SUDDEN DEATH (1995)
You’re not too good for SUDDEN DEATH.
It’s easy to dismiss the 1995 Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle because so much of its pedigree is essentially B-team.
It’s a DIE HARD clone seven years after that movie came out.
Built around the fourth (or fifth or sixth) most popular sport in America.
Taking place at a second-tier city (that’s not an insult—Pittsburgh just wouldn’t be ranked in the first round compared to NYC or Los Angeles.).
Featuring a second-tier action hero (even on his upswing, JCVD still couldn’t compete with Arnold, Sly, or Bruce).
Hell, even the main hostage is only the VICE President. The whole film is built to be slightly below the best. But here’s the secret to this Peter Hyams-directed movie: everyone is well aware of the situation and gloriously reveling in it. So if you’re looking down at this cinematic slice of tremendous fun, you’re the one missing the point.
The story behind the movie—essentially the wife of the owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins thought their hockey arena would be a good location for an action movie and it all sprung from there—isn’t as wild as the makings of similar blockbusters, but it is still an entertaining ride of local hockey players and possibly diva moves by its star. But the true dynamic elements are all left on the playing field, er, ice, er, screen.
Allegedly the original script was even more comedic, but that would’ve tipped the scales into just being ridiculous with some splashes of technical prowess. Instead, Hyams and company find a balance between the absurd and the impressive, using over the top characters and set-ups to then deliver masterfully choreographed action sequences. It’s almost camp in its arch self-awareness, but SUDDEN DEATH plays it so straight that it’s easy to see why critics and audiences originally thought the movie was a braindead example of Hollywood running out of ideas. In discussing this film online, it seems like an reappraisal has (rightfully) risen and JCVD’s hockey blockbuster is getting the props it deserves.
For the sadly uninitiated, SUDDEN DEATH is about Darren McCord (JCVD), a fire marshal for the Pittsburgh Civic Arena. It’s the last game of the Stanley Cup finals between Pittsburgh and Chicago, and Darren scored some tickets for him and his children. Not only is it an exciting ultimate game, but the Vice President (Raymond J. Barry) will be in attendance to watch with everyone else. Things go awry when a team of mercenaries/terrorists/rogue covert agents infiltrate the stadium, plant bombs everywhere, and take the VP hostage. The leader of the ruffians (Powers Boothe) is demanding tons of money from CIA-operated foreign banking accounts be deposited by the end of every period, or people will start to die. Luckily, Darren is wandering around the arena and begins taking out these punks—but unfortunately one of the hostages is his daughter! The villains have thought of everything…except what to do with a force of nature like Darren.
The trailer for SUDDEN DEATH (above) features Don LaFontaine’s dulcet rugged tones narrating the action. So, yeah—this is a pretty great movie. This is Hyams and JCVD’s second outing together (after working on TIMECOP), and they would go on to work as director and actor one more time with 2013’s ENEMIES CLOSER. Hyams would also be DP for UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION and UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING, both featuring Van Damme. Clearly there is some genuine love and chemistry there. And that translates onto the screen because of how much fun the duo have in navigating the formulaic yet absurd plot. It’s not that SUDDEN DEATH subverts the DIE HARD-approach, but anytime there’s an expected beat, it arrives in a very peculiar way.
For example, the initial fight that alerts the hero that something is wrong while establishing he’s proficient at violence should be with a formidable adversary, but not TOO formidable as you still need to escalate the stakes and tribulations for the protagonist throughout the film. It should be a flashy fight that baptizes Darren in this insane situation, immediately signaling that things have taken a turn. PASSENGER 57, UNDER SIEGE, and the other DIE HARD knockoffs all have this scene. But what does SUDDEN DEATH do? It makes the baddie in this scene a giant penguin mascot that is patently ridiculous yet genuinely intimidating. The fight choreography uses the kitchen setting to inventive effect that is appropriately funny and physically impressive. Writer Gene Quintano has seen the same movies as you and wants to have fun with them. And JCVD has seen those fights (not to mention a lot of Hong Kong movies) and wishes to up the ante himself.
It would be easy to say that SUDDEN DEATH is a dumb fun movie, but the fact is that it’s too smart to simply be dismissed as such. The climactic helicopter crash (spoiler alert for a 28-year old movie, I guess) is beyond over the top, with a tremendous sight gag of the villain and hero locking eyes as the chopper spectacularly smashes below. And Baldwin was right: the Civic Arena IS a good location for an action film. Sure, most of it relies on the fact that everywhere, except the stands, is oddly devoid of people, but there are still enough fun parts of the stadium to explore and utilize for action purposes. But doesn’t it sound patently hilarious that the hotbed of all this chaos and violence is…a hockey game? Who sees that coming?
SUDDEN DEATH is so much fun that it’s impossible to resist. A Super Soaker proves invaluable. Darren has a tragic backstory that serves no purpose. But he does commit one of “the greatest saves of the season” when he impersonates a goalie. He also then has a fight scene IN that awkward goalie gear. Every step is as expected in terms of narrative structure, but tweaked enough to be an odd mutant that is a genuine delight. SUDDEN DEATH knows exactly what it is and I love it for that.
