Passenger 57 (1992)

Passenger 57, directed by Kevin Hooks, is an enjoyable action flick starring Wesley Snipes. Snipes plays John Cutter, a security expert still reeling from the loss of his wife in a botched store hold up. His friend Sly Delvecchio (Tom Sizemore) has been getting him work training air stewards in hostage situations. This leads to Cutter being offered a new high profile job in LA. He takes it and gets on a plane.

Now if it was that simple the film would be even shorter than its current 84 minute running time. Also on the plane is terrorist Charles Rane, played by Brit Bruce Payne. We first meet Rane (aka ‘The Rane of terror’) in the plastic surgeons chair, about to change his face. The feds get wind of his appointment and take up position outside. “Be very careful this is Charles Rane we’re dealing with!” they say as they try to take him down. He actually out runs them, until he accidently gets run over, and in the commotion gets bombarded with water bottles. Oh how he snarls.

Now let’s talk about Rane. He doesn’t like to talk about his childhood, and he likes his sirloin bloody. Now, I don’t want to upset him but I think he is insane, despite him making his second victim of the film tell us otherwise. “Charles Rane is not insane” his lawyer recites repeatedly as Rane smashes his head into a desk.

Now on Cutter’s plane, Rane has got his people to replace the airline staff to help him escape. It must be great working for Rane, what with all the training opportunities you get, double air steward training on a Wednesday, and advanced speechless henchman class on a Friday. His crew, including Elizabeth Hurley (oh how you cheer when Snipes decks her), free Rane, but despite all their training, they don’t count on passenger 57.

Cutter and Rane face off in the aisle, and Cutter manages to escape to the back of the plane. Like most people, Cutter thinks of something really cool he should have said at the time, so rings Rane on the plane phone. “Do you play roulette? Always bet on black!”. Now I followed this advice and lost loads of cash in the casino. Remember boys and girls, don’t copy things people say in films even if it is by dapper Wesley Snipes in black roll neck under baggy blue shirt combo.

Plot wise that’s about it, you could guess the rest. The film works well enough but as it was released two years after Die Hard 2, it does feel like a cash in. It seems that Hollywood kept forgetting about this plot pre 9/11, we see it again in 1996’s Executive Decision, and 1997’s Air Force One. Both films also have English actors playing the main bad guy.

Acting wise Snipes is likeable enough. At this stage in his career he had already turned in some fine performances and was hitting the big time. White Men Can’t Jump also came out the same year and proved he can play the good guy just as well as the bad guy (see 1991’s New Jack City). Tom Sizemore is fine on best friend duty, again like Snipes coming into his own. The main acting prize goes to Bruce Payne who is clearly having fun as ‘insane in the membrane’ Rane. Just don’t mention his childhood.

Buy Passenger 57 [1992] on DVD