Drop Zone 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Drop Zone 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 4, 2025

1994 was a big year for action movies involving skydiving. Sure, there was 1991’s “Point Break,” which did something special during its aerial ballet sequences, but three years later, two studios elected to release skydiving films within months of each other. “Terminal Velocity” arrived first, becoming part of Hollywood’s weird obsession to make Charlie Sheen a heroic cinematic presence. “Drop Zone” was part two of the genre experiment, returning Wesley Snipes to action figure status after the unexpected success of 1992’s “Passenger 57,” sending him into the sky once again as a U.S. Marshal hunting for a team of criminals trying to make a mess of DEA work in Florida. There should be a lot of fun here, especially with Snipes in badass mode, but “Drop Zone” visibly struggles at times under the supervision of director John Badham, who’s not the right fit for material that desperately needs a more aggressive approach.

When hacker Leedy (Michael Jeter) requires a prison transfer, the U.S. Marshals send siblings Pete (Wesley Snipes) and Terry (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) to handle the operation, which involves a plane ride. Disrupting the flight is Ty (Gary Busey), an ex-DEA agent taking possession of Leedy with his crew of skydivers, escaping off the 747 while Terry is killed in the fight. Pete is soon suspended from duty, but that doesn’t stop him from investigating the situation, bringing him to Jessie (Yancy Butler), a skydiving instructor with ties to one of Ty’s goons. Reluctantly becoming part of the skydiving subculture, Pete agrees to help Jessie financially for access into the world, putting clues together while Ty makes plans to infiltrate DEA headquarters, aiming to sell the true identities of undercover agents in the Florida drug trade.

A lot of people want Leedy dead, as the man of technology and cat fancy has a history of computer-fu, gaining access anywhere he cares to go. “Drop Zone” makes a curious casting choice in Jeter, who doesn’t look or act like a seasoned hacker, and viewers might want the character offed early too, finding Jeter delivering one of the shrillest performances of his career. Sadly, Leedy lives, but the same cannot be said for Terry, who perishes during an opening hijack sequence that sets the mood of “Drop Zone,” putting Badham on a mission to deliver action beats with a skydiving angle, keeping a good portion of the picture in the air. It’s an interesting setting and exploration of the hobby/sport, though casting weirdness round two surrounds the hiring of Busey as a believable man of the skies, skilled in aerial movement. I mean, maybe?

Pete is put on a path of revenge, but he has a lot to learn about skydiving, giving him an arc of education as he deals with Jessie and her ragtag Florida team. She needs money and he wants access, creating a partnership of sorts to keep “Drop Zone” moving forward, and sequences around training sites are entertaining, helping to humanize Peter between bouts of the character beating up challengers, putting the actor’s love of fight choreography to the test. There’s a lot of visual hustle to the feature, as Badham does a fine job selling heated conflicts in the skies, mixing physical danger with Hollywood tricks to create a feel for skydiving movement. These jumps, pushes, and drops easily emerge as the highlights of the viewing experience, becoming far more interesting than the plot, which finds Ty really going out of his way to stick it to his former employers, while computer hacking sequences are crudely crafted.

Drop Zone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

"Drop Zone" was previously issued on Blu-ray in 2010, and is now available in a UHD release, listed as "newly restored from its original camera negative." The movie is a vibrantly shot endeavor, making full use of its Floridian locations, and color is wonderful throughout the viewing experience. The brightness of blue skies and greenery is sustained, joined by varied hues on costuming, which favor bold pinks and yellows. Primaries are hearty around town tours and computer readouts, while cooler hues register as intended during building infiltration sequences. Skin tones are mostly natural, with some redness here and there. Detail is strong, examining fibrous costuming, including cotton-y casual wear and heavier skydiving gear. Exteriors are dimensional, exploring the locations and the skies. Interiors maintain depth and textures, offering inspection of decorative additions. Blacks are deep, preserving evening activity and shadow play. Highlights are tasteful. Grain is fine and film-like, save for a scene around the 20:00 mark, where it freezes up, likely due to the production's technical limitations. Source is in good condition.

Drop Zone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA offers an active listening event for "Drop Zone." Dialogue exchanges are fresh, securing performance choices and inadvertently identifying the extent of ADR used on picture. Scoring supports with crisp instrumentation on synth and guitar additions. Soundtrack selections supply clear vocals. Atmospherics are inviting, examining crowd bustle and midair activity. Surrounds also play with panning effects during plane flybys, joined by moments of separation. Musical moods also go circular. Low-end is alert, keeping up with the weight of engines and fireworks.

Drop Zone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet collects essays from Simon Abrams, Bilge Ebiri, Mark Edward Heuck, and Justin LaLiberty.

• Commentary #1 features director John Badham and cinematographer Roy H. Wagner.

• Commentary #2 features writer Max Evry.

• "Surfers in the Sky" (15:53, HD) is an interview with producer Wallis Nicita, who made her way to New York City as a young woman, only to strike out in the field of education, picking up again in the film business as a casting director during the 1970s. Growing tired of the job, Nicita decided to jump into producing, eventually supporting the development of "Mermaids," helping to launch her career. Meeting director John Badham in the early 1980s, a friendship was born, eventually finding her way to "Drop Zone," which focused on the intense subculture of skydiving, even sampling the sport herself. The interviewee celebrates Badham's way with actors and reinforces her presence on the set, enjoying a hands-on role. Technical achievements are analyzed, and the work experience in Florida is recalled, even dealing with a little local racism.

• "The Symphony of Skydiving" (9:12, HD) is an appreciation piece from film music historian Daniel Schweiger.

• "Whose Films Are These Anyway?" (14:17, HD) is a video essay by Daniel Kremer.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this release.

Drop Zone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Drop Zone" is often too cartoonish, as Badham is trying to craft a studio action film while the premise demands a grittier sense of danger. Hans Zimmer goes overboard with his melodramatic music for the endeavor, and Snipes vs. Busey isn't exactly a thrilling showdown of actors, though perhaps the former is aware of his employment situation, as the star leaves his sunglasses on for a good chunk of the movie (even while indoors), committing the ultimate thespian sin. "Drop Zone" is a mixed bag overall, clearly scoring its intended reaction from skydiving sequences and general action cinema moves from the 1990s, but it's hardly memorable work, and Badham, while making a glossy feature with visual skill, doesn't have the inspiration to keep it surprising, which a Wesley Snipes skydiving action movie co-starring Gary Busey and Michael Jeter should be.