It's Die Hard on a plane in this action thriller, starring Wesley Snipes as an antiterrorist specialist whose early retirement is interrupted when his flight is overtaken by a bloodthirsty villain (Bruce Payne). Watching this at home is pretty much an excuse to order pizza and kick back, as the familiar rhythms of maverick-cop-versus-international-criminal take over and nothing new or fresh in the formula emerges. The supporting cast includes Elizabeth Hurley (Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery) as a gun-wielding, junior terrorist, which is fun simply for being unexpected. --Tom Keogh
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Wesley Snipes Best Film As An Actor! Comment: Hello,
Passenger 57 is a definite 5 out 5 movie, the best of his career.
Thanks and I recommend this movie to any Suspense-Thriller movie goer.
Customer Rating: Summary: COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER Comment: This picture was in released in theaters on November 10 1992 starring Wesley snipes as John Cutter, Bruce Payne as Charles Rane, and Elizabeth Hurley as Sabrina Ritchie. John Cutter is grieving over the death of his wife after she was killed by an armed robber and John is blaming himself for her death. So John who's an anti terrorism expert decides it's time to retire from this dangerous job. However, a friend who works for an airline offers John a job as his chief of security. So John is being flown to Los Angeles for the companies annual meeting where he will be introduce as the Chief of security. However, John encounters one big problem as the FBI is transporting Charles Rane one of the most sadistic and deranged terrorist of all time to Los Angeles on the same plane. Now John has to stay on the alert because anything can happen when a dangerous criminal is on an airplane. Now a few thoughts on this movie! Again this is one of the few movies that captures you attention at the beginning and it never stops until it's over. John Wesley Snipes does a good job as his role as John Cutter. Based on the action, adventure and drama that are in this picture I give this movie 8 weasel stars.
Customer Rating: Summary: always bet on black Comment: "Passenger 57" has to be my very favorite Wesley Snipes movie and one of my very favorite action movies ever! I have been a huge fan of this movie ever since I first saw the trailer for it when I went to see Under Siege (another awesome movie.) At the height of this movie's popularity producers capitalized on Wesley's image as a strong leading man with the catchphrase: always bet on black. And that totally describes his role and this movie.
Wesley plays John Cutter, a security expert who quit his job as a cop after his girlfriend was shot. And, Bruce Payne portrays Charles Rane the master-terrorist. Although, I thought Charles Rane was more funny than scary. Whose big idea was it to make the British dude with long blonde hair the villain who tries to go up against Wesley Snipes?
The film also includes some very impressive supporting roles. I especially enjoyed Alex Datcher (doesn't she look just like Halle Berry?) as Marti the tough-talking stewardess. And Elizabeth Hurley was in a somewhat smaller role as Sabrina Ritchie. I loved the part in the beginning when Sabrina says to Marti that she doesn't like her name because "it makes me sound cold and heartless."
IMHO the early to mid-90's were the Golden Age of Suspense/Mystery-Action/Thrillers. There were so many great movies in this genre, during this time. Besides "Passenger 57," I highly recommend these pictures: Single White Female, The Good Son, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Unlawful Entry, The Crush, The Client, Under Siege, Poison Ivy and The Fugitive.
"Passenger 57" is just the perfect showcase for Wesley Snipes because he does it all. He does a little fighting, he jumps off a plane, he does a little shooting and the man's even mistaken for Arsenio!! Customer Rating: Summary: Terrorists on a plane.... Comment: 1992's "Passenger 57" stars a young Wesley Snipes in an early leading role as an air marshal on a plane hijacked by a deadly terrorist and his gang. The plot, the characters, and the action sequences are adequate if formulaic. This is decent no-brainer entertainment.
Snipes plays John Cutter, an experienced security officer, who is the extra passenger on an airliner hijacked by master terrorist Charles Rane (played with suitable snarl and menace by Bruce Payne). Cutter happens to be in the lavatory when Rane and his thugs (including a young Elizabeth Hurley) seize the plane. Cutter escapes to the cargo compartment, while Rame diverts the plane to an airfield in Lousiana to make his demands.
The plot is somewhat contrived, calling for Cutter to get off the plane to alert the authorities (and deal with skeptical local law enforcement), then get back on the plane to confront the terrorists. Cutter is determined, adaptive, and a first-rate martial artist, supporting an action-packed finish to the movie.
This movie is recommended to Wesley Snipes fans and to those seeking undemanding action entertainment. Customer Rating: Summary: Schnooks on a Plane Comment: Wesley Snipes does DIE HARD (or LETHAL WEAPON sans a partner) in this entertaining but absolutely formulaic action-adventure outing. Another in the genre of the "Lunchpail Superman" movies that have proven so popular, Snipes plays a recently-retired (of course) covert government anti-terrorist agent (of course) who finds his dream vacation of a lifetime (of course) interrupted by A Few Bad Men (of course) who want to take a commercial jetliner bye-bye for foggy reasons of their own (of course). If you've seen the above-referenced films you will recognize PASSENGER 57, which samples the action in them quite freely and unashamedly. That's okay, because the film works well within its own limited expectations.
The surprises in this film are few, but memorable. The yummy Elizabeth Hurley plays one of the terrorists. The action takes place at an airport in rural Louisiana, and, thank the Script Gods, actually portrays the local Sheriff as a racist jerk good ol' boy, not as a redeemed cracker choirboy. He actually calls Snipes "Boy" a few times. That's a lot of "boys" in one sentence, but whoo boy, it's sooooo un-PC that it only makes Snipes' eventual assumption of command over local law enforcement that much better. So, sit back, grab a slice, and pop open a cold one. This is THAT kind of picture.
