DAYLIGHT

US, 1996, 110 minutes.
Sylvester Stallone, Amy Brenneman, Vigo Mortensen, Dan Hedaya, Jay O.Sanders, Claire Bloom, Karen Young, Barry Newman, Stan Shaw.
Directed by Rob Cohen.

Not Stallone slam-bang 90s action, but, rather, a throwback to the 70s, a disaster film that often looks like a remake of The Poseidon Adventure. It makes one realise how much audiences enjoyed the disaster movies.

This one introduces a large cast who are going to finish up in one of New York's tunnels under the Hudson river when an escaping car causes a toxic explosion, a fireball and the collapse of the tunnel. Who will survive and who will get out? Well, Sylvester Stallone, a sacked expert whose judgment has led to accidental deaths has to get into the tunnel (quite excitingly) before anyone can think about getting out. With very few resources and using his wits, he joins the few survivors and helps them. The screenplay uses redemption, salvation language a great deal and finally, literally, has a crucifix to highlight Christian themes.

Rob Cohen (Dragonheart) knows how to direct action movies and the editing makes for pace and excitement. A supporting cast including Claire Bloom, Karen Young and Amy Brenneman, gives the show some quality. Thoughtful escapist action.

1. The popularity of the disaster trend in the mid-'90s? Audience enjoyment of the tension, the dangers, the heroics and the relief of the rescue?

2. The plausibility of the plot? New York rush hour, the collapse of the tunnel, the engineering and hydraulic information, the nature of the rescue? The dangers as real? The finale?

3. The re-creation of the sets, the building of the tunnel? The flooding, the explosions? The crash and the fire bombs? The quality of the effects? Real? The musical score and its tone?

4. The disaster genre and its conventions: establishing the setting, the accident to set off the disaster, the range of people who are to be rescued (and their clashing as well as being welded into a group)? The dangers, the deaths, the final escape, survival? Audience enjoyment of this kind of heroism?

5. The screenplay and its religious overtones? The Italians and their living quarters while building the tunnel? The chapel? The visualising of the crucifix, the close-up on the figure of Jesus and the implications of redemption and salvation? The rats moving behind the crucifix, the escape behind the crucifix? Kit Latura as the new Christ saviour figure coming down into the tunnel to be with the people and lead them to survival?

6. The basic situation: the New York rush hour, the cars, the tunnels out of New York, the convoy of trucks with chemicals? The criminals, the jewellery robbery, the indicator in their car, the speed and flight, the crash into the trucks, the flames and the collapse of the ends of the tunnel?

7. Sylvester Stallone as Kit Latura: his going into the tunnel, assessing the situation, the background of his past and being responsible for the deaths of colleagues? His not being trusted? The discussion with the chief engineer and persuading him that he could go in? The drama of his going down into the shaft, the rotating fans? His going down without too many special effects, just his wits and some basics?

8. The range of characters in the tunnel and the introduction to them: Madelyne and her plays, lover, the decision to go home to the Midwest? Roy Nord and his sports gear, his reputation as a climber; the elderly couple, Eleanor and Roger, their devotion to each other, their dog? The bickering family, the parents, the exasperating children? The police van and the three criminals locked in the back?

9. The character of George, at work in the tunnel, love for Grace? The messages to Grace, his control, the TV monitors while they worked? Sending the bracelet to Grace via Kit?

10. The situation with Kit's arrival, unexpected, the plan for rescue? The need for timing? The flooding, the air, the electrical dangers? Explosions? The deaths - especially George, the lifting of the car, his broken neck, his being left? Nord and his offer to take charge, to climb out of the tunnel, his ignoring Latura's warnings, the collapse and his fall? The getting of the prisoners out of the back of the truck - and Madelyne's willingness to risk the electrical danger? The reactions of the criminals, Boom and his being killed by the rock fall?

11. Madelyne and her working with Kit? The blasts, the sealing of the leaks? The running out of air - going for the tunnels and the Italians' living quarters? The Poseidon Adventure kind of swim? Eleanor and her heart attack and the pathos of her death? The crucifix and the rats, escaping with the stairs concealed behind the crucifix? Kit rescuing the dog? Madelyne stranded and Kit going back for her?

12. The water danger, the final explosion and Kit and Madelyne being hurled out of the Hudson River?

13. Grace, and Kit giving her George's bracelet? The emotional sadness for the ending? Regret for the deaths?

14. The range of characters, the quick delineation, stock situations? Audiences identifying with them?

15. The hero using his wits? The collaboration with Madelyne? The man and the woman working for the survival of all?

16. The characters of the prisoners, the reasons for their being in the van, their discussion about their crimes? Escaping from the van, the catatonic prisoner? The prisoner wanting to take charge and his resentment against Kit? The deaths? Their moral support, the survivors and their contribution?

17. The climber, his advertising campaign, self-assurance, the possibilities of success, his skill in climbing, his not listening to advice, his death? Those wanting to follow him - and their having to go back with Kit?

18. George, his girlfriend, his support in the tunnel, the car, the pathos of his death? Kit and his giving the bracelet to the girlfriend at the end?

19. The experts, their contribution to the rescue, the decisions about explosions, the water, the air, ways of rescue?

20. The decisions about life and death, human beings using their ingenuity, the possibilities of heroics, disaster and hope?

21. The popularity of this kind of film, the audience sharing the danger vicariously, the possibility of death, the reality of survival?