Cliffhanger

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Johnathon W @Hoppynsc Jul 15 Solid thriller that makes for one of Stallone's better films, thanks to a superb supporting cast and atmospheric direction from Renny Harling. The cast is solid, with Stallone his usual best in as an action lead and in a nice break, not an unstoppable killing machine (he's a climber, not a fighter, and gets his butt handed to him with in a fight with a training solider). He gets great support, especially John Lithgow as the villain, Qualen, whose intelligence only matches his ruthlessness. Behind the camera, director Renny Harlin crafts a stylish thriller and makes great use of the mountain setting. The plot is a bit outrageous and generic but ends up a lot of fun. Overall, a solid action flick that revived Stallone's career in the 90's. See more W.L. C. @WayneCampbell Apr 30 ...okay, look. This came out when I was 12, so it fits right in that sweet spot of my formative years, and my rating is likely due mostly to nostalgia. All the same, this movie is a damn fun ride from beginning to end, and one of Renny Harlin's finest. In 4K, there's no argument that the cinematography is stunning, and the practical effects are outstanding (yes, even the plane transfer, which is 100% in-camera). John Lithgow gives a masterclass in evil, and Rex Linn is at his best as Agent Travers. Sly even sells the climbing scenes. It was one of my faves 33 years ago, and it still holds up in 2026. Remake be damned, the original is a timeless action classic. Buy it, keep it on the shelf, and watch it once a year. See more Kyle F. @RT62663011 Feb 22 Get this audience score up! Not perfect, but they don’t make movies like this anymore. One of Stallone’s best! Come on people, be better!! See more Steven C. @yankeewolf54 Feb 16 Terrible writing and special effects Terrible plot and such phony story line 2stars for the scenery See more Taiga B @Taiga Aug 7 This may be one of Stallone's better movies. The over the top explosions and gun play is limited to a minimum, creating a more polished and grounded in reality movie. The special effects and stunts are incredible, showing the harsh conditions of the Colorado mountains. A scene that starts off the movie shows that Stallone is not this invisible character, showing vulnerability. This is why 90's action movies are some of the best for that genre. See more Jacob B @RT89309114 06/28/2025 Yeah, Die Hard 2 and The Long Kiss Goodnight were better entries in Renny Harlin's filmography than Cliffhanger. Cliffhanger isn't a bad movie, I was just expecting Harlin to have knocked this film out of the park the same way Jan de Bont would do with Speed a year later. On the other hand, a Razzie nomination for Worst Picture was a bit much when this wasn't even critically lambasted to begin with. Cliffhanger certainly has its thrilling moments, surprisingly good score, entertaining villains and mostly good performances all around (wait, GOTG Vol. 2 was a REUNION for Stallone and Michael Rooker?) but it also has some ludicrous moments such as Stallone not being affected by hypothermia + implausible stuntwork, some unintentionally hilarious moments such as in that harrowing prologue when this old guy looks like he's smiling and we, the viewers, can blatantly see it, taking us out of the moment and probably peaking too early. I find it ironic that the best moments from the film are the scene set before the plot kicks off and, when it does get going, doesn't have Stallone or anybody he has a personal connection to involved. The latter has that iconic stunt but there's also the way one character goes out like a boss and is pretty much the instigator of the villains' impending doom. While the rest of the movie does have moments that are either awesome or funny, it never quite reaches the same heights as those scenes did. Not bad for a more altitude-focused Die Hard clone but given the choice between the two, I'd take Speed in a heartbeat. See more Read all reviews

Cliffhanger

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