Cutaway (2000 TV Movie) User Reviews

Spectacular aerial scenes along with an intrigue about drugs trafficking

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 17 March 2008]

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 .

A Predictable Collection of Clichés That Reasonably Works

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 18 March 2005]

The successful undercover agent Victor Cooper (Stephen Baldwin) is assigned for his ninth mission: to find how the loading of drug that is being brought to Miami. He suspects that the drug is coming through the air and joins a team of sky diving, under the leadership of Red Line (Tom Berenger), who is a fanatic and considered the athlete number one in this sport in the world. Due to his profile of winner, Vic gets involved with the group and he "disconnects" from his position of infiltrated agent, "connecting" with the team.

"Cutaway" is a film that gives the sensation of "dejavu", and the viewer has the sensation that had seen it before. Indeed, it is a collection of clichés, using the same storyline of "Point Break" but in the air, instead of in the sea; or "Donnie Brasco", just to mention two famous movies. However, "Cutaway" reasonably works and is watchable, mainly based on the great shootings in the air. Fans of Tom Berenger may enjoy and he has a good performance in the role of a charismatic leader, capable of any action to win in the sports he embraced. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Instinto Radical" ("Radical Instinct")

Bad but still enjoyable!

[chrichtonsworld · 5/10 · 29 December 2009]

Somehow I got the feeling that they left out a considerable amount of scenes that make much more sense of the whole drugs angle in the movie. The moment Stephen Baldwin goes undercover you will get a "Point Break" flashback and will realize how great that movie is compared to this little movie. But that said I must admit that "Cutaway" has some amazing sky diving scenes. Those stunts alone is reason enough to see this movie. And probably the director realized that since he didn't make much of the plot. Tom Berenger is great as always but thought he was far too underused as he could have provided much more depth to his character and story if he had more scenes. The interactions between Ron Silver and Stephen Baldwin could have been avoided entirely since they add nothing to the conflicts an undercover agent has doing his job. Since it already is made clear from the first scene that Stephen Baldwin is not doing his job out of a sense of duty but simply to be the best in whatever activity he is presented with. The scenes with Ron Silver create an expectation of an impact that never occurs at least not as big as it could have been. So in short forget about the plot and just enjoy the beautiful skydiving scenes!

Berenger is half the show

[Renaldo Matlin · 21 February 2003]

An odd mix between undercover-cop-infiltrating-the-bad-guys and sports-movies! It does have a likeable cast and some terrific skydiving-scenes (the lead actors obviously jumped in real life). But what really makes it entertaining enough to sit through is the flamboyant performance of good old Tom Berenger, reminding us of what once made him one of the finest actors on-screen. Here he really is half the show in a 9 million dollar production that looks like 20 million.

"Cutaway" is one of the goofiest films ever.

[tarbosh22000 · 5/10 · 12 May 2010]

"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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Hope you like skydiving if not...this movie sucks

[viper_dk · 2/10 · 3 August 2001]

This movie was just 2 stupid hours of skydiving and 5 minutes of not really good action. I mean the film was like over in 5 minutes if it were not for all the skydiving scenes. They practise jumping out of an aircraft for 70 minutes. I mean come on, after the first 15 minutes of skydiving i got the freaking point, after another 15 minutes i myself was ready to jump without a parachute just to end the pain.

In dropzone and even Point Break which this movie rips off of there is much more to see.

DO NOT SEE THIS FILM ..If you would like to see a skydiving movie see dropzone or another skydiving movie just be sure it at least has acting in it. This film don't .

Lame, but very entertaining.

[tokyostreetkiller · 5/10 · 19 October 2007]

I'm not a big Steven Baldwin fan, but I liked him here. This movie is almost a bad one. It's saving grace? It's subject. The skydiving scenes were pretty good (not the best) but good enough to keep me interested. Tom Berenger was hilarious (whether he meant to be or not remains to be scene), and Rodman was, well, himself, minus the rebounding prowess. The beginning of the movie features some kinda-interesting ATC chatter between pilots and controllers which prevented me from turning this movie off before it began. This movie is probably one you'll forget about after watching it but, it's still not too bad. I actually kinda liked it.

EIght's always the fastest!

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 25 December 2007]

**SPOILERS** Staking out an airfield outside Miami to catch a plane smuggling cocaine the US Custom Agents are shocked to find that all the plane had in it's cargo bay was hundreds of pounds of freshly caught shrimps!

Feeling that their being made to look like mindless buffoons the custom agents headed by Let. Brian Margate, Ron Silver, and his very eager assistant, wearing a clip-on Abe Lincoln-type beard as a disguise, Vic Cooper, Stephen Baldwin, go all out in finding just how these drug-smugglers are making monkeys out of them and the US Custom Services. Vic almost by accident figures out, by mistakingly rescuing a paratroop GI Joe doll, how all this is done and then goes to infiltrate a local Miami skydiving team to get the goods, as well as the dope, on them!

Not much of a story but loads of spectacular airborne action with Vic getting at first over his head and then with the program as he becomes the top flight diver of an eight man, really seven men and one woman, canopy formation act headed by skydiving legend Red Line, Tom Barenger. Vic secretly getting trained in skydiving by US Army skydiving team Captain Delmira, Casper Van Dien, whom Red Line's Miami skydivers are to later compete with quickly gets the hang of the sport. Vic is so good that he soon unseats the top diver, besides Red Line, Randy "Turbo" Kingston, Dennis Rodman, from his position as the #7 diver; Red Line is #8 or the anchor of the skydiving team. With Turbo mad as a hornet in getting dropped he and Vic have it out later in the movie in a kamikaze like dive where Turbo gets his neck broke in midair and dies before he ever hit the ground.

What Vic was later to find out is that both Red Line and the late Turbo Kingston were the only two of the skydiving team involved in drug trafficking. They were using the money to finance their first and only love skydiving in supplying their teammates the equipment that they needed but for the most part, with them not having a job or cash to pay for it, couldn't afford.

The movie "Cutaway" only comes to life when we see Red Line and his team, as well as later Captain Demira's Goldan Knights, in action. The big build up for the Championship of Skydiving Competition Contest, at Myrtle Beach S. Carolina, is well paced and doesn't drag the film down with drug angle kept almost out of the story until the last few minutes in the film.

You don't have to be into skydiving to appreciate the heart-stopping scenes of Red Line's and Delmira's teams go into action as the two groups of skydivers break record after record competing against each other over the blue sunny and deadly skies of Myrtle Beach. Taking the lead over the Miami, or Red Line, team the Goldan Knights rack up an unbelievable score, in their four skydives, of an average of 13.08 seconds! That's the time it took the Goldan Knights to makes formation after the first man jumped, going at speeds of 160 to 180 MPH, out of the plane!

With defeat looking him in the face Red Line finally realizes that Vic is an undercover US Custom Agent setting him up for a fall. It's then when Red Line, cracked ribs and all, gives it all that he's, as well as Vic and the rest of his team, got in a desperate and suicidal-like dive with Vic close behind.***SPOILERS*** That almost impossible effort on Red Line's part not only pulls out a victory from out of the jaws of defeat but also prevents him form falling into the arms of to law, with Let. Margate & Co waiting for Red Line on the ground to arrest him.

P.S Red Line's passion and love of the sport of skydiving made a believer out of Victor Cooper who in the end gave up his career as a law enforcer and took to the skies. A place where a man, or woman, is completely free without, like back on earth, any strings attached. Except the strings of the parachute he or she's wearing.

If you like paragliding go ahead and watch it - otherwise do not

[mieschkaeden · 2/10 · 11 May 2022]

For someone that is doing this sport the movie is recommended. For people that value good action movies: stay away and do not watch.

Super lame characters. A story written by a 16 year old boy and waaay too loooong training scenes. There are only 11 min of 'action' . The rest is a sport scene that is on repeat.

The only cool actor ( Denis R ) is in it for 5 min. Lol. I do not recommend it. There are much better police action stories. Seriously.

Skydiving flick with Stephen Baldwin and Tom Berenger

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 2 January 2020]

A U.S. Customs agent (Stephen Baldwin) goes undercover to join a skydiving team in Miami to bust a drug-smuggling ring. The squad is headed by a strong, but morally suspicious leader (Tom Berenger) and his somewhat sinister right-hand man (Dennis Rodman). Maxine Bahns, Ron Silver and Casper Van Dien are also on hand.

"Cutaway" (2000) is a skydiving crime thriller that cost $9 million and debuted on TV in the USA, but straight-to-video elsewhere. It features spectacular skydiving sequences supplemented by stock footage. Airplanes are ubiquitous, but only as means of transport.

If you want skydiving action "Cutaway" delivers the goods. It helps that Baldwin is a likable protagonist and Berenger has his typical edgy charisma. Bahns doesn't do much for me on the female front, but she's a'right. Stunningly statuesque Cat Stone has a bit part. While Van Dien's role is small, this movie upped my respect for him. He previously struck me as a pretty boy type, but he's totally kick axx here.

The film runs 1 hour, 44 minutes, and was shot in the Miami area, Florida (Miami-Dade County & Opa Locka), and Fort Bragg, NC.

GRADE: B-

It just won't do.

[marnixhemmes · 4/10 · 31 March 2008]

Well. This movie was a waste of my time, even though I didn't had anything to do anyway when I saw it. Yet I watched it until the end so there has to be some good that goes with all the bad.

The good: The skydive scenes were at times very decent, and that has to be the sole reason for me watching this through. Nice, colorful images and even though I'm no sportsman myself I think some parachute enthusiasts might be somewhat pleased with it.

The bad: About everything else I guess. The story is a straight ripoff from Dropzone without adding anything new at all (it actually makes it even worse), which shows to me that the director didn't really want to tell a story anyway. Next there is bad acting, shallow characters, annoying music and some nice faces to attempt to make up for it. But it just won't do.

Watch this if you really have to, but I say you don't.

Awesome.

[JVS491 · 10/10 · 25 November 2002]

This is a movie that I love watching.

Regardless to what other people say, I believe that this movie is by far the BEST Skydiving movie EVER MADE! Berenger and Baldwin did most of their own stunts (Baldwin admits to it on DVD, Guy Manos talks about Berenger on his track on the DVD)

People who regard this movie in the same aspect as Point Break and Dropzone, give your head a shake. Take a look thru the credits, in the two movies, you'll see Golden ParaShoot did all the skydiving stunts in both movies.

I have obviously given this movie a 10 / 10 (I wish I could go higher)

Before I saw this movie, I was a person who thought of skydiving as a interesting idea, now I LOVE the sport.

Watchable

[frankwhat · 6/10 · 7 September 2004]

To my surprise I actually was able to enjoy this movie. By no means spectacular it did have a different story line than I've never seen before and Berenger/Baldwin both contributed the most to this. Rodman is always horrible, but as was said before he doesn't have too many lines which is a very good thing. The ending was surprising and all in all it was harmless. Would make a very good rental night.

Final Summary:

Movies : Heck no

Buy on DVD : Nah (one of those you'd only watch once or twice)

Rental: Definitely, though don't make it a priority

was fun for the sporting show alone

[bouncylj · 5/10 · 23 May 2007]

this film was average. the story was great, premise great , cinematography great but the acting was poor so very very poor i loved the film but really wished the main character would plummet into the ground but the massively redeeming bits were they actually jump and lines from the script actually shine through the crap that is the acting, are well worth watching the film when the commentators are commentating is absolutely great its amusing any way worth watching if u enjoy good cinematography and cheese because that is all the acting was, i suppose it depends on point of view you may wish to stay clear of it if you skydive the ending is massively amusing, though not in a good way.

Nice thrill seeking cop show.

[dahstra · 6 August 2004]

I enjoyed this film. Baldwin is a cop investigating elusive drug traffickers. Berenger is the leader of a sky diving team that Baldwin suspects of being behind the trafficking. I picked this movie up because of Casper Van Dien's part. He appears at the beginning as a military trainer Baldwin hires to steady his skills. Van Dien later appears again at the end as a competitive adversary to Baldwin's team. Watching all of the sky diving and training was very interesting. Most of the suspense was during flight instead of during "law enforcement" confrontations as one might expect. The WIND tunnel where Van Dien trained Baldwin looked SO fun! Baldwin's turmoil is mostly trying to balance his loyalty to the sky diving team and the police force. The ending isn't really predictable, but it's not surprising either. Certainly worth a watch!

Absolutely no story!

[bjoern_rasmussen · 2/10 · 3 August 2001]

I though Stephen Baldwin had hit rock-bottom but no! His acting is sooo bad it hurts. In the movie Stephen spends most of his time showing how great his muscles are. How did they even talk Tom Berenger into acting with Stephen Baldwin?? Money?? No way!!!

The story in the movie is about 20 minutes long in the rest of the movie we just see skydivers jumping out of airplanes. Might be fun to watch if you are a skydiver, if not: DON'T SEE IT!!!

I give it 2/10 because of Stephen's poor acting and absolutely no story. One point for Maxine's butt and one point because it ended.

Stephen Baldwin, just because you are related to actors doesn't mean you can act.

Why don't they just call it Drop Zone II

[zuip_schuit · 5/10 · 2 December 2000]

I don't get it, haven't the makers of this movie seen Drop Zone? It's the same but worse, here you haven't got a Wesley Snipes to save it! The script is pretty bad in the beginning but it gets a little better in the end. There are some nice airshots but that's all there is to it.

If you like some good skydiving, go see him. But if not,...

"I'll see you on the flightline."

[Hey_Sweden · 5/10 · 29 June 2023]

Stephen Baldwin plays a customs agent who, during his down time, develops an interest in competitive skydiving. Then a lightbulb goes on over his head: he's sure that the drug smugglers whom he's been pursuing are skydivers themselves. While he works, and works hard, to be an integral part of his team, he has to weigh loyalty to his new friends (including Tom Berenger as "Red Line") vs. His job responsibilities.

Highly reminiscent of both "Point Break" and "Drop Zone", this did mark a rare directorial effort for Guy Manos, himself a veteran stuntman and champion skydiver. It really works better as a promotion for the sport - complete with camaraderie among the team members, their life philosophies, and their colorful personalities - than as a movie. As a movie, it's just alright; the viewer will likely feel like they've seen much of this before (even if the subplot about pursuing drug runners seems perfunctory). But the various aerial stunts & aerial photography ARE first-rate, and will get some viewers' blood pumping.

The cast has been better utilized in other things, but they do a decent job here. The cast is rounded out with other familiar faces like Maxine Bahns ("The Brothers McMullen"), basketball star Dennis Rodman ("Simon Sez"), Ron Silver ("Reversal of Fortune"), Adam Wylie ('Picket Fences'), Thomas Ian Nicholas (the "American Pie" series), Phillip Glasser ("Poolhall Junkies"), and Casper Van Dien ("Starship Troopers") as a military man who's a member of the Army's own Golden Knights parachute team. Berenger fares best as the hard-driving leader of Air Miami, a man dedicated to living a certain lifestyle.

Overall, this is pretty predictable, but at least it remains watchable for 104 minutes.

Five out of 10.

Interesting twist and better than rated.

[cmanning · 7/10 · 8 October 2000]

I stuck with this one, which was unknown to me. Compared to the lot out there, this is one worth watching and much better than most. There is fair suspense and an interesting twist or two. Posted locally with 2 stars but is closer to 3.

Good action flick, Nice stunts, bad script. Spoiler alert!

[kgmccoyimdb · 5/10 · 4 October 2000]

Cutaway has some excellent footage of skydiving (I am a novice skydiver myself) that captures for the most part what its really like to jump from a perfectly good plane - and why its so addictive. There were a few technical errors in the jump scenes, and gratuitous "Hollywoodization" of the sport, but they got it sort-of correct.

The dialog and plot however, didn't measure up to the stunts. The premise of the movie - illegal drug delivery via skydivers - was pretty weak. The acting was wooden, and the first third of the movie was pretty repetitive, showing the endless training drills for a skydive formation. SPOILER ALERT Thankfully, Dennis Rodman gets killed off after only a few scenes. Can you spell Peeee Ewwwwe?

Watch this movie for the skydiving footage, and try to suffer through the corny dialog.

this is not a movie

[donpepe · 1/10 · 23 August 2001]

Cutaway is an advertisement for sky-diving; it is not a movie. I repeat, beware, this no movie. It is, however, horrible, even for a commercial. I know this may not mean much, but Dennis Rodman gives the worst performance of his career, if such a thing is even possible. The story line is a horibily mutated version of point break, which makes the script for point break seem both plausible and interesting. If you are an aficianado of bad movies rent this immediately; the bad acting of this movie really has to be experienced first hand. Just remember to cutaway all your cutaways or you will be cutaway.

better than you would ever expect....

[germinal-2 · 9/10 · 19 February 2001]

This movie is just more than you would expect from a movie like this... It all seems just some ordinary flick with a bad storyline etc.. but in fact it has a nice storyline.. and great action through the whole movie... Nice actors.. a good looking lady and great camera work.

This movie deserves more than it ever got and will get.. too bad...

Rent it on vhs/dvd and I assure you it won't be a waste...

Absolutely Awesome! Cut every other film away!

[imaginarydiva7 · 10/10 · 20 November 2008]

A definite 10 out of 10 - if only we could have given it more! Myself and my friend have just watched Cutaway at the Drop Zone where we live, and as qualified skydivers, we found this to be possibly one of the most factually accurate representations of our sport ever made.

We were drawn into Vic's story from the beginning, finding absolutely no part of it to be false or unbelievable. Many a time, people have turned up at our drop zone to then be accosted by our most attractive female member of staff and taken on a tandem, with no training required. Further to this, we have taken many "woofos" under our wing, and taught them not only to skydive, but to perform disciplines such as Canopy Formations, freeflying and relative work at high standards in as little as 18 jumps.

We cannot emphasize enough how accurate this film is. Should anyone wish to become a skydiver, like Vic, it is certain that time in a wind tunnel will bring you to competition standard in a matter of weeks.

Myself and my friend are currently looking into the possibility of changing our names by D-Poll to Rip and Cord, though we are still trying to decide whether these names are worthy of our skydiving stature, or whether we should go for Vic and Red Line as our new names. We have already "cut it all away" - I have myself given up my career in medicine and left my husband and two young children to live at a drop zone, and my friend was a qualified lawyer before leaving his home on Kentucky to live at the DZ.

Anyhoo... AMAZING film, wonderfully acted and beautifully researched. Definitely one to watch, particularly if you wish to learn to skydive yourself.

Great film if your a skydiver like me.

[sgregor1 · 10/10 · 14 April 2004]

This movie has a terrible plot. Scratch that, it has no plot. If you are a skydiver like me or have ever thought about skydiving, however, then this film is well worth seeing. It is all about the sport. The footage is awesome and the dives are real. Berenger and Baldwin did many of their own skydives as they learned to skydive secretly while making the movie.

If skydiving holds no interest for you or you must have character developement, worthwhile story, and plot then this film is not for you.

However, if you breath ozone, live for being in the sky and it is raining outside, you should see this movie. But since the skydiving community is so small, if this profile fits you, you've probably already seen it.

Guy Manos' "Director's Comments" about "Cutaway" on DVD.

[pquade · 18 January 2001]

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