After using all of the 'transport' settings to rip off DIE HARD (a bus for SPEED, a plane for PASSENGER 57, a boat for UNDER SIEGE), the makers of this film were forced to resort to a generic building with lots of gloomy twisting passages and a labyrinthine basement as the setting for this lame, wannabe thriller. Not that it matters, as they obviously didn't have the budget to use any effective scenery anyway. What we're left with is a series of pale blue corridors, all exactly the same in appearance, with nothing to characterise them - no plants, no posters, nothing, just endless identical rooms.
With nothing in the way of scenery, we're left to concentrate on the actors on screen. Unfortunately, there is little in the way of acting in this film, especially from leaden 'star' Linden Ashby, who hobbles around and occasionally kills people in bloodless ways. Let's face it, Ashby is no Bruce Willis and his attempts to act are frankly pathetic. He's just another guy brought up from television who can't make it in the real world of films. The only character to really emphasise with is Andrew Divoff (WISHMASTER) as the lead terrorist, who at least brings a little character to his role as the charismatic bad guy. Along with these two are Rutger Hauer (THE HITCHER) in a new career low in a wheelchair with braided hair, and dependable Tim Thomerson (DOLLMAN) as a lawman.
The situations are nothing new in this film, and were done a hundred times better in the DIE HARD trilogy. The pacing is non-existent, with one action scene lasting for ten seconds, while the surrounding elements like people walking around last for at least ten minutes. The action scenes themselves are nothing to get worked up about, and are over far too quickly with not enough violence, with only a single leg breaking scene, which in itself is worthy of a Seagal movie. The only thing I liked was the way in which Ashby got gradually more and more injured as the film went on, a bit like good old Brucie.
With nothing in the way of scenery, we're left to concentrate on the actors on screen. Unfortunately, there is little in the way of acting in this film, especially from leaden 'star' Linden Ashby, who hobbles around and occasionally kills people in bloodless ways. Let's face it, Ashby is no Bruce Willis and his attempts to act are frankly pathetic. He's just another guy brought up from television who can't make it in the real world of films. The only character to really emphasise with is Andrew Divoff (WISHMASTER) as the lead terrorist, who at least brings a little character to his role as the charismatic bad guy. Along with these two are Rutger Hauer (THE HITCHER) in a new career low in a wheelchair with braided hair, and dependable Tim Thomerson (DOLLMAN) as a lawman.
The situations are nothing new in this film, and were done a hundred times better in the DIE HARD trilogy. The pacing is non-existent, with one action scene lasting for ten seconds, while the surrounding elements like people walking around last for at least ten minutes. The action scenes themselves are nothing to get worked up about, and are over far too quickly with not enough violence, with only a single leg breaking scene, which in itself is worthy of a Seagal movie. The only thing I liked was the way in which Ashby got gradually more and more injured as the film went on, a bit like good old Brucie.