MAN ON A LEDGE – The Review

I suppose we should include MAN ON A LEDGE on a short list of film titles that succinctly state the plot of a movie, as in SNAKES ON A PLANE. Ah, but like that Jackson thriller, there’s a big, back story to support that title. Snakes don’t just hop aboard flights. And fellsa don’t just go out the window of a high-rise without a reason. These films would also be modern-day “B” films ( the second, lower-budgeted half of double feature bills in Hollywood’s Golden Age ). But to be more precise I would second Entertainment Weekly’s term ” January B movie “. Not quite up to the A-list Summer or Christmas-time blockbusters or prestige films. Now many of the cast have been in the recent spectacles and box office hits, so this also harkens back to the multi-star epics ( best known by the disaster flicks of the 70’s ). I mean look at those little head shots at the bottom of the poster! I don’t mean to knock this by using the “B” movie terms. Many of those filler films turned out to be little gems and propelled their actors and film makers. Will we be looking back with affection at MAN ON A LEDGE in a few years?

The movie opens with our hero Nick Cassidy ( Sam Worthington ) checking into a fancy Big Apple hotel. After some room service he opens up the window and steps out. But he’s not threatening a swan dive onto the concrete because of depression over a failed romance or personal problems ( the subject of many an hour dramatic police TV show-and a few sitcoms ). Now, I don’t want to give away anything that’s not in the trailers or commercials, but here’s a SPOILER ALERT just to be safe. Nick’s on the run and hopes to clear his name with his high-rise stunt. He also wants to be a distraction from the break-in happening in a nearby building. He’s asks for a specific police negotiator, Lynda Mercer ( Elizabeth Banks ), who he believes maybe sympathetic. As the clock ticks on, the jumper plot and the big heist converge as all of NYC seems to stand still and watch the proceedings ( lot of folks taking long lunches there ). Can the good guys triumph? SPOILER END!

Director Asger Leth makes great use of the New York City locations, especially the blocks around the hotel. All the stuff on the ledge looks real-almost as Vertigo inducing as the big skyscraper stunts in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE : GHOST PROTOCOL. Can’t detect any green screen here. Worthington has a great nervous desperation as he tries to juggle ten different things in his mind while trying not to lose his footing. He’s got a plan, but he has to improvise quickly. Banks goes from cynicism to a reluctant believer in Nick’s plight. She’s always a strong screen presence although in her first scene she doesn’t really look like a hangover sufferer ( she looks like she’s ready for a cover photo shoot ). Jamie Bell is terrific as the novice break-in man while Genesis Rodriguez is his burglary partner/ girlfriend/ eye-candy. The many shots of her in skin-tight jumpsuits and eventually just under garments seem gratuitous in the least ( she is quite a stunner, though ). C’mon film makers, you don’t need to spice things up so obviously. Anthony Mackie has little to do as Nick’s old buddy while Ed Harris does what he can as your typical evil business guy. If he had a mustache, he’d be twirling it as he lights his massive cigar ( it’s like a less subtle Chris Cooper in THE MUPPETS ). Kyra Sedgwick mingles with crowd ( they’re the old commenting Greek chorus ), watching the high-rise action as an ethnic local TV news reporter ( Suzie Morales? ) and Ed Burns has little to do other than grimace and grumble as the first cop called to the hotel room. Everything moves at a fairly brisk clip, as several plot holes are raced over. I was, unfortunately, tipped off a few times by the casting of familiar faces in small roles. I tried to be forgiving until the last few minutes as the film veering into cartoon-like lunacy. I had to stifle ” Aw, Puh-lease!” under my breath the last big action sequence. The script could’ve used a few more passes, but the cast is strong and the stunts are engaging. If you need to get out of Winter’s chill, then there are certainly worst ways to spend two hours in a warm multiplex. It’s a shame that it’s nothing that will really stick with you.

Overall Rating : Three Out of Five Stars