Danger Zone (1996) User Reviews (10)

Put on your drinkin' hat for this one!

[tarbosh22000 · 5/10 · 8 September 2010]

"Action at Point Blank Range."

"Captain" Rick Morgan (Zane) works as a mine operator in East Zambezi, Africa (where they shot Damned River (1989)?) where he sings with his African buddies and minds his own business. When his old pal Jim Scott (Downey Jr.) shows up at the mine with a truckful of toxic waste barrels, havoc ensues. Due to a mix-up, everyone blames Morgan for deaths due to the toxic sludge. A year later, Maurice Dupont (Silver) approaches Morgan, who is now a disheveled drunk. He recruits Morgan and Dr. Kim Woods (Lisa Collins) to investigate the truth of the matter. Even though Morgan enlists the help of his friends Nando (Russel Savadier) and Madumo (Patrick Shai) things get complicated because the ruthless and evil Chang (Tagawa) shows up everywhere they are and shoots up the place. Will Morgan clear his name? Will he survive the country where the rebels are fighting the government? What really happened to Scott? How did Robert Downey Jr. spend his $500,000 for his two weeks on the set?

Danger Zone is more of an ADVENTURE film than an action film. You wonder how Morgan will get out of all these cliffhanger-like scrapes. Just imagine a direct-to-video cross between Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981) and Broken Arrow (1996).

Nu Image produced the film, and Live entertainment released it, and it has some names, so they hoped it would be classier than the normal DTV project, which it is. It has some blow-ups, rocket launchers and fight scenes, as well as some silly humor. It's all very palatable.

Billy Zane is funny as the man with the "alcoholic hat". It's a tan cap he wears to let the world know he is a raving drunk. There is even a scene where he retrieves the hat a la the aforementioned Indiana Jones. It's weird seeing a top name like Robert Downey Jr. in this type of product. He admits he did it for the money, but he probably had fun, if he remembers doing it. It was definitely a career low for him. His performance is more Jay Roberts Jr. than Robert Downey Jr. He has a ridiculous southern accent and every line he says ends with a drawling "Maaaan!" The nadir is reached with the line "This sucks, man!" We love Downey Jr. so it was unusual to see him like this.

Ron Silver puts in a quiet performance which could be construed as having no energy. Shot on location in South Africa, Danger Zone is a cut above the normal DTV actioner in terms of quality, and might be a good intro to people who are not familiar with the crazy world of direct-to-video films.

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Got Thirsty During this Film

[whpratt1 · 4/10 · 15 January 2006]

Decided to view this film and had no idea if I was going to enjoy watching this story from beginning to end. The photography is fantastic and Robert Downey,Jr., (Jim Scott), "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang",'05, did an outstanding supporting role and was a so called friend of Billy Zane, (Rick Morgan), "The Last Drop",'05 but had a bad habit of getting him in all kinds of unpredictable situations. Billy Zane is a very hard drinking character who lives and breaths JACK DANIELS beverage for breakfast, noon and supper and also in between. Billy meets up with Lisa Collins, (Dr. Kim Woods),"Fix",'97, who starts out her relationship with Billy as only a professional doctor who looks for chemical energy readings. There is a scene where Kim Woods takes off her jeans because of an injury and poor Billy has to come to her aid. There is also another scene where Kim Woods is being attacked by a real evil guy and poor Billy again finds her in her bra, waiting for his assistance. This is rather comical at times and the acting is rather hot and cold, some action. and so much drinking, you begin to get Thirsty !

It could have been worse

[stuartb-43428 · 4/10 · 17 June 2016]

This movie could have been worse.

I have to admit that I wasn't paying very much attention but I went in assuming that this would be a totally terrible movie and was mildly surprised to find that this was in fact a movie that had a bit of thought put into it and had something of a budget.

The plot (whatever it was) was pretty crap, it didn't hold my interest at all but I can say for sure that it had something to do with toxic waste.

For the most part it does seem to have been shot in Africa and the setting does add a little extra flavour to the otherwise mostly dull affair. Which makes up for the nigh on non-existent characters of the 'characters'.

The best thing that I can say is that for a few brief moments when there were action scenes happening I managed to have a little fun. There were some pretty neat explosions! Not enough to make this worth watching however, a truly mediocre movie through and through.

peeeyewwww!!!!

[rlowe30 · 1/10 · 10 February 2002]

You know those movies that seem like they're an excuse to keep Hollywood pyrotechies working 24/7? This is one. Robert Downey Jr. is scraping the barrel bottoms after his work in "Chaplin". Billy Zane seems to have one expression: disdain/disgust. You want cliche's? This movie is one BIG cliche'.

My fantasies have been fulfilled

[deftdelivery · 3/10 · 9 August 2006]

*SPOILERS*

Going into this movie, I expected nothing more than your typical, tried and true Hollywood thriller in the made for TV format. But after drinking 8 or 9 beers and paying mostly attention to a game of poker, I can safely say that this movie blew my expectations away. The battle scenes between Mr. Billy Zane and the Mr. Asian guy, I've suddenly gained a desire to meet both Mr. Zane and the Korean and have them teach me the ways of the samurai. The script in this made for TV movie was breathtaking; by taking the time to ensure that Billy Zane kept his hat on after diving out of a flaming train at the end of the film, Danger Zone maintained the trust and believability the average negro film maker would come to appreciate.

On a side note, the sexual undertones between Billy Zane and Robert Downey Jr. kept the energy up throughout the course of the piece. By just watching their eyes, and the way they closely looked up and down their manly chests, the viewer felt either sudden impulses to find a male specimen and make sudden, passionate love to him, or find an equally appealing man to masturbate to. I chose Paul Walker.

If you could just give this film a chance, you will find that most other films in this genre (beastiality porn) fall entirely short of your expectations. I am shocked that this didn't win an academy award for best adult to horse interaction film featuring a negro back in 1997. It was fascinating enough that they even allowed the colored man to act in this film. I am still amazed by the poor decisions of these so-called expert movie reviewers.

I give it 15/10. Kisses.

Billy Zane action flick

[vinu_ks133 · 6/10 · 17 June 2017]

The movie from avi lerner is nice in production values, cast, setting and action sequences, the final jump from bridge on river by billy zane when the train wagon is about to explode was well executed.

A nice b movie action flick keeps u entertained till end.

I hope to see these rare to obtain dvds in future.

Good B-action film is worth catching on cable

[dbborroughs · 6/10 · 14 April 2009]

Robert Downey Jr arrives at Billy Zane?s camp in Africa wanting to dump some toxic waste. Zane refuses, more so when the army arrives and begins to shoot up the place, killing Downey in the process. Zane escapes, fleeing to New York where he is talked into returning by Ron Silver who tells him there is more afoot then meets the eye. B level action adventure results. Pay check movie for the cast (some of which looks drunk or stoned) is an okay time killer for the rest of us. Entertaining and worth a bucket of popcorn when you?re in an undemanding mood, this is the sort of B movie that would have played in grindhouses a couple of decades ago. Zane is good as the hero, even if he looks a bit bored. Downey?s role, though figured prominently in the cover art is rather small, which only goes to show that even in a down phase, once you?re a name you still can attract people. I liked it, but I wish I had seen it on cable on a rainy afternoon instead of watching it VCD late on a Sunday night where the break in the film made me have to choose to continue (I did switch discs). Worth a look if you stumble on it and want undemanding action.

"I liked it better when we used to hug"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 6/10 · 14 May 2022]

A mining engineer Rick Morgan in the fictional African country of East Zambesi gets involved with machinations concerning radioactive waste. This is an enjoyable film with the likeable Billy Zane in good form as Morgan, quipping dialogue nicely and convincingly performing the action heroics. He is well supported by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as the villainous (what else!) Chang, Ron Silver as the quietly corrupt official Monsieur Dupont and Robert Downey Jr as the hyperactive Jim Scott. The scenes between Mr. Zane and Mr. Downey Jnr were the best thing in the movie. It was filmed in lovely South African locations and enhanced by a pulsating music score from Danny Pelfrey. The last scene on the train was most exciting. An under rated movie perhaps.

Billy Zane = Action Hero

[sainsburyj · 21 July 2004]

Billy Zane delivers a thrilling, entertaining and well watchable action movie. If this film had a bigger budget and wasn't a TV movie it would be up in the biggest earners of all time. Even though it is a TV movie it is quality to the last frame. It has a believable plot, lead actor (Zane) and supporting actors especially Robert Downey Jr. Without giving too much away, during the film there are some killer punch-ups. The best grapple is on top of a train going along a mountain with there being no doubt that Billy Zane isn't involved - Vic Armstrong eat your heart out! Watch this if you want to see some well choreographed fight scenes and realistic shoot outs. Billy Zane needs to do more action films with all of the aforementioned selling points to keep his Action Hero title