Sudden Death (1995)

 

Yes, this is in essence a 'Die Hard'-clone. 

It is also, at its core, an entertaining film in that respect and possibly one of the better Van Damme vehicles that are more serious in tone and execution, instead of his more balls-to-the-wall-brawls we have come to love and adore him for. 

Darren McCord (Van Damme) is a fire marshall for the Pittsburgh ice rink, where there's a game on for the Stanley Cup. This is a big deal for hockey. I know next to nothing about hocky, but don't let that distract you, it is just a setup anyway. This time, the Vice President will attend and Darren has two tickets to bring his kids along. 

Of course something is going to go wrong. Otherwise this would be either the shortest or the most boring film in a long time. 

Former CIA/Special Forces/whatever peeps enter the Vice President's box and hold the people there hostage. They want funds to be siphoned off into specific bank accounts in order to become filthy rich and of course they kill a couple of people. They have also rigged the rink with explosives, so they could bring down the whole building. But very soon McCord discovers this plot and now he races against time to stop these domestic terrorists and save his kids.

Sounds familiar? That's because it is and this template would be copied a zillion times over with mixed results, but this one is actually a decent one. Not only did it sport a decent budget, it has a great soundtrack and decent actors to fill te key roles. Sure, if you are not fond of Van Damme, you will find little pleasure here, but if you're like me and have a soft sport for the Muscles from Brussels, then this is one of those films you need to see. He plays it rather understated this time, and the focus isn't on his martial arts' chops. Yes, there is some fighting, but that is not what drives it all. This might come as a letdown for some, but it does help the story here. 

In Powers Boothe, they did manage to find a great villain, because that man could play the sinister monster with gusto. He not only has that diabolical look, but a voice to match as there were few actors that could do the evil mastermind the way he could. Yes, he does ham it up at times, but that doesn't detract from his performance because he seems to be having a ball with it. His demise is a bit silly though and does feel rather out of place in a film that kept things fairly realistic, but hey: it's only the final moments, so you've been on a fun ride up until that point. 

Kudos to director Peter Hyams by the way, for making this slick and riveting enough to enjoy. The man did have his share of hits and misses and this one falls a little in between, but there's no denying that he knows how to frame shots and deliver excitement. You can tell he is responsible for some of the more iconic music videos from the 80s, as everything feels so polished and no shot is too much. 

In short, 'Sudden Death' is an entertaining action/heist film that clearly borrows a lot from 'Die Hard' but can be watched at whatever moment for a nice dose of fun. It's no masterpiece, but it is and remains a very decently made project.