Review of Drop Zone (1994) by J M — 09 Feb 2014

Directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever (1977), Short Circuit (1986) and Stakeout (1987)) this idea was pitched by two professional skydivers Tony Griffin and Guy Manos. The film was originally slated to star Steven Seagal, but he passed on the idea, then it went to Wesley Snipes, who loved the idea.

It's a silly, by-the-numbers action film, but it passes for muster while it lasts. U.S. Marshal Pete Nessip (Wesley Snipes) and his brother Terry (Malcolm Jamal-Warner), also a U.S. Marshal, are escorting Earl Leedy (Michael Jeter), a computer wizard by plane to a high security jail, after an attempt is made on Leedy's life.

On the flight, the plane is hijacked by former DEA agent Ty Moncrief (Gary Busey), who kidnaps Leedy by skydiving out of the plane, killing Terry in the process. Although Pete is forced to turn in his badge, he swears revenge.

But he learns of Moncrief's plan to attack Washington D.C. during a parachute and airshow exhibition, so Pete calls upon skydiver Jessie Crossman (Yancy Butler) to help. It's a very silly film, and it has some good moments, and a lot of the skydiving stunts were done for real when they could be.

Not all of it works, but it manages to be fun, brainless entertainment while it lasts. Busey does his bad-guy thing again, and he has fun, but Snipes makes for a charistmatic lead action hero.