AllMovie

Billed as Sylvester Stallone's comeback film after a couple of dreadful forays into comedy, Cliffhanger is a passable but workaday action film. Director Renny Harlin puts together some breathtaking aerial camera work and death-defying stunts, while Stallone is definitely in his element. John Lithgow plays the villainous heavy with his usual cunning, and the film finds a nice groove between action and suspense. But the level of believability is at an all-time low even for the action genre, and Janine Turner seems lost in her role as the female lead, turning in an unconvincing performance. Although the film's Rocky Mountain landscapes are splendid, Cliffhanger is an only slightly above-average, run-of-the-mill action film.