Daylight
Directed by Rob Cohen
- action
- adventure
- thriller
The story
A group of armed robbers fleeing the police head for the New Jersey Tunnel and run right into trucks transporting toxic waste. The spectacular explosion that follows results in both ends of the tunnel collapsing and the handful of people who survived the explosion are now in peril. Kit Latura is the only man with the skill and knowledge to lead the band of survivors out of the tunnel before the structure collapses.
What it’s like
Gritty, sodium-lit darkness and the claustrophobic grey of concrete tunnels, with the film's brightest moments coming from fire, headlights and the hard white glare of the open sky at the far end. Rob Cohen shoots much of it in restless handheld, close and jostling in the crowded spaces, then widens to sweeping helicopter shots over the Manhattan skyline and the Hudson, where the city looks cold and steel-blue at dawn. The sound is dominated by rumbling concrete, dripping water, sirens and a driving, percussive orchestral score that pushes the pace rather than resting in it. Its vibe is tense, sooty and hard-edged, a disaster-thriller with a lot of grime and very little quiet, best suited to a loud weekend night or a fast-paced escape from ordinary evenings. The rhythm is relentless, built from short scenes of escalating danger, and the emotional register stays rough and survivalist, following a reluctant hero who must rely on the damaged, divided group he is forced to lead. Intensity is high: frequent peril, brief but sudden violence, explosions and injuries, with some gunfire and rough language, though little gore. It suits viewers who want a propulsive, spectacle-driven action survival film rather than anything gentle.
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