Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 24, 1994 TAG: 9411050032
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Charlie Sheen also starred in a similar film last year, "The Chase." In that one - with him in a BMW being pursued by police cars and news helicopters - he generally moved from the right side of the screen to the left, and then from left to right. In this one, he's a skydiver, so he mostly goes from the top of the screen to the bottom. It's not an improvement.
In terms of plot, writer David Twohy's script is certainly the most preposterous to come along in years. It begins with Ditch Brodie (Sheen) agreeing to teach novice Chris Morrow (Nastassja Kinski) to parachute. Up they go in the plane; her 'chute doesn't open - SPLAT!
Since her name appears above the title along with his, we know that she isn't dead. The rest of the slowly paced story involves Russian bad guys, a teeny-tiny CD, a rocket sled, more parachute jumps (including one with a car), and a three-legged puppy. (I am not making up the part about the puppy.)
The initial premise is so outlandish that viewers will never have any real emotional involvement with the story. The various stunts - each more farfetched than the last - create even more distance between the audience and the action on the screen. Perhaps a director more experienced in the action genre than Deran Serafian might have handled it better. But given the material, that's unlikely.
The energetic thrills of the summer's hit "Speed" are still fresh. By comparison, "Terminal Velocity" is almost a spoof, along the lines of "Hot Shots!" It does have a few intentional laughs, but they're hardly enough to recommend the film.
"Terminal Velocity"
*1/2
A Hollywood Pictures release playing at the Tanglewood Mall. 90 min. Rated PG-13 for violence, strong language.
by CNB