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IMDbPro

Sudden Death

  • 1995
  • R
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
36K
YOUR RATING
Sudden Death (1995)
Pre
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
57 Photos
ActionCrimeThriller

A former fireman takes on a group of terrorists holding the Vice President and others hostage during the seventh game of the NHL Stanley Cup finals.A former fireman takes on a group of terrorists holding the Vice President and others hostage during the seventh game of the NHL Stanley Cup finals.A former fireman takes on a group of terrorists holding the Vice President and others hostage during the seventh game of the NHL Stanley Cup finals.

  • Director
    • Peter Hyams
  • Writers
    • Karen Elise Baldwin
    • Gene Quintano
  • Stars
    • Jean-Claude Van Damme
    • Powers Boothe
    • Raymond J. Barry
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    36K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Hyams
    • Writers
      • Karen Elise Baldwin
      • Gene Quintano
    • Stars
      • Jean-Claude Van Damme
      • Powers Boothe
      • Raymond J. Barry
    • 145User reviews
    • 77Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Sudden Death
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Sudden Death

    Photos57

    Jean-Claude Van Damme and Ross Malinger in Sudden Death (1995)
    Peter Hyams in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, Ross Malinger, and Whittni Wright in Sudden Death (1995)
    Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)
    Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jean-Claude Van Damme
    Jean-Claude Van Damme
    • Darren McCord
    Powers Boothe
    Powers Boothe
    • Joshua Foss
    Raymond J. Barry
    Raymond J. Barry
    • Vice President
    Whittni Wright
    Whittni Wright
    • Emily McCord
    Ross Malinger
    Ross Malinger
    • Tyler McCord
    Dorian Harewood
    Dorian Harewood
    • Hallmark
    Kate McNeil
    Kate McNeil
    • Kathi
    Michael Gaston
    Michael Gaston
    • Hickey
    Audra Lindley
    Audra Lindley
    • Mrs. Ferrara
    Brian Delate
    Brian Delate
    • Blair
    Steve Aronson
    • Dooley
    Michael R. Aubele
    • Ace
    • (as Michael Aubele)
    Karen Elise Baldwin
    Karen Elise Baldwin
    • TV Director
    • (as Karen Baldwin)
    Jennifer D. Bowser
    • Joan
    Pat Brisson
    • Player #2
    Glenda Morgan Brown
    Glenda Morgan Brown
    • Mrs. Taylor
    Jophery C. Brown
    Jophery C. Brown
    • Wootton
    • (as Jophery Brown)
    William Cameron
    William Cameron
    • Secret Service Agent
    • Director
      • Peter Hyams
    • Writers
      • Karen Elise Baldwin
      • Gene Quintano
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to writer Randy Feldman, he wrote the first draft of the screenplay for the movie as a comedy/action movie parody. The only scene that remained in the finished film was the scene where Van Damme fights the penguin mascot. The original vision for this movie would become the basis for the remake Welcome to Sudden Death (2020).
    • Goofs
      A helicopter's lift is always in a direction nearly parallel to the rotor axis, so it cannot come close to maintaining a position where its nose is straight up. In such a position it would move violently sideways (the rotor leading) and fall rapidly.
    • Quotes

      Play-by-Play Announcer: It's so loud in here, I can barely hear myself think.

      Color Commentator: You don't have to think, Mike. It's hockey.

    • Connections
      Edited into Best in Show (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      Rock And Roll, Part II
      Written by Gary Glitter, Mike Leander

      Performed by Gary Glitter

      Courtesy of Laurence Myers Limited

    User reviews145

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    A typical Van Damme outing in "Sudden Death"
    It seems that every Hollywood action heavyweight has to have their "Die Hard" moment, and 1995's "Sudden Death" was Belgian martial arts sensation Jean-Claude Van Damme's contribution. Basically "Die Hard on Ice," "Sudden Death" is slickly polished and photographed nicely & directed by Van Damme's "Timecop" (1994) director Peter Hyams, but that's about it - despite a few well-executed action sequences and special effects.

    During Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, fire marshal Darren McCord (Van Damme), a former Pittsburgh firefighter traumatized by his inability to save a young girl from a deadly house fire two years earlier, takes his two children to watch the hockey game. Also in attendance, is the vice president of the United States (Raymond J. Barry); and a crack team of terrorists led by Joshua Foss (the late Powers Boothe), a disgruntled former Secret Service operative who has taken the VP and 10 others hostage in the owner's box and wants two billion dollars in frozen funds from enemy nations to be wired to 13 bank accounts of his choice.

    The gist of it is, is that the government has until the end of each inning to transfer one-third of the money, or else Foss will execute a hostage. If at the end of the game his demands still are not met, he will blow up the Civic Arena with strategically placed explosives and kill everyone inside it. Only a one-man army, Darren McCord, can stop them.

    "Sudden Death" has the usual shoot-outs, explosions, martial arts showdowns (including Van Damme's hilarious fight with Foss's henchwoman, disguised as the Pittsburgh Penguins' mascot, in the Arena's kitchen) and thrilling foot-chases, but that's about it. It's pretty typical and by-the-numbers stuff that doesn't offer anything new to a tired and worn-out premise.

    On the plus side, Powers Boothe makes for a truly memorable bad guy with a cold and efficient manner and a no-nonsense approach, as well as a black-hearted sense of humor. Boothe provides some of the film's best lines and gets some of the most memorable moments, too. He is really what keeps the movie going.

    All in all, "Sudden Death" is a good way to kill 111 minutes of your Saturday afternoon.

    6/10
    helpful•3
    0
    • dee.reid
    • Jan 18, 2020

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 22, 1995 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cái Chết Bất Ngờ
    • Filming locations
      • Mellon Arena - 66 Mario Lemieux Place, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Signature Entertainment
      • Imperial Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $20,350,171
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,782,445
      • Dec 25, 1995
    • Gross worldwide
      • $64,350,171
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • DTS-Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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