Passenger 57
Encyclopedia
Passenger 57 is a 1992 American action film
starring Wesley Snipes
and Bruce Payne
. The film's success made Snipes a popular action hero icon.
Charles Rane, known as 'The Rane of Terror' (Bruce Payne
) is about to undergo plastic surgery
to change his appearance in order to evade authorities. Outside, federal agents and SWAT
teams close in to arrest him. It becomes apparent that the plastic surgeon and his staff are in on the plan. Rane becomes suspicious and makes his escape, killing the surgeon in the process. After a harrowing chase through the city streets, Rane is finally apprehended.
Haunted by the shooting death of his wife in a robbery, former police officer John Cutter (Wesley Snipes
) has taken a job training flight attendant
s and security personnel in how to deal with dangerous situations including hijackings. During this particular session, his student is Marti Slayton (Alex Datcher
), a flight attendant. When Marti disobeys his instructions, the pair have a brief confrontation.
After class, Cutter sees an old friend, Sly Delvecchio (Tom Sizemore
), who is there with a job offer: vice-president for the anti-terrorism unit at Atlantic International Airlines, a major carrier. Cutter is at first reluctant, but Delvecchio and the airline's president (Bruce Greenwood
) manage to win him over during lunch.
Cutter boards Atlantic International Flight 163 to Los Angeles... and his new job. By coincidence, one of the flight attendants on this flight happens to be Marti. Also on board is Rane, in FBI
custody, headed to Los Angeles
to stand trial for his terrorist activities in the past, most notably airliner bombings and a few hijackings. Several of Rane's people are aboard the plane, disguised as cabin crew and passengers. When Marti performs a head count after boarding is complete, Cutter happens to be passenger number 57.
Mid-flight, Rane is freed when Sabrina Ritchie (Elizabeth Hurley
), disguised as a flight attendant, shoots both FBI officers dead. Several other henchmen concurrently spring into action, stealing weapons from the dead officers, taking the passengers hostage and seize control of the plane. Cutter, in the lavatory during the takeover, emerges and manages to get word about the hijacking using the plane's public phone and overpowers one of Rane's men. However, Rane responds by executing one of the passengers with a Berreta M9 pistol, making Cutter feel responsible for the man's death. During the confrontation, Cutter and Marti manage to escape, taking the elevator to the plane's lower deck. After a brief fight with one of Rane's men, Vincent (Marc Macaulay
) down there, Cutter initiates a fuel dump which forces the Tri Star Lockheed L-1011
to land at a small Louisiana
airfield.
Cutter manages to escape from the plane, but Marti is captured by another of Rane's men, Forget (Michael Horse
). On the tarmac
, Cutter is quickly apprehended by local sheriff
's deputies.
Meanwhile, Rane has made contact with the local sheriff, Chief Biggs (Ernie Lively
). Rane promises to release half the hostages in return for fuel and takeoff clearance. Rane also tells Biggs that Cutter is one of his men, a deserter. When the deputies bring Cutter before Chief Biggs, Biggs orders him taken into custody.
As the passengers are being released, Rane and two of his men make their escape. Cutter overpowers the sheriff's deputies, frees himself from his handcuffs
, and gives chase on a police motorcycle. Meanwhile, a team of FBI agents arrive, headed by Dwight Henderson (Robert Hooks
, the father of director Kevin Hooks), who angrily informs Chief Biggs of Cutter's true identity.
At a nearby fair
, Cutter manages to kill one of the henchmen and engages Rane in a fight just as police reinforcements arrive. Though back in custody, Rane tells the FBI and police that his remaining team aboard the plane will begin to execute the rest of the hostages if he is not returned to the plane and granted takeoff clearance.
Cutter, Henderson, and Chief Biggs work out a plan for FBI sniper
s to take down Rane as he boards the plane, upon which FBI teams will storm the plane and deal with his remaining underlings on board. As Rane boards the plane with an FBI escort, Cutter gives the order to fire. However, the sniper bullets hit Rane's FBI escort, not Rane. Vincent has taken the place of the FBI snipers (who are shown lying unconscious or dead behind him), and he begins firing at the assembled police and agents. He is killed during the gunfight, but not before Rane makes it safely aboard and the plane begins to take off.
With the help of Chief Biggs, Cutter barely manages to get aboard the moving plane via its landing gear
. Once aboard, he quickly dispatches Forget and Ritchie, then engages Rane in a prolonged fistfight. Gunfire in the cabin causes explosive cabin decompression, resulting in the main cabin door exploding outward, leaving the cabin open to the sky. As Cutter and Rane continue to fight, they head closer to the open cabin door. Cutter eventually kicks Rane out through the open door, and Rane plunges to his death.
The plane lands safely at the Louisiana airfield for the second time that day. Amid congratulations and celebration, Marti and Cutter make their quiet escape into the distance hand in hand.
Passenger 57s final domestic grossing was $44,065,653. Passenger 57 is one of the films that launched Snipes' career in the action genre. The film resembles the plot of the Die Hard trilogy, and it brought Snipes to action hero status. Because of this film's success, Snipes was cast in the lead roles of films including Money Train
, Drop Zone
, Demolition Man
, The Art of War
and the Blade film series.
magazine, stated that Bruce Payne
was "a brilliantly disconcerting madman. With his flowing blond Jesus locks, armour-piercing stare and casual sadism, he makes Hannibal Lecter
look like a social worker – and like Sir Anthony Hopkins' serial killer, part of the man's menace is in the apparent contradiction between his articulate, well-spoken English and his off-hand brutality." The Radio Times
stated that Payne and Snipes both gave 'charismatic turns' in the film. The New York Times
stated that Payne brought a 'tongue-in-cheek humor to the psychopathic fiend' that he played. A reviewer for People
Magazine stated that 'Bruce Payne
steals the plane—and the movie'.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
starring Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
and Bruce Payne
Bruce Payne
Bruce Martyn Payne is an award winning English character actor and producer and was a member of the 1980's Brit Pack. Although he is best known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum...
. The film's success made Snipes a popular action hero icon.
Plot
International terroristTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
Charles Rane, known as 'The Rane of Terror' (Bruce Payne
Bruce Payne
Bruce Martyn Payne is an award winning English character actor and producer and was a member of the 1980's Brit Pack. Although he is best known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum...
) is about to undergo plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
to change his appearance in order to evade authorities. Outside, federal agents and SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
teams close in to arrest him. It becomes apparent that the plastic surgeon and his staff are in on the plan. Rane becomes suspicious and makes his escape, killing the surgeon in the process. After a harrowing chase through the city streets, Rane is finally apprehended.
Haunted by the shooting death of his wife in a robbery, former police officer John Cutter (Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
) has taken a job training flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
s and security personnel in how to deal with dangerous situations including hijackings. During this particular session, his student is Marti Slayton (Alex Datcher
Alex Datcher
Cynthia Alex Datcher sometimes credited as Alex Datcher, is an American actress. She has made many guest appearances on sitcoms and TV dramas; she also has numerous supporting roles in many movies. She has been acting since 1990....
), a flight attendant. When Marti disobeys his instructions, the pair have a brief confrontation.
After class, Cutter sees an old friend, Sly Delvecchio (Tom Sizemore
Tom Sizemore
Thomas Edward "Tom" Sizemore, Jr. is an American film and television actor and producer. He is known for his roles in films such as Saving Private Ryan, Strange Days, Pearl Harbor, Heat and Black Hawk Down....
), who is there with a job offer: vice-president for the anti-terrorism unit at Atlantic International Airlines, a major carrier. Cutter is at first reluctant, but Delvecchio and the airline's president (Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
) manage to win him over during lunch.
Cutter boards Atlantic International Flight 163 to Los Angeles... and his new job. By coincidence, one of the flight attendants on this flight happens to be Marti. Also on board is Rane, in FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
custody, headed to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to stand trial for his terrorist activities in the past, most notably airliner bombings and a few hijackings. Several of Rane's people are aboard the plane, disguised as cabin crew and passengers. When Marti performs a head count after boarding is complete, Cutter happens to be passenger number 57.
Mid-flight, Rane is freed when Sabrina Ritchie (Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Jane Hurley is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los...
), disguised as a flight attendant, shoots both FBI officers dead. Several other henchmen concurrently spring into action, stealing weapons from the dead officers, taking the passengers hostage and seize control of the plane. Cutter, in the lavatory during the takeover, emerges and manages to get word about the hijacking using the plane's public phone and overpowers one of Rane's men. However, Rane responds by executing one of the passengers with a Berreta M9 pistol, making Cutter feel responsible for the man's death. During the confrontation, Cutter and Marti manage to escape, taking the elevator to the plane's lower deck. After a brief fight with one of Rane's men, Vincent (Marc Macaulay
Marc Macaulay
Marc Macaulay is an American actor.He was born and raised in Millinocket, Maine. He graduated with a BFA in theater. He recently appeared in the new USA Network Series Burn Notice for five episodes as Agent Harris, and as "Blaine Bauer" in the horror film Thirteen Floors.Some of his most prominent...
) down there, Cutter initiates a fuel dump which forces the Tri Star Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
to land at a small Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
airfield.
Cutter manages to escape from the plane, but Marti is captured by another of Rane's men, Forget (Michael Horse
Michael Horse
Michael Heinrich Horse is an American actor, jeweler, and ledger painter.-Early life:Michael Horse was born in a Yaqui Native American reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Latino descent...
). On the tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
, Cutter is quickly apprehended by local sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's deputies.
Meanwhile, Rane has made contact with the local sheriff, Chief Biggs (Ernie Lively
Ernie Lively
Ernie Lively is an American actor.Lively was born Ernest W. Brown in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1979, he married talent manager Elaine Lively and took her name. They are the parents of actors Blake Lively and Eric Lively, and he is stepfather of her children from her previous marriage Lori Lively,...
). Rane promises to release half the hostages in return for fuel and takeoff clearance. Rane also tells Biggs that Cutter is one of his men, a deserter. When the deputies bring Cutter before Chief Biggs, Biggs orders him taken into custody.
As the passengers are being released, Rane and two of his men make their escape. Cutter overpowers the sheriff's deputies, frees himself from his handcuffs
Handcuffs
Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists close together. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each half has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist...
, and gives chase on a police motorcycle. Meanwhile, a team of FBI agents arrive, headed by Dwight Henderson (Robert Hooks
Robert Hooks
Robert Hooks is an American actor of films, television and stage. With a career as a producer and political activist to his credit, he is most recognizable to the public for his over 100 roles in films and television, as well as his political and civil rights activities...
, the father of director Kevin Hooks), who angrily informs Chief Biggs of Cutter's true identity.
At a nearby fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
, Cutter manages to kill one of the henchmen and engages Rane in a fight just as police reinforcements arrive. Though back in custody, Rane tells the FBI and police that his remaining team aboard the plane will begin to execute the rest of the hostages if he is not returned to the plane and granted takeoff clearance.
Cutter, Henderson, and Chief Biggs work out a plan for FBI sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
s to take down Rane as he boards the plane, upon which FBI teams will storm the plane and deal with his remaining underlings on board. As Rane boards the plane with an FBI escort, Cutter gives the order to fire. However, the sniper bullets hit Rane's FBI escort, not Rane. Vincent has taken the place of the FBI snipers (who are shown lying unconscious or dead behind him), and he begins firing at the assembled police and agents. He is killed during the gunfight, but not before Rane makes it safely aboard and the plane begins to take off.
With the help of Chief Biggs, Cutter barely manages to get aboard the moving plane via its landing gear
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
. Once aboard, he quickly dispatches Forget and Ritchie, then engages Rane in a prolonged fistfight. Gunfire in the cabin causes explosive cabin decompression, resulting in the main cabin door exploding outward, leaving the cabin open to the sky. As Cutter and Rane continue to fight, they head closer to the open cabin door. Cutter eventually kicks Rane out through the open door, and Rane plunges to his death.
The plane lands safely at the Louisiana airfield for the second time that day. Amid congratulations and celebration, Marti and Cutter make their quiet escape into the distance hand in hand.
Cast
- Wesley SnipesWesley SnipesWesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
as John Cutter - Bruce PayneBruce PayneBruce Martyn Payne is an award winning English character actor and producer and was a member of the 1980's Brit Pack. Although he is best known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum...
as Charles Rane - Tom SizemoreTom SizemoreThomas Edward "Tom" Sizemore, Jr. is an American film and television actor and producer. He is known for his roles in films such as Saving Private Ryan, Strange Days, Pearl Harbor, Heat and Black Hawk Down....
as Sly Delvecchio - Alex DatcherAlex DatcherCynthia Alex Datcher sometimes credited as Alex Datcher, is an American actress. She has made many guest appearances on sitcoms and TV dramas; she also has numerous supporting roles in many movies. She has been acting since 1990....
as Marti Slayton - Bruce GreenwoodBruce GreenwoodBruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
as Stuart Ramsey - Robert HooksRobert HooksRobert Hooks is an American actor of films, television and stage. With a career as a producer and political activist to his credit, he is most recognizable to the public for his over 100 roles in films and television, as well as his political and civil rights activities...
as Dwight Henderson - Elizabeth HurleyElizabeth HurleyElizabeth Jane Hurley is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los...
as Sabrina Ritchie - Michael HorseMichael HorseMichael Heinrich Horse is an American actor, jeweler, and ledger painter.-Early life:Michael Horse was born in a Yaqui Native American reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Latino descent...
as Forget - Marc MacaulayMarc MacaulayMarc Macaulay is an American actor.He was born and raised in Millinocket, Maine. He graduated with a BFA in theater. He recently appeared in the new USA Network Series Burn Notice for five episodes as Agent Harris, and as "Blaine Bauer" in the horror film Thirteen Floors.Some of his most prominent...
as Vincent - Ernie LivelyErnie LivelyErnie Lively is an American actor.Lively was born Ernest W. Brown in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1979, he married talent manager Elaine Lively and took her name. They are the parents of actors Blake Lively and Eric Lively, and he is stepfather of her children from her previous marriage Lori Lively,...
as Chief Biggs - Duchess Tomasello as Mrs. Edwards
- William Edward Roberts as Matthew
- James Short as Allen
- Joel Fogel as Dr. Bauman
- Jane McPherson as Nurse
Box office
The film was released on November 6, 1992 and opened at #1 rank in 1,734 theaters. The opening weekend grossing was $10,513,925.Passenger 57s final domestic grossing was $44,065,653. Passenger 57 is one of the films that launched Snipes' career in the action genre. The film resembles the plot of the Die Hard trilogy, and it brought Snipes to action hero status. Because of this film's success, Snipes was cast in the lead roles of films including Money Train
Money Train
Money Train is a 1995 American comedy thriller film starring Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson and Jennifer Lopez as New York City transit cops...
, Drop Zone
Drop Zone (film)
Drop Zone is a 1994 action movie directed by John Badham. It stars Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey and Yancy Butler.-Plot:Aboard a commercial airliner, U.S...
, Demolition Man
Demolition Man (film)
Demolition Man is a 1993 American, science fiction action film directed by Marco Brambilla, and starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, and Denis Leary co-star....
, The Art of War
The Art of War (film)
The Art of War is a 2000 Canadian-American action film directed by Christian Duguay, and starring Wesley Snipes, Michael Biehn, Anne Archer and Donald Sutherland...
and the Blade film series.
Reception
The movie received mixed reviews. It currently holds a "rotten" 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Marcus Trower, of EmpireEmpire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
magazine, stated that Bruce Payne
Bruce Payne
Bruce Martyn Payne is an award winning English character actor and producer and was a member of the 1980's Brit Pack. Although he is best known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum...
was "a brilliantly disconcerting madman. With his flowing blond Jesus locks, armour-piercing stare and casual sadism, he makes Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
look like a social worker – and like Sir Anthony Hopkins' serial killer, part of the man's menace is in the apparent contradiction between his articulate, well-spoken English and his off-hand brutality." The Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
stated that Payne and Snipes both gave 'charismatic turns' in the film. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
stated that Payne brought a 'tongue-in-cheek humor to the psychopathic fiend' that he played. A reviewer for People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
Magazine stated that 'Bruce Payne
Bruce Payne
Bruce Martyn Payne is an award winning English character actor and producer and was a member of the 1980's Brit Pack. Although he is best known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum...
steals the plane—and the movie'.