Passenger 57

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Passenger 57

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Passenger 57

Wesley Snipes, Bruce Payne, Tom Sizemore, Robert Hooks, Elizabeth Hurley

An airline security expert must take action when he finds himself trapped on a passenger jet when terrorists sieze control of it.

Id: 10902765

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Passenger 57 Recent Reviews
  • KhrisP
    November 4, 2009
    KhrisP
    As Im reviewing this, I've gotten into a 90's action phase, reviewing all the classic action flicks back in the day.

    Obviously these guys aren't Oscar winners, but these movies did set a standard of action for the decade, and some of the biggest action stars made their mark, and...( read more) the stories were unique and the bad guys were the best ever on the screen.

    One of the early classics is Passenger 57, which took plan hijacking and terrorism to a new level in the 90's, and made Wesley Snipes a household name and gave him a chance to display his impressive martial arts. Supported by Tom Sizemore, a young Liz Hurley and Bruce Payne as one of the best bad guys in the movies, Snipes goes up against a terrorist and master hijacker, who is also insane.

    Of course, the story element isn't the best, but solid enough to include a background trauma for Snipe's character, he isn't an invulnerable hero, but a man dealing with a painful loss who just got back into the business, but he happens to be the best at what he does.

    Though not much for background and production work, the music, done by one of my favorite musicians, Stanley Clarke, had a good dark beat and the intro roll was akin to a James Bond opening credits, without the naked women of course. XD But the Xray effect and synthesized score also set a new tone and sound for the 90's.

    I love this movie because I think this is a great, basic action film, and mostly set the trend for others to come, as far as martial arts, gunfights and planes. Snipes is a good actor, no doubt about that, he played the part perfectly, mixing a brooding, hard edged character who can throw a razor one liner at the bad guys when needed, or preferably, a kick to the face.

    Probably one of the best action movies around, which is unique in its own right.
  • SirPant
    September 29, 2009
    SirPant
    Pretty lazy and unimaginative.
  • PvtCaboose91
    May 5, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "Let me give you a word of advice. Always bet on black!"


    Passenger 57 appears to be set in an alternate world commonly inhabited by a majority of 90's action flicks: plot elements (and developments, for that matter) are merely perfunctory, bad guys can't shoot

    ...( read more) straight, the crafty hero is impervious to bullets (which, for the most part, miraculously whip around him), and illogicalities flourish. There's a profusion of ooh and ahs in this by-the-numbers shoot-'em-up Die Hard clone keen to establish Wesley Snipes as the coolest action hero this side of Bruce Willis.
    This routine hijack action affair lacks the intelligence and class to match the Die Hard films it clearly desires to emulate; however what the film lacks in logic it compensates with relentless action. In all seriousness, there isn't a great deal one can state in relation to this film from a critical viewpoint. It's a technically sturdy film, but it's rather logically inept and it fails to offer anything overwhelmingly groundbreaking.


    Wesley Snipes quips, glares and Kung fus his way through the film as airline security expert John Cutter. He's offered the job of chief of security at American International Airlines, which he accepts. En route to Los Angeles, Cutter is placed on the same aircraft escorting notorious terrorist Charles Rane (Payne) to LA where he will most likely face the death sentence. As fate would have it, Rane's evil accomplices gain entry to the plane. When Rane hijacks the plane, there is only one hope for everyone on-board - John Cutter (who's sitting in seat 57, therein justifying the title). Cue a wealth of shootouts, a dash of blood and some exciting heroics.


    It says something about the despondent lack of originality in Hollywood and of the influence of Die Hard on the action genre when audiences are offered two Die Hard imitators in the same year - Under Siege with Steven Seagal and the film in question; Passenger 57. This is primarily conventional moviemaking, but it slightly rises above the norm due to its enthralling action sequences and ability to entertain for every second of its brisk 80-minute duration.


    Small-time director Kevin Hooks orchestrates several glorious action scenes. As Wesley Snipes demonstrates his expertise in martial arts, Hooks' lens captures it adroitly. Throughout the film's to-the-point runtime Hooks shows a masterly skill at plunging the viewer into the heart of the action and keeping a viewer's pulse pounding. There's little time to lull or stall as it moves from concise dialogue scenes to the action. No fat attached, no deep character development, and no genuinely insightful dialogue. The sheer outrageousness of the shootouts is to be criticised, though. Bullets being fired on a commercial airplane? I don't think so... A misfired bullet should screw with the plane's controls, and bullets should exit a victim who's just been shot - breaking a window or something. It's entertaining nonsense wholly neglecting intelligence.


    Special effects are fairly laudable considering its time, and the funky score accompanying the visuals (courtesy of '70s jazz-rocker Stanley Clarke) is above-average. Perhaps the film could've been superior if only the material wasn't played so seriously. A bit of Die Hard-ish humour would do some good. It's also very cheesy (the winding down following the villain's demise is worthy of chortles and ridiculing out of sheer disgust).


    Passenger 57 is boosted by the top-flight performance of Wesley Snipes. He essentially plays an interchangeable character that could have been written for Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone or even Arnold Schwarzenegger or Steven Seagal. Snipes' likable, fast-talking airline security expert enlivens the slapdash plot with his physical grace and impressive martial arts skills. His action-hero gymnastics on and off the plane evoke 1990's Die Hard 2: Die Harder. More importantly, the fact that Snipes' Cutter battles both terrorists and self-absorbed bureaucrats mimics the little-guy-against-the-system virtue of Bruce Willis' John McClane (from the Die Hard series).

    Bruce Payne plays the cunning, ruthless, psychopathic, ominous villain of the film. He's the Euro-terrorist following the mould of Die Hard's Alan Rickman whose menace is the apparent contradiction of his articulate, well-spoken English and off-handed brutality. But he's a feebly-written character; amid all the killing he ultimately forgets to have a solid cause.

    Look out for an incredibly youthful Elizabeth Hurley as a stewardess-come-hijacker. Tom Sizemore also appears in the form of Cutter's best buddy. In order to further solidify the film's shameless stance as a conventional action flick, Sizemore's character is named Sly (you know...as in Sylvester Stallone).


    Fundamentally Die Hard on a plane - Fly Hard, if you will - this is a slick, adrenaline-pumping action flick. In spite of the countless nits to be picked from the sloppy script (the climax is hopelessly preposterous), and the reliance on formula (who would've possibly presumed the hero would kill the villain?), this is thunderously good fun and you could certainly do a lot worse. The action sequences are exhilarating, Snipes is magnetic as well as athletic as the primary hero, and it spawned a lot of the "plane" action movies such as Air Force One and Executive Decision. It's a basic, formulaic, entertaining time-waster.


    "You know, that's what I admire about you! Even though you are being hit on by absolutely beautiful woman, you are determined to maintaining your vow of chastity. You know, you'd make a hell of a republican!"
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    September 15, 2008
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Wesley Snipes stops evil Michael Bolton clone, Liz Hurley was in this too.
  • RiderOfTheStorms
    June 23, 2008
    RiderOfTheStorms
    classic snipes
  • thelongplay77
    October 30, 2009
    thelongplay77
    The best. my favorite film
  • RachelJezel
    September 15, 2009
    RachelJezel
    A movie that doesn't excel in any department but is pretty solid overall. Remember: "Always bet on black!"
  • BurningDzire
    September 10, 2009
    BurningDzire
    A passenger plane has been hijacked by terrorist and his and gang.Now its upto John Cutter,an retired anti terrorist to save all passengers from death.
  • DABDULMUSAWWIR
    August 24, 2009
    DABDULMUSAWWIR
    He was smoking in this one!
  • erikggrep
    July 22, 2009
    erikggrep
    "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid your in-flight entertainment has been canceled."
    - Charles Rane

    Air travel is the safest, as the FAA says. But the FAA never figured the risk with Charles Rane, who is on board on a flight to stand for trial of masterminding four ...( read more)terrorist bombings. As "The Rane of Terror" plans a fifth bombing - undercover security operative John Cutter finds that Rane and his gang have taken over. Cutter's next move is clear: do or be done to.

    Directed by Kevin Hooks, Passenger 57 features great acting performances from the following cast:
    1.) Wesley Snipes (John Cutter)
    2.) Bruce Payne (Charles Rane)
    3.) Tom Sizemore (Sly Delvecchio)
    4.) Bruce Greenwood (Ramsey)
    5.) Elizabeth Hurley (Sabrina Richie)

    I find Passenger 57 as a great thriller taking place 35,000 ft. in the air, with explosive action when a flight is hijacked. Mr. Snipes did his excellent acting performance here, working as an anti-terrorist expert while coping the loss of his wife (as in one flashback). And oh my gosh, Charles Rane talks like an darn evil Brit! It's great that there are some aerial flicks that feature bombers, and this film is one of these.
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