Three years after Rocky V, Sylvester Stallone swapped his boxing gloves for gloves. Far from the ring, the American actor climbed the mountains, sat down a few meters above the ground. You probably guessed that we are talking about the thriller Cliffhanger.
Released in theaters in 1993, this film by Renny Harlin (who also produced Die Hard 2) follows the adventures of Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone), an experienced climber traumatized by the death of his girlfriend, Sara, whom he failed to save.
After this tragedy, he decides to quit his job, but returns to work when his friend Jessie (Jane Turner) asks him to join a rescue team after a plane crash in the Rockies.
Problem: The survivors are actually thugs looking for loot. They decide to take all the members hostage and use them to find large sums of money.
In the cast of this thriller, we find a middle ground between an action and an adventure film, we find Michael Rooker (especially known for his role as Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead), as well as John Lithgow (Interstellar) and Caroline Goodall (Hook).
Vertigo is guaranteed!
And the least we can say is that the first few minutes of the film immediately put you in the mood, much to the trauma of millions of viewers suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights).
And for good reason, in a long and disturbing sequence, Sarah, Gabby Walker’s partner, finds herself suspended in the void… then dies.
An incredible opening scene that has kept a large number of viewers from climbing for more than thirty years. So if you dream of a career in mountaineering, you better have heart. It is not for nothing that these two words are written in capital letters on the poster: “HANG ON”.
Nevertheless, when it was released in theaters, this dizzying thriller caused a sensation, grossing more than $250 million worldwide. In France, it even reached ninth place in the annual box office with more than 2.6 million viewers.
moreover, A cliffhanger It was also nominated three times for an Academy Award in 1994 (Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound) and was nominated for an out-of-competition category at the Cannes Film Festival. Success… dizzying!
Tonight on C8 at 9.20pm.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
