Drop Zone (1994)

A team of skydiving crooks led by DEA-agent-turned-bad Busey specialize in landing on police roofs and breaking in so their evil computer nerd can steal undercover agents' files and sell ... See full summary »

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Tony Griffin (story), Guy Manos (story),

Stars:

Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey, Yancy Butler

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wesley Snipes	...	Pete Nessip
Gary Busey	...	Ty Moncrief
Yancy Butler	...	Jessie Crossman
Michael Jeter	...	Earl Leedy
Corin Nemec	...	Selkirk
Kyle Secor	...	Swoop
Luca Bercovici	...	Jagger
Malcolm-Jamal Warner	...	Terry Nessip
Rex Linn	...	Bobby
Grace Zabriskie	...	Winona
Robert LaSardo	...	Deputy Dog
Sam Hennings	...	Torski
Claire Stansfield	...	Kara
Mickey Jones	...	Deuce
Andy Romano	...	Tom McCracken

Storyline

A team of skydiving crooks led by DEA-agent-turned-bad Busey specialize in landing on police roofs and breaking in so their evil computer nerd can steal undercover agents' files and sell them to drug lords. Federal Marshal Snipes lost a brother to this crew and learns skydiving with the help of tough-but-lovable instructor Butler so he can track them down. DIE HARD meets PASSENGER 57 meets CLIFFHANGER.

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Plot Keywords:

dea | parachute | terrorist | skydiving | plane | 

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Taglines:

La amenaza está en el aire. (The threat is in the air.) [Spain]

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Genres:

Action | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Drop Zone - pudotusalue

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

£902,239 (UK) (14 April 1995)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Nicita/Lloyd Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steven Seagal was originally set to play U.S. Marshal Pete Nessip, but left the project to return as Navy SEAL Casey Rayback in Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. He was reportedly offered $15 million for the role.

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Goofs

When Kara is left on the photocopier after the fight, her mouth is closed; in the photocopies, it is open.

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Quotes

[after learning the identities of three undercover DEA agents]
Ty Moncrief: These narcs are walking around somewhere thinking they're alive!
[laughs]

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Connections

Referenced in Heroes Unmasked: The Director's Cut (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Follow That Man"
Written & Performed by Boz Scaggs
Courtesy of Virgin Records America, Inc.

User Reviews

A movie I love

Although it's utterly ridiculous, I really, really enjoy this movie. Badham is a fine, if underrated action/thriller director; WarGames is great, Nick of Time is good, and his other notable movies include Stakeout, Saturday Night Fever, and The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings. He keeps Drop Zone moving quickly enough that suspended disbelief doesn't lift, which is a good thing considering that the bad guys are rogue skydivers. Seriously. Fortunately, the head bad guy is played by Gary Busey, who could make an interior decorator evil.

There's some great aerial photography, and it makes skydiving look awesome. It's extremely well-paced, the supporting cast is likable, and the script is enjoyably amusing. Snipes is one of the premier action stars of his generation, and his presence alone can elevate a movie from the mediocre to the above average. And Yancy Butler is absolutely smoking. End of story.

This movie is actually one of the more compulsively watchable to be released at the end of the action movie renaissance of the mid-'80s to mid-'90s. I'd watch it right now, even though I just saw it last night. My definition of a good movie.