Rating: 
Summary: Thin story, good action and suspense.
Review: "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?
Rating:
Summary: Thin story, good action and suspense.
Review: "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?
Rating:
Summary: Exciting action flick, though not up to DIE HARD
Review: A previous reviewer called CLIFFHANGER a "guilty pleasure," and that is pretty much the way I see the film. CLIFFHANER was a return to action form for its star Sylvester Stallone, after he had made his indelible mark on the genre with his RAMBO trilogy in '80s. His character here, Gabe Walker, is drastically scaled-down, befitting the film's "high" concept, which is basically "DIE HARD on a mountain." Okay, so the premise (which is actually credited in this movie to a man named John Long) is not breathtakingly original---a nasty group of robbers led by evil Eric Qualen (John Lithgow, effectively playing his role to the hilt) lose three cases of American money in the Rockies and force Walker and companion Hal Tucker (Michael Rooker, he of HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER) to help them find it. Director Renny Harlin---who also directed DIE HARD 2---brings all his action expertise to bear on the thin plot and actually succeeds in crafting a good action film out of it. He was lucky in getting cinematographer Alex Thomson on his team, and Thomson makes the most of the Italian Dolomites (standing in for the Rockies) mountain settings by creating shots that revel in its scenic grandeur and impart an appropriately dizzying sense of vertigo to the proceedings. And Harlin uses his penchant for fast action pacing to good effect here, generating an exciting sense of momentum that hardly ever lets up until the final showdown. So, as action entertainment, CLIFFHANGER can be counted as a success. So why do I find it a "guilty" pleasure rather than simply a pleasure? Well, I have to admit that I found some of the violence in the second half of the film a little too much at times---not only gratuitous but sometimes downright brutal. The first half of the film is much more discreet with the bloodshed, relying more on genuine suspense-building and awesome special effects and stunts to make its proper effect (the first twelve-minute sequence is arguably the last word in sweat-inducing suspense and mounting tension). In the second half, though, the script (credited to Michael France and Stallone) and director let rip with gory abandon, and thus we get images of a black bad guy getting skewered upon a stalactite by the hero, and scenes like Tucker being kicked in the ribs and nose like a soccer ball for a good minute or so by a British terrorist (with some tasteless slo-mos to draw out the grand brutality). Did we really need to be subjected to such witless violence? Do the filmmakers assume that we are all so base in our tastes that we actually get turned on by this bloody stuff? Well, who knows? Maybe they have a point there, since I admit that the first time I saw this film I was shocked but hardly appalled by the violence on offer here. It is only after having seen it a few times since then that I am starting to question the validity of the violent scenes on offer here. Harlin started the film out so well, but then, after about an hour or so, it turns into a second-rate one-upping of icicle-in-the-eye scene in his superior DIE HARD 2. Notwithstanding my unease about the violence in this movie, though, it must be said that CLIFFHANGER works. It is sometimes very exciting and suspenseful, the performances basically get the job done, and overall this is one of the better DIE HARD clones, thanks to some great cinematography and noteworthy action scenes. If neither of the first two DIE HARD films are available for rental, this will fit the bill. Just don't be surprised, after it is over, if you feel a little guilty about having enjoyed it as much as you did.
Rating: 
Summary: many mistakes
Review: A somewhat corny, but good action packed thriller. There are many problems and mistakes in the movie to. Mainly in the begining sequence before the women has a problem. 1> You would never rely on one peton as a peace of transport equipment. 2> If the clip of her harness broke it would not release her. Her leg loops would still be on and she could easly recover. 3> When Stalone went to rescue her, as he reached for her with one hand the other had was holding his entire body weight up. (there was no weight on the pully or the carabiner. He should of just let go of the wire and reached for her with both hands. 4> When the man says the cable is not rigged for two people, that is only because of the damn peton. The cable is 7 gauge and could hold over 25Kn about 5620 lbs. and the helicopter could hold twice that much. 5> There is no such thing as a bolt gun.
Rating:
Summary: Return to Form for Sly
Review: After a string of ill-conceived comedies, Stallone returned to what he did best in 1993; the action junket. Armed this time with a pedigree to prove, and a director that knows his stuff (Renny Harlin), Sly became a box-office sensation once more, and wowed audiences all over the world with this phenomenal thriller. The acting is average, with a few bright spots; John Lithgow (in his third incarnation as a villain--the others being "Ricochet" and "Raising Cain") overshadowing Stallone in a battle of one-liners, and Michael Rooker, who always manages to put in a solid effort in whatever film he's in. The real star of this movie, however, isn't the superbly filmed action, but the cinematography. Set in the Italian Dolemites, the scenery is breathtaking--some of the best mountain footage seen in theatres in a long time. When there's a break in the action, you're enthralled by the background, which isn't always the case with any movie, let alone an action flick. Much props to the director for filming most of this movie on location. The DVD is pretty good, and the commentary track is reasonable--but with DTS sound, and a quality surround system, this movie looks and sounds phenomenal. They've done a great job with the video transfer, considering that DVDs would only become popular about five years after this film was released.
Rating:
Summary: Return to Form for Sly
Review: After a string of ill-conceived comedies, Stallone returned to what he did best in 1993; the action junket. Armed this time with a pedigree to prove, and a director that knows his stuff (Renny Harlin), Sly became a box-office sensation once more, and wowed audiences all over the world with this phenomenal thriller. The acting is average, with a few bright spots; John Lithgow (in his third incarnation as a villain--the others being "Ricochet" and "Raising Cain") overshadowing Stallone in a battle of one-liners, and Michael Rooker, who always manages to put in a solid effort in whatever film he's in. The real star of this movie, however, isn't the superbly filmed action, but the cinematography. Set in the Italian Dolemites, the scenery is breathtaking--some of the best mountain footage seen in theatres in a long time. When there's a break in the action, you're enthralled by the background, which isn't always the case with any movie, let alone an action flick. Much props to the director for filming most of this movie on location. The DVD is pretty good, and the commentary track is reasonable--but with DTS sound, and a quality surround system, this movie looks and sounds phenomenal. They've done a great job with the video transfer, considering that DVDs would only become popular about five years after this film was released.
Rating: 
Summary: Worthy of the "Die hard" genre
Review: Although this movie did not have as many inside jokes ("I had fifty bucks bet on those ***holes") and as much character development ("she's heard me tell her a million times 'I love you' but she's never heard me say 'I'm sorry.' Would you tell her that for me Al? Tell her John says he's sorry") as Die Hard, Lithgow is, dare I say it, as good as Rickman, and the action sequences are more varied, more plentiful and more realistic. The endings to both satisfy and the overall coherence of the plot in both is excellent. Buy both "Cliffhanger" and "Die Hard" for your action collections.
Rating:
Summary: A DVD review
Review: As a rock climber, don't get me started on all the technical/factual errors of this film; I'll just concentrate on the DVD features. The commentary from Harlin and Stallone are combined with mostly Harlin doing the talking. I think Stallone makes comments in only 3 points in the movie. The commentary from Harlin is interesting especially combined with the comments from the crew. The art director and editor give the crew comments. The art director gave very interesting comments on how most of the effects were done, the editor's comments were very boring. There's an intro by Harlin about why he made the trailer, as it is, which is a bit unorthodox, but not much. Stallone hosts the making of featurette and is fairly interesting giving info on how the major effects were done. There are actually only 2 deleted scenes with a separate introduction by Harlin for one which I guess counts as the third. One is a completely unrealistic ice climb by Stallone and I other I can't remember, regardless, they added nothing to the film and were rightfully cut. The two special effects behind-the-scenes are of the helicopter explosion and the introduction fall. The three storyboard comparisons were of the helicopter explosion, the air-to-air transfer, and the introduction fall; boring. The photos in the galleries were too small and maybe on a huge screen you could see detail, but probably not. For the climbers out there, Wolfgang Gullich was Stallone's climbing double who died shortly before this movie was released and the film is dedicated to him. Ron Kulk (climbing double), Jim Bridwell (rigger), Bob Gaines (safety officer) and David Breashears (camara operator, IMAX Everest) also worked on this film. The only extra that really makes this DVD worth it is the crew commentary otherwise everything else is just fluff. I might add this to my collection mainly because I'm a climber and as unrealistic as it is, the Italian Alps, where a lot of the scenes were filmed, is just gorgeous country.
Rating: 
Summary: What's to like?
Review: Bad script, bad acting, bad technical climbing techniques, impossible scenarios, etc make this movie laughable. And would someone tell me if the helicopter rescue team member is really laughing when the woman falls to her death in the opening scene? Sure looks it to me. Terrible casting as well. A really really bad movie.
Rating:
Summary: Stallone's comeback movie!!
Review: Before this one, Stallone had a series of flops, but this one is definately one of his best & shows a more human side to Stallone not seen since Rambo II & Rocky, In this he is Gabe, a mountain rescue worker who fails miserably in a misguided attempt to rescue his best friend's girlfriend in a climbing expedition gone wrong, while crossing over to another peak on a cable, she soon loses her grip, Gabe attempts to rescue her but fails as she falls to her death at least 100 stories up, the film then proceeds to its plot where the Treasury is getting ready to transport three cases of International money by plane, it is soon hijacked in mid-air by a group of International terrorist led by John Lithgow who has a field day as bad guy Eric Qualen with one-liners that would rival Alan Rickman in "Die Hard", as they attempt to steal the money with the help of a rogue agent, another agent near death after being shot by the rogue one, foils the plan in which case they lose the money in mid-air & watch as it falls to the mountains below, the agent soon shoots their plane before the Treasury plane that he is on explodes forcing them to crash land in the mountains, it is here that we see the return of Gabe who joins up with his resentful friend(Michael Rooker) to rescue what they believe are ordinary people, when they learn that they have been decieved by the terrorist they soon are in for the ride of their lives,as Gabe just barely escapes with his life & begins a one-man assault on the group as he locates their money one at a time, Janine Turner is here as Stallone's girlfriend who soon joins the action as she meets up with Gabe, as they attempt to stop the terrorists, lots of great action set-pieces, & Lithgow's performance is chilling, but you can tell he had fun, everyone plays their roles to perfection especially Rex Linn( Breakdown) as the rogue agent who see the errors of his ways somewhat toward the end, as he tells Qualin what to go do with himself, the last 10 minutes is intense & somewhat reminisent of "Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom" & fun to watch, it may borrow from "Indiana Jones" & "Die Hard", but not many movies have been made like this one in a mountain region!!!, Highly Recommended!!!
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