Product Description

A former fireman discovers a dangerous terrorist plot at a Stanley Cup playoff game, and must rescue his own children who are in the audience.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Release Date: 2-SEP-2003
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35033 in DVD
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Released on: 1997-12-10
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 110 minutes

From The New Yorker
Yet another crib from the "Die Hard" blueprint, this one set in a hockey arena during the Stanley Cup playoffs and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Powers Boothe is the heavy, who organizes his men to hold the visiting Vice-President for ransom, and Van Damme kicks lots of butt (none as magnificent as his) to save the day. The editing is rapid, and the action sequences deliver the goods. This project won't make Van Damme the superstar he wants to be, but it does make the notion at least entertainable-he comes off as a handsomer (and warmer) Stallone. Economically directed, with the appropriate gooffiness, by Peter Hyams. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

The best Van Damme movie so far
I've seen just about all of Van Damme's movies and I have to say that I think "Sudden Death" is the best one so far. It's not your typical Van Damme movie when you compare it to most of his others. Most of his movies are mainly just fights throughout most of the film, which is always awesome. But I think it's even better when a fighting movie such as "Sudden Death" has more of a plot to it.

Someone kidnaps his daughter and is holding her and the Vice President captive. The man holding them hostage wants a lot of money or he will blow up the whole hockey arena. Van Damme must find a way to get his daughter back while saving everybody else in the arena.

"Sudden Death" is what all the other Van Damme movies isn't. It has a major storyline to it, great special effects, and even a few funny parts such as when Van Damme has to be a real goalie in the game to keep the badmen from finding him. If you're a Van Damme fan or if you like great action movies, "Sudden Death" is definitely for you.

Let's play hockey!
I've never been a big fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme, and as of last night, had never watched a film of his before. Although I did feel like watching Street Fighter a few years back, but I was really into Kylie Minogue at the time. And I was young. That's an excuse right?

I was ended up pleasantly surprised by his acting - for some reason, I'd got it into my head that he's not that good an actor. OK, he was alright, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go rushing out to buy all his films.

There's nothing new about this film, but it'll grab your attention the whole time it's on the screen. It's a clone of many other movies, and and it itself, has probably been cloned over the years. What's terrific is the build up to the finale. It's one of those movies, where just when you think surely it's finished now, it brings out another twist, or another explosion, and you're swept along.

There's a few silly moments included in the film - Van Damme fighting a woman in a penguin suit for example, it's so funny to see and must have been embarrassing to film! :) But it ended up with the woman in the penguin suit someone that could be easily killed off and no one worries about her.

Three quarters of the way through the movie Van Damme decides to take a quick break from all the hard work - and play some hockey! At first I totally did not realise it was Van Damme, for some reason, I thought it was one of the bad guys. It wasn't until the over done "I love you" moment, that I realised who it was.

Unfortunately, Van Damme is far overshadowed by bigger, better action heroes, despite his best attempts at an impression of Bruce Willis throughout. Arnie & Sly obviously have the bigger muscles, and dare I say it, Mr Seagull has the overall size. Who would win in a punch up?

What I was most looking forward to about this was seeing little Ross Malinger again, who I best knew from Sleepless In Seattle. He doesn't play a different character, or look any older (who else wanted him to stand up & shout out "I preferred my daddy in Sleepless In Seattle!")

Overall, it's a pretty good action movie, doesn't test the braincells too much, and is pretty good fun.

[4.5] a creative and exciting, highly underrated van damme film
I am not sure why I hear a lot of bad comments about this Van Damme film. Sudden Death is one of many "Die Hard" remakes, but this is the most exciting one I have seen, all taking place in the Pittsburgh hockey arena during game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. The action and suspense are teriffic, and Van Damme does a fine all-around performance (for Van Damme). The movie is quickly paced and something is always happening. Though acting and visual effects may be poor at times, this is not a film to be watching for a wonderful hollywood drama. This is pure Van Damme excitment for some no-brain kick-butt action. I give 4.5 stars, not because this is one of the best movies ever made, but it is one of the most exciting Van Damme movies that is must see fun.

Van Damme is "Darren", a sort-of fire rescue man who brings his daughter and son to the hockey game. Before the game begins, preparations are already unfolding for a new terror plot. The Vice President is on his way to the game to view the action live, and the terrorists are ready to take action once he takes his position in the owner's vip room. Naturally, the man in charge (Joshua Foss, played by Powers Boothe) wants money, and if he doesn't get it, he kills one hostage in the room after each period of the game expires. If the money is not in his account, the entire arena is rigged to blow at the conclusion of the game.

Enter Van Damme, who plays hero, but does an exciting job of it. He gets in plenty of fights throughout the interior of the arena and on the rooftop as well. My favorite is with one of the terrorist women, who is disguised in the Penguin's mascot outfit. Its kinda silly that he is fighting a mascot, but the kitchen they fight in gets torn up real good. There is also a pretty good fight in the weight room later on.

One of the most exciting things about the film is that it is all taking place during a hockey game. The game itself is fun to watch, as we get dozens of clips throughout the movie. At one point, in an attempt to avoid some of the terrorists, Van Damme enters the game as the Penguin's goalee, though no one realizes it. He is forced to play a few minutes of the game, and it was pretty fun to see.

Again, 4.5 for a great Van Damme film. Do check this one out, as it is a roller coaster that never stops. Though the ending is predicatble, its fun to see how we get there.