Reminiscent of the 1980s action films that made him a star,Sylvester Stallone’s early ’90s thriller was well-received at the time, but there’s no doubt it would’ve been much better had it been released later.The ’80s were a career-defining decade for Stallone, who was one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood at the time.
Stallone’s feud with Arnold Schwarzenegger during this time led to an increase in weaponry and brawn in their respective action films. However, after such an exciting time in his career,Stallone’s success was less consistent in the ’90s. Stallone started the decade in a slump with the poorly received fifth installment oftheRockyfranchise,Rocky V, andOscar.
It wasn’t long until Stallone made a comeback, eventually finding success with movies likeCop LandandDemolition Man. Before this,he teamed up withDie Hard 2director Renny Harlin for a thrilling action film,Cliffhanger. While a success,Cliffhangerstill had its limitations, many of which wouldn’t be in place today and would make the film all the better.
Sylvester Stallone’s Cliffhanger Was Heavily Censored Both In The U.S. & Elsewhere
The Film’s Violent Scenes Were Cut Down Significantly
Cliffhangerfollows mountain climber Gabe after he gets wrapped up in a heist involving the U.S. Treasury.Mirroring Stallone’s star-making action films of the ’80s,Cliffhangerwas made to be a violent, action-packed thrillerwith Stallone’s Gabe Walker at the center. DirectorRenny Harlin is at his best in the action genre, and that’s apparent inCliffhanger’s non-stop thrills.
Cliffhangerwas heavily censored to achieve the equivalent of an R rating.
Cliffhangerdelivers all the entertaining stunts and action sequences one could want from a Stallone-led film, but many of these scenes are cut down significantly. Most notably, in the United Kingdom and the United States,Cliffhangerwas heavily censored to achieve the equivalent of an R rating.
While certain deleted scenes have been included inCliffhanger’s DVD release,much of the original violent content can only be found on a bootleg version of the film. These scenes are shown to have been shortened or edited to minimize the number of bullets that hit various characters, as well as the amount of blood and brain splatter seen throughout the film.
Cliffhanger’s Violence Would Have Been Easier To Get Away With 10 Years Later
The Evolved Movie Rating System Would Have Been Kinder To Cliffhanger
HadCliffhangerbeen released a decade later, it’s likely much of the film’s original violence would have remained in the final cut. Considering the ways movie rating systems have evolved and become more flexible in recent years, it’s easy to assume thatthe violence seen in the original cut ofCliffhangerwould have been suitable for an R rating.
Luckily,the changes made toCliffhanger’s violence weren’t detrimental to the film’s critical and commercial success.Cliffhangeris generally well-received by critics and is amongStallone’s highest-grossing movies. Despite its censorship,Cliffhangerprevailed due to its entertainment quality and Stallone and Harlin’s combined pull within the action genre.
