Daylight (1996 film)

Last updated

Daylight
Daylight Stallone.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Rob Cohen
Written by Leslie Bohem
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography David Eggby
Edited byPeter Amundson
Music by Randy Edelman
Production
company
Distributed by Universal Pictures [1]
Release date
  • December 6, 1996 (1996-12-06)(United States)
Running time
114 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States [1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$80 million
Box office$159.2 million [2]

Daylight is a 1996 American disaster film directed by Rob Cohen and starring Sylvester Stallone, Amy Brenneman, Viggo Mortensen, Dan Hedaya, Stan Shaw, Jay O. Sanders, Karen Young and Danielle Harris. Its plot concerns a group of people attempting to find their way out of an underground tunnel in Manhattan, after explosions cause both ends of the tunnel to collapse.

Contents

Daylight was released by Universal Pictures on December 6, 1996, in the United States, and on December 26 in the United Kingdom. It received mixed reviews and grossed $159 million worldwide. [3]

Plot

In upstate New York, a waste management firm loads barrels of toxic waste onto trucks, intending to illegally dispose of them at a site in New Jersey. They are shown heading into a tunnel beneath the Hudson River along with several commuters, including struggling playwright Maddy Thompson, a bus of juvenile offenders, a vacationing family, an elderly couple with a dog, and sporting goods retailer Roy Nord. Meanwhile, a gang of grunges grabs gems from a gem buyer after mugging him and takes his car to escape the NYPD by racing into the tunnel. The gang force their way through the north tube traffic where the driver loses control and smashes through a security booth and into one of the trucks, causing it to detonate, and resulting in a sympathetic detonation of the remaining trucks. The tunnel entrances cave in, and a devastating fireball sweeps through the tunnel, incinerating the majority of the motorists within it.

About to enter the Manhattan end of the tunnel, former New York City Emergency Medical Services Chief Kit Latura, now working as a taxi driver, witnesses the fireball erupting from the entrance. While racing to help whoever he can, he runs into an old EMS colleague who tells him that the tunnel is severely damaged and could collapse if any wrong moves are made. Kit then checks with tunnel administrators and finds that most of the old exits have been sealed off or are considered unsafe. Kit makes his way into the tunnel through the ventilation system, risking his life as the massive fans can only be slowed down for a short time.

A group of survivors band around Nord, who believes he can find a way out through the mid-river passage, a service corridor running between the north and south tubes. Kit arrives and warns Nord that the passage could come down at any moment, but Nord dismisses the possibility. Kit barely escapes as the passage collapses, killing Nord and causing another explosion which kills a juvenile offender.

Water begins seeping in from the river above, and Kit uses an explosive to stop the leak. Police officer George Tyrell returns from investigating the Manhattan end and is crushed under a truck as the road shifts. The group manages to free him before he can drown, but he is left with a broken neck. The water level continues to rise, and the angry survivors confront Kit. He claims he can slow it down but not stop it, as the clean-up effort on the Manhattan side of the tunnel is causing water to enter their side. Kit recalls that there are sleeping quarters beside the tunnels (leftover from the tunnel's construction) and asks George how to access them. Kit finds one by swimming under a security booth and leads the group to this area, but George has to be left behind. He gives Kit a bracelet intended for his girlfriend Grace and tells him to "get them to daylight."

Eleanor, one of the elderly survivors, is distressed that her late son's dog Cooper is missing. She refuses to go on, then suddenly yet quietly passes away, presumably from hypothermia. The group moves to another room as the first one floods, convincing Eleanor's husband Roger to come with them. As they reach the top of an old wooden staircase, Kit notices Cooper swimming in the water below and dives down to rescue him, passing him up to one of the survivors, but a beam falls and destroys the lower half, sending Kit into the water. Maddy tries to help Kit up, but she falls as well, as more of the staircase is knocked down. Kit orders the rest of the group to leave. The majority of the group escape through a manhole into daylight while the corridor caves in behind them, leaving Kit and the hysterical Maddy behind in the rising water.

Kit and Maddy swim around looking for a possible way out, with the main highway tunnel now almost completely submerged. Kit realizes he will have to use his explosives to cause a "blow out" and rip the tunnel roof open. A mass of mud crushes Kit and Maddy tries to pull him out. The blast forces Maddy towards the surface, but Kit gets stuck in the mud. Maddy finds a barely conscious Kit and keeps him afloat as a boat discovers them offshore. Lying on a stretcher, Kit sees Grace in the crowd and hands her George's bracelet. Maddy insists on riding with him in the ambulance to which Kit replies, "On one condition: We gotta take the bridge."

Cast

Production

Principal photography for the film was shot in Rome, Italy at Cinecittà Studios for the tunnel scenes. [4] Filming also took place in New York City. [5] [6]

Release

Home media

The film was released by MCA/Universal Home Video on VHS & LaserDisc with a digital DTS soundtrack on May 20, 1997. The film was also released on DVD on May 26, 1998, with extra features including the movies trailer as well as language selections and a director's commentary.

Reception

Box office

Daylight opened in 2,175 theaters in North America, during which it grossed $10 million. After 55 weeks, the film earned $33 million in the US and $126.2 million internationally for a total of $159.2 million. [2]

Critical response

The film has a 26% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 42 reviews and an average rating of 4.9 out of 10. The critical consensus reads: "The opening's got a great fiery explosion and Stallone puts in another earnest, sympathetic performance, but all else in Daylight feels designed to annoy the audience into submission." [7]

There were, however, some moderate and positive reviews. Roger Ebert gave the film two stars out of four, commenting, "Daylight is the cinematic equivalent of a golden oldies station, where you never encounter anything you haven't grown to love over the years. At one point, when a trapped civilian asks him if they have a chance, I expected him to say, 'Calm down, lady. I've done this in a dozen other movies.'" [8] Empire gave the film four stars out of five, stating, "Daylight is great because it never tries to be any more than it is — a disaster movie with all the special-effects hoopla the '90s can bring." [9] Randy Edelman's musical score was also praised. [10] [11]

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. [12]

About the film, Stallone simply said: "The premise was really good, but it didn't deliver". [13]

Accolades

The film won a Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category (Richard L. Anderson and David A. Whittaker). It was also nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards, Worst Actor (Sylvester Stallone) and Worst Original Song (Whenever There Is Love). For the 1996 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, Stallone was nominated for Worst Actor too. The movie was famous for introducing the Panerai special line of watches (Panerai Daylight) by the request of Stallone himself. [14] [15] [16]

Other media

Novelization

A novelization based on the film by Max Allen Collin titled Daylight, was released in 1996.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvester Stallone</span> American actor and filmmaker (born 1946)

Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and two BAFTA Awards. Stallone is one of only two actors in history to have starred in a box-office No. 1 film across six consecutive decades.

Rambo is an American media franchise centered on a series of action films featuring John J. Rambo. The five films are First Blood (1982), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988), Rambo (2008), and Rambo: Last Blood (2019). Rambo is a United States Army Special Forces veteran played by Sylvester Stallone, whose Vietnam War experience traumatized him but also gave him superior military skills, which he has used to fight corrupt police officers, enemy troops and drug cartels. First Blood is an adaptation of the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell.

<i>Demolition Man</i> (film) 1993 film by Marco Brambilla

Demolition Man is a 1993 American science fiction action film directed by Marco Brambilla in his directorial debut. It stars Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, and Nigel Hawthorne. Stallone is John Spartan, a risk-taking police officer who has a reputation for causing destruction while carrying out his work.

<i>Cliffhanger</i> (film) 1993 American film

Cliffhanger is a 1993 American action thriller film directed and co-produced by Renny Harlin and co-written by and starring Sylvester Stallone alongside John Lithgow, Michael Rooker and Janine Turner. Based on a concept by climber John Long, the film follows Gabe (Stallone), a mountain climber who becomes embroiled in a heist of a U.S. Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains. The film premiered at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, and was released in the United States on May 28, 1993, by TriStar Pictures. It received positive reviews and earned $255 million worldwide, becoming the 7th highest-grossing film of 1993.

<i>First Blood</i> 1982 film by Ted Kotcheff

First Blood is a 1982 American-Canadian action thriller film directed by Ted Kotcheff and co-written by and starring Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. It co-stars Richard Crenna as Rambo's mentor Sam Trautman and Brian Dennehy as Sheriff Will Teasle. It is the first installment in the Rambo franchise, followed by Rambo: First Blood Part II.

<i>The Lords of Flatbush</i> 1974 film directed by Martin Davidson

The Lords of Flatbush is a 1974 American drama film directed by Martin Davidson and Stephen F. Verona. The film stars Sylvester Stallone, Perry King, Paul Mace and Henry Winkler. Stallone was also credited with writing additional dialogue. The plot is about street teenagers in leather jackets from the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The movie, along with the television hit Happy Days, the musical Grease and its like-named film version, and novelty rock act “Sha Na Na’’, was part of a resurgence in popular interest in the '50s greaser culture in the 1970s. Henry Winkler went on to play a similar character as "The Fonz" in Happy Days.

<i>The Specialist</i> 1994 film by Luis Llosa

The Specialist is a 1994 American action thriller film directed by Luis Llosa and starring Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Eric Roberts, and Rod Steiger. It is loosely based on "The Specialist" series of novels by John Shirley. The film was met with negative critical response, but became a box office success, and Gloria Estefan's version of "Turn the Beat Around" became a dance sensation, becoming #1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart.

<i>D-Tox</i> 2002 American film

D-Tox is a 2002 American thriller film directed by Jim Gillespie and starring Sylvester Stallone. The supporting cast features Tom Berenger, Charles S. Dutton, Polly Walker, Robert Patrick, Stephen Lang, Jeffrey Wright, Courtney B. Vance and Kris Kristofferson. The film had a limited release in the United States on September 20, 2002, under the title Eye See You by DEJ Productions.

<i>Judge Dredd</i> (film) 1995 US superhero film directed by Danny Cannon

Judge Dredd is a 1995 American science fiction action film based on the 2000 AD comics character of the same name. It is directed by Danny Cannon and stars Sylvester Stallone in the title role, a law enforcement officer in the crime-ridden futuristic metropolis of Mega-City One. The film co-stars Armand Assante, Diane Lane, Rob Schneider, Joan Chen, Jürgen Prochnow, and Max von Sydow. It was filmed entirely at Shepperton Studios in the United Kingdom, and released by Buena Vista Pictures on June 30, 1995.

<i>Driven</i> (2001 film) 2001 action drama film directed by Renny Harlin

Driven is a 2001 American action sports film directed by Renny Harlin and starring Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote and produced. It centers on a young racing driver's effort to win the CART FedEx Championship Series auto racing championship. Prior to production, Stallone was seen at many Formula One races, but he was unable to procure enough information about the category due to the secrecy with which teams protect their cars, so he decided to base the film on Champ Car.

<i>Nighthawks</i> (1981 film) 1981 film by Bruce Malmuth

Nighthawks is a 1981 American neo-noir action crime thriller film directed by Bruce Malmuth and starring Sylvester Stallone with Billy Dee Williams, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta, Nigel Davenport, and Rutger Hauer. Its score was composed by Keith Emerson. The film was noted for production problems

<i>Beyond the Poseidon Adventure</i> 1979 film by Irwin Allen

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure is a 1979 American disaster film and a sequel to The Poseidon Adventure (1972) directed by Irwin Allen and starring Michael Caine and Sally Field. It was a critical and commercial failure, and was the only Allen disaster film to receive no Academy Award nominations. Its box office receipts were only 20% of its estimated $10 million budget.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Rambo</span> Character in Rambo film franchise

John James Rambo is a fictional character in the Rambo franchise. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous as the protagonist of the film series, in which he was played by Sylvester Stallone. The portrayal of the character earned Stallone widespread acclaim and recognition. The character was nominated for American Film Institute's list 100 Years…100 Heroes and Villains. Following the success of the first movie, the term "Rambo" was occasionally used in media circles to describe a lone wolf who is reckless, disregards orders, uses violence to solve all problems, enters dangerous situations alone, and is exceptionally tough, callous, raw and aggressive.

<i>Rambo</i> (2008 film) 2008 film by Sylvester Stallone

Rambo is a 2008 American action film directed and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, based on the character John Rambo created by author David Morrell for his novel First Blood. A sequel to Rambo III (1988), it is the fourth installment in the Rambo franchise and co-stars Julie Benz, Paul Schulze, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Rey Gallegos, Tim Kang, Jake La Botz, Maung Maung Khin, and Ken Howard. The film is dedicated to the memory of Richard Crenna, who died in 2003. Crenna had played Colonel Sam Trautman in the previous films. In the film, Rambo leads a group of mercenaries into Burma to rescue Christian missionaries, who have been kidnapped by a local infantry unit.

<i>Quarantine 2: Terminal</i> 2011 American horror film sequel

Quarantine 2: Terminal is a 2011 American horror film and a sequel to the 2008 film, Quarantine. It was written and directed by John Pogue and produced by Marc Brienstock. The film stars Mercedes Mason, Josh Cooke and Mattie Liptak as passengers on an airplane where the mutant rabies virus from the previous film is now spreading, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing at a terminal that is promptly surrounded by the government, trapping the passengers and crew as they search for answers and a means of escape.

<i>Homefront</i> (2013 film) 2013 film by Gary Fleder

Homefront is a 2013 American action thriller film directed by Gary Fleder and written by Sylvester Stallone, who also produced the film with Kevin King Templeton and John Thompson. The film was released nationwide in theaters on November 27, 2013. The film is based on the 2005 novel Homefront by Chuck Logan. The film stars Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder, and Kate Bosworth. Filming began on October 1, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

<i>Rambo: Last Blood</i> 2019 American film by Adrian Grunberg

Rambo: Last Blood is a 2019 American action film directed by Adrian Grünberg. The screenplay was co-written by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone, from a story by Dan Gordon and Stallone, and is based on the character John Rambo created by author David Morrell for his novel First Blood. A sequel to Rambo (2008), it is the fifth installment in the Rambo franchise and stars Stallone as Rambo, alongside Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim aka Yenah Han, Joaquín Cosío, and Oscar Jaenada. In the film, Rambo travels to Mexico to save his adopted niece, who has been kidnapped by a Mexican cartel and forced into prostitution.

<i>Escape Plan 2: Hades</i> 2018 film by Steven C. Miller

Escape Plan 2: Hades is a 2018 American direct-to-video prison action thriller film directed by Steven C. Miller. It is the sequel to the 2013 film Escape Plan, and the second installment in the Escape Plan film series. It stars Sylvester Stallone and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson reprising their roles from the first film, with Dave Bautista, Huang Xiaoming, Jaime King, Jesse Metcalfe, Titus Welliver, and Wes Chatham joining the cast. Escape Plan 2: Hades was released straight-to-DVD in the United States but received theatrical releases in such countries as Russia on June 28, 2018, and in China on June 29, 2018. The film received negative reviews from critics; it grossed $17.6 million in some theaters and $4.2 million in domestic home market against a production budget of $20 million.

<i>Escape Plan: The Extractors</i> Film directed by John Herzfeld

Escape Plan: The Extractors is a 2019 American direct-to-video prison action thriller film directed and co-written by John Herzfeld, and a sequel to Escape Plan (2013) and Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018). It is the third and final installment in the Escape Plan film series. The film features Sylvester Stallone, 50 Cent, Dave Bautista and Jaime King reprising their roles from the previous films with Max Zhang, Harry Shum, Jr., Malese Jow and Devon Sawa joining the cast. The film was released straight-to-DVD in the United States on July 2, 2019, but received theatrical releases in such countries as Russia, Italy, Australia, Turkey, Egypt and Portugal.

<i>Samaritan</i> (film) Superhero film directed by Julius Avery

Samaritan is a 2022 American superhero film directed by Julius Avery and written by Bragi F. Schut. Described as a gritty and dark take on superhero movies, the story was previously adapted into the Mythos Comics graphic novels by Schut, Marc Olivent, and Renzo Podesta. It is a co-production of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Balboa Productions. The film stars Sylvester Stallone in the main role, Javon "Wanna" Walton, Pilou Asbæk, Dascha Polanco, and Moisés Arias. The story follows a kid who suspects that his neighbor is secretly a superhero who was believed to have died many years prior.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Daylight (1996)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Daylight (1996)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Rambo Meets Red Cross as 'Daylight' Breaks Loose". Los Angeles Times. December 6, 1996. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  4. ↑ Rooney, David (October 9, 1995). "'DAYLIGHT' DAWNS AT ITALY'S CINECITTA". Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Daylight". onthesetofnewyork.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Daylight (1996)". tcm.com. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Daylight (1996)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  8. ↑ Ebert, Roger (December 6, 1996). "Daylight". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  9. ↑ Nathan, Ian. "Daylight". Empire . Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Filmtracks: Daylight (Randy Edelman)". www.filmtracks.com.
  11. ↑ "Girl ♡ Life". Girl ♡ Life. October 6, 2020.
  12. ↑ "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com.
  13. ↑ Eller, Claudia (July 23, 2019). "Sylvester Stallone Feels Robbed of an Ownership Stake in 'Rocky': 'I Was Furious'".
  14. ↑ "Panerai Radiomir hidden history - 5 well kept facts". December 18, 2016.
  15. ↑ "PAM 225 SLYTECH: A watch fit for Rambo | WatchBox". www.thewatchbox.com. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Sylvester Stallone's Watch Auction Has Serious Hollywood Pedigree". Bloomberg News . November 13, 2020. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.