Daylight

I just alluded to the 70s being the first golden age of disaster movies in Hollywood. The 90s were the second and most recent. The biggest movie from the genre during that time period was Twister but I didn’t like it when I watched it years ago. To be fair, a VHS copy on a non-digital TV couldn’t have done it justice but you know I don’t like Helen Hunt anyway.

On the other hand, I love Sylvester Stallone, I love claustrophobic terror, and Daylight was available for me to stream free on Amazon so here goes!

I’ll admit it’s a fairly routine disaster movie. Yet while it doesn’t do anything extraordinarily, it does everything right. Two-time acting Academy Award nominee Stallone (yes he is and you can look that up!) shows his often untapped talent by bringing surprising depth to the common character of a grizzled rescue worker bearing the emotional scars of having failed someone in the past. The script is actually intelligent and well-written; tension builds as you wonder who will survive and everyone’s choices seem appropriate for the character and the situation. The collapsed tunnel makes a terrific setting from which people seek to escape with their lives.

The movie did poorly with critics but I disagree with the general consensus. It also bombed at the domestic box office, essentially ending Stallone’s 20-year-stint as one of Hollywood’s top leading man, but I’m glad it would up very profitable, as being action-heavy and featuring a popular face led to an outstanding overseas performance.

It does the job. If you like Sly and/or disaster movies you’ll be quite satisfied.

Bottom Line: Solid popcorn flick.

Up Next: The 2010s’ turn!