Today’s quick review: Cliffhanger. Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone), a rescue climber wracked with guilt over a woman he failed to save, answers the call one last time, venturing out with Hal (Michael Rooker) and Jessie (Janine Turner) to save a group of trapped hikers. Instead they find Eric Qualen (John Lithgow), a criminal mastermind who forces the climbers to locate $10 million in stolen cash that he lost in the mountains.
Cliffhanger is an action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone. Three mountain climbers unwillingly help a group of criminals recover three suitcases of Treasury bills that landed in the Rockies after a botched midair robbery. As the criminals and their hostages trek across the Rockies in search of the cases, Gabe looks for a way to escape and get help. Cliffhanger offers plenty of a particular kind of action, making it a fun but basic watch.
Cliffhanger uses its setting to good effect. Nearly all of the action scenes take advantage of the mountains in some way, from deadly avalanches and perilous climbs to sledding downhill and spelunking in caves. A consequence of this is that there’s less gunplay than other action movies, but the villains and the mountains provide enough threats to keep the heroes on their toes.
Cliffhanger has a few notable weaknesses. Qualen makes for a mediocre villain whose unsuccessful track record undermines his status as a mastermind. His decisions almost always come back to bite him, and the plot is too reliant on his mistakes. Furthermore, Cliffhanger only invests the bare minimum in its characters. Promising tensions between Gabe, Hal, and Jessie amount to nothing as the movie pivots to focus on its action.
Give Cliffhanger when you are in the mood for action, plain and simple. The mountain climbing gives Cliffhanger just enough of an angle to set it apart, while some solid stunts and a serviceable plot are enough to make it an entertaining watch. However, the movie is neither as explosive nor as well-rounded as the best entries in the genre. Anyone looking for subtlety or a complex plot should steer clear.
For a combat-oriented action movie about a hero dealing with the wrong end of a hostage situation, try Under Siege. For an action movie with similarly straightforward appeal, try Eraser. For an action thriller with a broadly similar villain, try Hard Rain.
[6.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106582/). I give it the same for pure, honest action.