DROP ZONE

US, 1994, 102 minutes, Colour.
Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey, Yancey Butler, Michael Jeter, Kyle Secor, Malcolm- Jamal Warner, Grace Zabriskie.
Directed by John Badham.

Drop Zone is a thriller, the investigation of terrorists seizing a prisoner from jet at 37,000 feet. While Speed had lifts, buses and trains, in Drop Zone we have freefalling, parachuting and hang-gliding. While not so adrenaline-pumping, this film has its fair share of action moments.

Wesley Snipes had appeared in quite a number of shows like this, particularly the enjoyable Passenger 57. Gary Busey on the other hand has made a career out of playing sadistic, snarling villains as he does here. Director John Badham began directing in the 1970s with such diverse films as Saturday Night Fever and Dracula with Laurence Olivier and Frank Langella. During the 90s he concentrated on action thrillers such as the Stakeout films, The Assassin, The Hard Way and Bird on a Wire. This is definitely an action show.

1. An entertaining action adventure? The stunts, the skydiving, the dangers? The significance of the title as the people doing the skydiving go into the drop zone?

2. The stunts, the special effects? The plane, the flight, the attack, the escapes? The skydiving show? The attack on the DEA office? The cumulative effect of this kind of excitement? The ways in which this material was filmed and edited? Musical score?

3. The police thriller, the focus on the Nessip brothers? Their job, their failure, under suspicion by the FBI, Pete losing his job? His continuing his investigations? The resolution of the investigation, the fights and shootouts at the DEA building?

4. Pete Nessip, his skills, he and his brother accompanying the hacker on the plane? The commercial flight, everything seeming normal? The terrorist attack? The mayhem, Terry's death? The plane door flying open, passengers dying, the hacker missing? Pete and his grief? His reporting to the FBI, their suspicions? His explanation of a theory about a skydiving attack?

5. His continuing his investigations, Wesley Snipes as Pete and the strength and integrity of his screen presence? His meeting Jessie Crossman? His information about her boyfriend, his being part of the team? One of the survivors, the little girl, identifying him?

6. Ty Moncrieff, Gary Busey as snarling villain? His domination of the group, manner, his dealings with Leedy, making him learn how to skydive? The diving, Moncrieff and the killing of Jessie's boyfriend? The plan for the attack on the DEA offices, using Leedy and his computer talent to identify undercover agents? The plan to sell this information to gangsters?

7. Pete, his skydiving lessons, Jessie helping him? His helping her with the probation officer? The plan to go to the skydiving exhibition? The details of the lessons, the dangers, his relying on Jessie, their attraction to one another (but still keeping at a distance)? The background of the skydiving group, their gatherings in bars, their way of life (a brawling action community)?

8. The Washington show, Moncrieff and his gang in the exhibition? Their using the smokescreen to attack the building? Jessie and her realisation of the truth, hiding in the plane, the confrontation with Moncrieff? Pete rescuing her? The confrontations at the DEA building, Moncrieff and the shootout, his death?

9. Leedy, small and jittery, his work as a computer hacker, his being rescued from the plane? Moncrieff forcing him to skydive? The plan to get the information from the computers? His being recaptured in the confrontation?

10. The happy ending, Pete being vindicated, his getting his job back? His having learnt a skill and having met Jessie?