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Cliffhanger

5.4

15,619

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Original title: Cliffhanger
Year: 1993
Running time: 115 min.
Country: United States
Director: Renny Harlin
Screenwriter: Michael France, Sylvester Stallone, John Long. Story: Michael France. Idea: John Long
Music: Trevor Jones
Cinematography: Alex Thomson
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Rex Linn, Caroline Goodall, Max Perlich, Paul Winfield, Ralph Waite, Craig Fairbrass, Gregory Scott Cummins, Denis Forest, Michelle Joyner, Trey Brownell, Zach Grenier, Vyto Ruginis, Don S. Davis, Scott Hoxby, John Finn, Bruce McGill, Kim Robillard, Rosemary Dunsmore, Jeff McCarthy, Mike Weis, Kevin Donald, Blynn Jeffrey MarkSee 13 More
Producer: Co-production United States-Italy-France;
Carolco Pictures, Canal+, Pioner, RCS Video, Cliffhanger Productions. Distributor: Mario Kassar
Genre: Action. Adventure. Thriller | Mountaing Climbing / Mountaineering. Nature. Cold Weather
Synopsis: After a ranger (Sylvester Stallone) fails to rescue his partner's girlfriend from a tragic death in the Rocky Mountains, he leaves the rescue team to wrestle with his guilt. When he returns to reconcile his relationship with his own girlfriend, also a rescue ranger, he is drawn into one last mission. This time, the victims they are rescuing turn out to be deadly criminals who are hauling away a large amount of cash. Directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2) and also starring John Lithgow (as the villain) and Michael Rooker. Three Academy Award Nominations including Best Visual Effects.

Awards: 1993: 3 Nominations for Oscar: Best Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects

1993: Japanese Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Foreign Film

1993: Razzie Awards: 4 Nominations, inc. Worst Picture and Screenplay

Critics' reviews

"This is a poor man's 'Die Hard'. It has the explosions, gunplay, and spectacular stunts, but little of the wit and intelligence. In other words, it's a typical summer action flick (…) Rating: ★★ (out of 4)"

James Berardinelli: ReelViews
"[It] delivers precisely what it promises. It's a big-budget extravaganza with a lot of stunts and special effects (...) True, there's not a moment in the plot that I could believe (...) That didn't bother me for an instant (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"

Roger Ebert: rogerebert.com
"[It] is the modern equivalent of throwing Christians to the lions. It's an eroticism of nastiness -- triple-X fare for dirty old men in raincoats. If you resist this sleazy gorefest, you'll be right to feel proud of yourself."

Desson Thomson: The Washington Post
"[It] no doubt makes for a great coming attraction, but as a two-hour movie its claims are much more problematic."

Kenneth Turan: Los Angeles Times
"Take away the mountains and what you have is a howlingly bad action film"

Gene Siskel: Chicago Tribune
"[It] does its damnedest to see that the audience gets its money's worth of thrills. But for all the state-of-the-art stunt work, the movie has little personality; it's ice cream without flavor."

David Ansen: Newsweek
"Much of it is effective, but much of it is just too much-too relentless, too overpowering and too mean-spirited-to be the kind of rousing adventure it means to be."

Dave Kehr: Chicago Tribune
Show 2 more reviews

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