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If you truly savor a bad movie once in a while, "Cutaway" will be a tasty treat that will have you coming back for seconds. It's got everything - a sullen Dennis Rodman who has about three lines (yet gets third billing), fat, old, and drunk-looking Academy Award nominee Tom Beringer spouting insane dialogue (sad, really), Steven Baldwin giving the blandest performance ever committed to film, Casper Van Dien overacting and making menacing facial expressions, Ron Silver being Ron Silver, an awful token love interest chick, and lots and lots of annoying supporting characters. And that's just the cast! The story, involving skydiving and drug smuggling and a "cop who gets in too deep", is not only horribly written but a rip-off of the plots of "Drop Zone" and "Point Break"! The movie was made by the Manos brothers, who apparently have a lot of experience filming skydiving. And they do it well. But pretty skydiving scenes can't make up for the overall poor quality of this movie. It might make you laugh, it might make you cry. But you must see Cutaway, if only to see just how bad it can get.

I really enjoyed this one. Some top notch actors kept the plot moving well. The idea of drug smuggling by sky diving is exciting and quite plausible. I'd be amazed if I learned it had never been done in real life.

Seeing Rodman act was a kick. You could tell he was enjoying himself. Ron Silver and Tom Berenger proved their veteran status. Steven Baldwin and Maxine Bonds (sp) play a pretty hot couple (although she's so hot she'd look sexy with any lead). The sky diving was thrilling. I heard that Berenger and Baldwin actually got certified in sky diving for the picture and did some of their own stunts. Looking forward to buying this one when it comes out on video.

Manos walks an interesting line between hype and facts all through the commentary. He stresses that Stephen Baldwin (Agent Vic Cooper) and Tom Berenger (Red Line) did their own stunts and without actually saying "all their own stunts", certainly implies it. Clearly that's not the case. He also implies that Dennis Rodman (Turbo) does his own stunts as well, but from what I understand from other sources, Rodman never even got near a plane in flight.

Manos does admit that he did -some- of the stunts for Red Line when Berenger was "unavailable." Manos' wife, Pam, does the skydiving for Maxine Bahns (Star), the female lead. Manos never fesses up as to who does the more advanced skydiving scenes (head down, swoop pond, ect.) for Baldwin. With the exception of Casper Van Dien (Delmira), those really are the Golden Knights and that's the wind tunnel at Fort Bragg, SC.

There are a couple of interesting factoids sprinkled throughout the commentary such as how so and so shot was done, how some of the action sequences were performed and that Marcos A. Ferraez (Ground Rush) was actually a skydiving buddy of Baldwin's before production was even given the green light. However, the really interesting stuff to me was how the script was developed and how some of the scenes and events were based upon Manos' true life experiences. I got the feeling that maybe at some point Manos actually had considered the tandem drug running scheme and he does mention that it had been done a couple of times maybe ten or so years ago to actually help finance a Nationals team.

I'm not sure where fact and hype merge here.

Manos does explain things about keeping the story, costumes and sport simple enough for the audience to understand yet "real", but he never explains his choice of the "8-way speed star" event. I'm thinking just 2 more people would have made that a lot more "real", but there was probably a budget consideration (23 shooting days x 2 people, costumes, hotel rooms, catering, pack jobs, ect.).

To my surprise, there are ALSO comments on yet another audio track from Baldwin and Bahns. I haven't yet fully listened to those, but it's clear from the sample I did listen to that they must have been having a -really- good time, maybe even a little tipsy (maybe a LOT tipsy), when they recorded them. I'll have to fully listen to those in the near future.

Paul

Customs agent played by Stephen Baldwin is sent by his chief Ron Silver to a dangerous mission . He must infiltrate undercover into a band of drug dealers who deliver the dope via skydiving to sell to international narcotics mobsters . Tom Berenger is the leader of the skydiving subculture , he's a thrill-seeker , fun-loving with destructive ways . Baldwin is sucked into the cool mysticism of the sport's guru and he learns the skydiving gives him a biggest adrenaline rush than his employment as agent . Furthermore , he falls in love with a gorgeous skydiving coacher , well played by Maxime Bhans .

This solid though predictable thriller contains dazzling airborne stunts which keeps you tied on the edge of your seat . William Baldwin and Tom Berenger help raise potential actioner tale to a higher plane . If you can suspend you disbelief , this crime-adventure is just enjoyable and keep you entertained . Mind-numbing and incredible storyline written by the Manos brothers , Guy and Greg , redeemed by breathtaking skydiving scenes . Spectacular as well as colorful cinematography by Gerry Lively , a man of many talents , as he's cameraman , director and actor . The film belongs to 'Skydiving sub-genre' , whose initial outing was ¨The Gypsy Moths¨(1969) by John Frankenheimer , followed by ¨Drop zone (John Badham) , ¨Terminal velocity¨ (Deran Sarafian)¨ and its masterpiece ¨Point break¨ (Kathryn Bigelow)¨ . The motion picture was professionally directed by Guy Manos with assured and fast moving direction , he's usually in charge of aerial stunts . Action lovers will enjoy this ode to the skydiving sport, in spite of story deficiencies . Rating : Acceptable and passable , well worth seeing .

"Cutaway" is one of the goofiest films ever. Baldwin plays an FBI agent named Vic who goes undercover and meets "Red Line" (Berenger) who is a skydiver. 'Line uses his skydiving skills with the help of "Turbo" (Rodman) to smuggle drugs.

For a DTV film, this has a pretty big B-list cast. It also includes over-the-top performances by Ron Silver and Casper Van Dien. Silver shouts all of his lines, for example: "I'M YOUR PARTNER! THEY WERE SHOOTING AT ME!" Van Dien is just kinda there. Baldwin is very wooden as usual. He has one expression on his face: boredom. Berenger does a good job, but Rodman tries too hard.

What's good about this film are the skydiving stunts. They look great. The rumor is that the cast did all of their own stunts. The best thing in the movie is a line by Vic's character when he gets "In Too Deep"... (whispering): "I'm Cutting Away". I guess that means you're getting away from life's problems. There's no need to get serious. Speaking of serious, the ending is a perfect example of melodrama.

But overall, "Cutaway" is a fun movie if you're a fan of Stephen Baldwin, or Tom Berenger.

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