film is shot, looks great! The Italian Alps absolutely looks beautiful in this film and definitely an improvement from the DVD.

But the biggest improvement is the lossless audio. For those who have a modern receiver that can take advantage of the lossless 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack and have a good speaker setup are going to love how this film sounds. Since "Sony Pictures Home Entertainmen" released "Air Force Once" on Blu-ray, they have really found a way to take advantage of these older action films and "Cliffhanger" sounds remarkable on Blu-ray. The soundtrack is quite immersive and you hear the audio all around you.

The Blu-ray features the same special features from the original DVD with the exception of the photo gallery but all-in-all, for those who own the previous DVD's will just love how this film looks and sounds on Blu-ray.

As for those who have never seen the film, "Cliffhanger" is not the best Sylvester Stallone action film but its one, if not the best action film he released in the 1990's. Looking for an action film, definitely give "Cliffhanger" a try!

"Cliffhanger" is one of those movies where the suspense sequences and action stunts outweigh everything else by a landslide (pardon the pun). There's really not much to the development of characters or plot, except that the movie uses the script as an excuse to put its characters in extremely dangerous situations one after another. On this ground, it works splendidly, and while the story and characterization are weak, there are still some good performances turned in by the cast.

The movie sets itself up with the promised white-knuckle action in a sequence that brings on the tension but fails to move us emotionally. On his way to retrieve his best friend, Hal Tucker (Michael Rooker) and his girlfriend, Sarah, from a 4,000 peak, Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone) makes an attempt to rescue Sarah after she begins falling, without success. Hal blames it on Gabe, and Gabe's own self-torment keeps him from town and from his own love, Jessie (Janine Turner). This move, while meant to establish emotion and character depth, doesn't do a whole lot for the script.

The movie then transfers us to a U.S. treasury plane, where three cases of money, in bills unusable except by a select group of people in the world, are being flown across the country. The plane is soon hijacked by a group of terrorists, led by Eric Qualen (John Lithgow). However, his plans are ruined once they lose the cases at high altitude and crash in the Rocky Mountains, where they call for help under the guise of being in danger.

Sparing the rest of the movie's twists and turns, once Gabe and Hal arrive on the scene, they are taken hostage and forced to climb mountains and hike through forests to find the three cases of money, soon bringing more people into the situation than the movie calls for.

The movie chooses to focus more on the action than on the story itself, which really isn't that bad a move. From the high-altitude stunts to the white-knuckle suspense generated by the scenes charged with high-octane suspense, the movie doesn't lose its ability to get our attention with actors hanging on the edges of cliffs and mountains, holding on for dear life.

The tension generated by the terrorists is, at best, mediocre. Even under the shadow of leader Lithgow, whose flair for turning a colorful phrase at every moment is funny yet unsettling, the movie never really gives us any reason to fear the henchmen along for the climb. There are certain moments, such as that in which the only black terrorist hunts Gabe and Jessie in a cavern, or when Gabe is trapped beneath an ice-covered lake. However, the only people the terrorists knock off we aren't given too much time to know, so what reason do we have to care?

Stallone is back in fine form, the action hero we've always admired from his earlier "Rocky" days. He's required to carry a lot of the heroism on his shoulders, and big as those shoulders are, that is no easy task. Yet, he is able to pull it off, with the help of Rooker and Turner, who give jobs well done in their roles.

While not the best action film ever made, "Cliffhanger" is a commendable piece of suspense that works due to its breathtaking action sequences and the altitude of its settings. It tends to drag in places, but really, with a movie that's so focused on getting us into a sweat, what does it matter?

Can't help it, I'm a Stallone fan (though I didn't care for the dingy movie with Dolly), but this one is great for the collection. I started following this actor with all the Rocky movies, then Rambo, etc. This movie has the unforgettable death scene that hooks you in the beginning, and the stunts with the 'plane' that follow are excellent. When you mix mountain climbing with lots of snow and ice, and toss in some bad guys, there's bound to be a lot of action. The movie hasn't edged out the Rocky and Rambo movies as my favorites, but it's a good Stallone flick.
Chrissy K. McVay - Author

This is a typical Stallone-vs-bad guy movie, but I bought it in blu-ray for the scenery and the action and I wasn't disappointed. The Rockies in HD are magnificent and the surround sound is excellent, which adds a lot to an otherwise mundane bad guys vs good guys storyline.
John Lithgow is a hoot as the head bad guy; he can play comedy and evil geniuses with equal panache and he is up to form here. Stallone is his rugged action-hero self and his performance is typical Stallone. If you love Sly, you'll enjoy this movie.
If you love beautiful scenery along with some fun action, you may also enjoy this movie and if you have a blu-ray surround sound home theater system, it should increase your enjoyment of the movie even more.
In short, this is not great movie but it's not awful either, so if this type of story is your cup of tea or if you are a Stallone fan, I think you'll enjoy it.
While this isn't exactly a 'movie-of-the-year' level film, it's a good trip for those who enjoy action adventure stories and I recommend it for a fun of it.

This is a nail-biter of a movie. There are many points that keep you on the edge of your sear, er, cliff. The cinematography is excellent and so is the acting. Although the setting is snow-covered mountains, it is viewable any time of the year (watching during a snow storm is especially gripping). This is better than many of the summer block-buster movies we have seen in the past ten years, so give it a try.

I saw this in the theatres way back in 1993. I for one was suitably impressed by the trailer that promises epic action on the scale (no pun intended!) of 'Die Hard in the snowy mountains' with Stallone. With high expectations, I got what I want: R-rated action. Bloody of violent bloody and gratuitous cussing scenes. They don't really make this sort of high budget movies nowadays.

Renny Harlin is actually quite an adept in being an action movie director. His slo-mo scenes do reeked of John Woo's ballistic ballets, but no as gracefully done. In terms of all balls-out action, he's your man. Stallone practically sleeps walk through this role and adds nothing significant to action cinema, other than surviving 30 feet drops off cliffs.

All that is said and done, the picture quality of this Blu-Ray is excellent. So clear in fact, one could have fun nitpicking the horrible blue screen / green screen whatever it is that they were using in those days. One could tell that the planes were fake. The mid-air explosion is obviously superimposed. Stunt guys were easily identified and the helicopter at the end is obviously a model. The DTS-HD audio surpasses all previous home video editions, one could listen to the horrid Trevor Jones' 'melancholic' theme to this movie with extreme clarity. I still feel that age was not kind to this movie. Thanks to Blu-Ray, all special effects and audio deficiencies are out for the jury to judge.

It's been a dozen or more years since I last saw CLIFFHANGER, but on a whim the other night, I took a new look at it. Boy, times have sure changed!

This exciting action-adventure was made before backgrounds could be computer generated. I remember that when it came out, it seemed fresh, gritty and realistic. Now it is painfully easy to see how many of the scenes are played against fake backgrounds made of Styrofoam, or worse yet, against blue screens. When characters are flying in helicopters, we see that the landscapes outside the open doors are really just movies of mountains going by. And yes, that is more distracting than I care to admit...I've become spoiled by the far more seamless effects that are possible today. Chances are, you will be too.

But this does not make CLIFFHANGER a bad movie. It's such a clear, simple story that it still works tremendously well. In a nutshell...some bad-guys (led by John Lithgow...more on him later) cause a plan full of money to crash into a mountain range. They go to recover the money and essentially force one "search and rescue" kind of guy (Michael Rooker) to track their money for them. They are followed by Rooker's colleague (played by Sylvester Stallone), who knows that once these guys have their money, they will kill Rooker. Stallone works to thwart their plans by killing the bad guys off one by one.

It's a simple enough story, but what elevates it is the enormously successful opening sequence of the film. We see Rooker and his girlfriend have climbed a mountain and are now kind of stuck on their high precipice. While Rooker is an experienced climber, his girlfriend is not out of her league. So these two need a little rescuing of their own. A helicopter with Stallone, HIS girlfriend (Janine Turner) and their boss (Ralph Waite) lands on a mountain-top across from them, and a robe is passed between the two spots. Rooker easily slides across the space, not fearful of the mile-long plunge below him. But his girlfriend is understandably fearful, and Stallone persuades her to try the crossing. She gets halfway across and then has trouble with her gear. She is moments from death...so Stallone comes after her, and in a heartpounding, heartbreaking few moments, he is unable to save her...and she falls to her death.

In five minutes, we have established the main "good" guys, gotten us all well and truly to the edge of our seats, and created a dynamic between the two men that will haunt much of the rest of the film. Stallone blames himself (and Rooker blames Stallone) for the death...even when we know that this woman had no business being up where she was, except that Rooker wanted to show off.

The film features many outstanding rock and mountain climbing sequences...and lots of snow. No one ever seems to suffer from the cold...but other than that, it's a blunt, brutal, fast-paced film. Each encounter between the good guys and bad guys is a little, exciting set-piece of its own. The bad guys are a very typical cast-of-characters...frankly, they are taken almost directly from DIE HARD...a film which obviously greatly inspired CLIFFHANGER. Stallone is like Bruce Willis' John McClane...capable of absorbing so much damage and still bouncing back. However, Stallone is actually amazingly convincing in the role, both physically and as an actor. He looks like a guy who could actually pull of the things he does...yet he plays it as a man unaccustomed to brutality. He does what he does to save himself and his estranged friend. As the movie progresses, he clearly comes to relish his role as "avenger"...particularly after Lithgow and his crew pull a particularly sneaky stunt on Ralph Waite.

The DIE HARD comparisons continue with Lithgow's performance. He is clearly modeled on Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber from that film...and unfortunately, he comes across as nearly laughable. His performance is so over-the-top and his accent so hard to pinpoint that Lithgow falls short of being a criminal mastermind, but mostly comes off as a petulant little boy. A psychopathic little boy, to be sure, but he doesn't quite generate the chills he is clearly meant to. I often like Lithgow...but sometimes his oddness and acting-style do NOT serve the movie. Such is the case here.

Rooker is perfectly fine in his role, and he gets a couple of good fight scenes in himself. As with Stallone, he's also believable as a mountain climber. He's also a noble guy, and we really empathize with him throughout. Janine Turner, popular at the time for "Northern Exposure", looks convincing too with her short hair...but is really given little to do. Carolyn Goodall, as Lithgow's girlfriend, plays the villainous role more convincingly than Lithgow. Ralph Waite is always a pleasure to see...he radiates warmth and kindness.

But director Renny Harlin stages the action sequences so well, and Stallone gives one of his three or four best performances...and that's what makes the film hold up today. The effects are "old school," but the solid filmmaking overcomes this. (A few years ago, VERTICAL LIMIT, a similar movie with far superior effects came out. It sure looked great...but it totally missed the boat on creating genuine excitement.) I think today's audience might have a hard time accepting the cheese-factor of CLIFFHANGER...although if anyone can get through the opening scene without breaking a sweat, I'd be surprised. So, despite its flaws, I'm very glad I went back and took another look at this minor action classic.

Cliffhanger came out in 1993 after a series of flops that filled Stallone's career. This was generally well recieved by critics, and grossed a good 84 million in the United States. The movie was nominated for about six Razzie Awards, which I think it doesn't deserve, because this movie was great from beginning to end. John Lithgow played a great villian, who was cold, and sadistic. Rex Linn was very good as Travis, and so was Ralph White, except for that part at the beginning where he was laughing as the girl was falling. Overall, a good solid sction movie

Cliffhanger is a high-paced action movie which pits Gabe (Sylvester Stallone), an experienced, but "tired of it all" mountain rescuer against a band of money-grubbing terrorists led by John Lithgow's character looking to retrieve their loot after it has been lost in the mountains.

When I first heard about the DVD release of Cliffhanger, it was sort of like a revival. Here is a film that I had remembered as being something of a better-than-your-average action movie with a rugged and brash demeanor. However, although some of the action sequences are still amazing, there seems to be a total abandonment of character development after the first half hour of the film. It seems at times that scenes are shortened too much, whereas otherwise they would have a much more poignant effect if lengthened.

John Lithgow's (in his pre 3rd-Rock days) character remains to me the high point of the film. As in his other notorious film, Raising Cain, he plays the same dignified, although completely insane mastermind, which I feel is the role that was truly meant for him.

Stallone, on the other hand, though still able to "bang heads" with the best of them, cannot compete on the same acting grounds as Lithgow.

If there is one thing about this movie that stands out from the rest, it is the breathtaking title sequence. To me, it was unexpected and added a sense of realism to the film, while giving the audience its first look at the grandeur of the mountainous landscape.

This movie is a good "ho-hum" ride with a couple of surprises and a lot of holes. Stallone's best work remains in the first two Rocky films, which, with immense character focus, brings you into the heart of the lead man. As for more modern Stallone films, I prefer Assassins (played as a one-on-one duel across from Antonio Banderas) and Demolition Man (a funny view of the future).

While the previous reviews of this movie are certainly correct in describing this movie as "one of Stallone's best movies", I am trememdously disappointed that not one of the reviews addresses the outrageous use of profanity. This movie was absolutely awesome in its color, scenic beauty, suspense, and acting. However, I was and am disappointed that the producers felt it necessary to use an overabundance of obscene language. The overuse of this language was totally unnecessary as the storyline was novel and would have been wonderfully entertaining without every other sentence containing "colorful metaphors" (so to quote Captain Kirk). Absent the profanity, I enjoyed this movie tremendously.