Time: 113 Minutes
Age Rating: R16
Cast:
Sylvester Stallone as Ranger Gabe Walker
John Lithgow as Eric Qualen
Michael Rooker as Ranger Hal Tucker
Janine Turner as Ranger Jessie Deighan
Leon Robinson as Kynette
Paul Winfield as Walter Wright
Ralph Waite as Ranger Frank
Director: Renny Harlin

I knew Cliffhanger as being a Sylvester Stallone action thriller. I was curious about it and thought it might be fun, but it turned out to be even better than I was expecting, and I think it’s one of Stallone’s best action movies.

Cliffhanger has a very standard, predictable and formulaic plot, it’s pretty much Die Hard on a mountain. However, it works well enough for this kind of movie, with the right amount of silliness, bloody kills, and quips, and was very entertaining from beginning to end.

Sylvester Stallone makes for a likable and relatable lead, and Michael Rooker and Janine Turner are also quite good. The villains stand out, over the top mean and brutal, with John Lithgow being the highlight of the cast and a ton of fun.

Renny Harlin’s direction is very solid, with this definitely one of his best films. The cinematography is stunning, really capturing the locations well, especially the mountains, snow and trees. Most of all, the action is really fun, well captured, tense, and with amazing stunt work and fitting brutal violence.

Cliffhanger is a silly and cheesy, yet tense, entertaining and well made 90s action movie, with solid central performances, and some great action sequences and stunts.