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Early-90s Action Ambition
- Cliffhanger captures the early-90s action push to 'try harder' after Terminator 2 and raise stunt ambition and spectacle.
- The film balances compact pacing with dated effects, making it both thrilling then and charmingly flawed now.
The Iconic Opening Fall
- The hosts replayed the movie's famous opening: a terrifying mountain rescue that ends with a woman falling to her death.
- Kyle Brandt and Bill Simmons describe audience shock and lasting memory from that opener.
Stallone Tropes Recycled
- Cliffhanger recycles Stallone archetypes—guilt, redemption, and the supportive female reminiscent of Rocky's Adrian.
- That familiarity makes Stallone feel comfortable but also frames the film as Stallone-karaoke rather than purely original.