Cliffhanger

Cliffhanger is an extraordinarily likeable alpine spectacle with an emotionally powerful opening scene and an unpredictable screenplay packed with action, suspense and ideas, all set in the beautiful Italian Dolomites, with a well-rendered gang of wisecracking goons. The over-lit studio interiors are entertaining with their retro energy, and Trevor Jones serves up a nice Mohican motif. Great actors. If it weren’t for the holes in the logic, there would be no reason to fault Cliffhanger. (28/05/2004)

The nerve-wracking opening scene makes you feel so nervous that you are blissfully anxious about what's coming next. Though you won’t see anything as exciting for the rest of the film, it still has to be said that this is a highly above-average action flick, even though the ravages of time have gnawed away at some of the scenes (some of the sets and visual effects are quite dodgy). Stallone's temporary comeback after a string of abysmal comedies was a success. PS: Experienced mountaineers will probably miss the genre classification "comedy" :) (04/07/2002)

Very decent fun. To say that Sly's role as a mountain leader fits is pointless. It's not exactly a game of deep psychology, but his muscles stand out when climbing rocks, so it's an ideal role. The story is so schematic that it does not make your head spin and the viewer can enjoy the comforting action. The environment does a lot – although nothing too revolutionary happens in the film, the environment of the mountain giants is impressive. Moreover, the creators managed to create a villain so unbelievably negative (the Stalin paraphrase is really the pinnacle!), so the viewer looks forward to the necessary moment when John Lithgow deservedly goes to the highest mountain, from which there is no turning back. Cliffhanger is a very decent action routine, which gets an extra star for the mountains. A climber would weep, while a spectator longing for easy entertainment applauds curtly. (27/05/2004)

The beautiful silence of the mountains... Disrupted only by the rampage of a heroic climber in Stallone's unmistakable non-actor performance. I do not hide the fact that it is in a way a guilty pleasure affair, but even so the qualities of Cliffhanger cannot be denied. (25/11/2003)

One Sylvester Stallone’s best films, and also one of his best roles. This is of course thanks to Renny Harlin, who serves us another magnificent masterpiece full of action, an original setting, and relatively unfamiliar actors. One breathtaking scene follows another, and throughout the two hours, the film never loses its pace. The script is made for the two tough guys Stallone and Rooker, and it fits them fantastically, especially with the addition of Trevor Jones's music. We have no choice but to bow down to the director's talent for captivating the audience. Maximum satisfaction within the genre. (23/10/2005)

I haven’t reviewed Cliffhanger? One of Sly's best films with perfectly shot climbing and action scenes, divine music and a slimy villain? Okay, okay... five stars, then. If you want to see a similar film, however, definitely reach for Eastwood's The Eiger Sanction rather than the more recent Vertical Limit. (16/04/2010)