Matty tits about in the snow with Jim Wynorski’s energetic action romp.

A strange one:

Jim Wynorski’s EXTREME LIMITS is a Phoenician Entertainment stock footage epic in all but name.

Supposedly, the film was bankrolled by the shingle but its ties were quietly scrubbed at the behest of distributor 20th Century Fox who wanted to distance themselves from the shady financial activities of Phoenician’s parent company, Franchise Pictures. Given Fox happily pumped out the Phoenician-slathered Rangers (2000), Venomous (2001), and Ablaze (2001) while Franchise’s, erm, ‘shenanigans’ were being investigated by the FBI’s fraud squad, how true that rumour is remains a mystery. Whatever the case, there’s enough evidence to suggest Extreme Limits is more than a bastard spawn, and that it is, in fact, part of the same dynasty.

In addition to Phoenician’s usual ‘star/high concept premise/B-roll’ formula, there’s: the presence of line producer William Steakley — a mainstay of Franchise/Phoenician bossman Andrew Stevens’ creative team, right back to the mogul’s Royal Oaks Entertainment days; a ‘T.K. Terrier’ nestled among the credits — a department-hopping, multi-use pseudonym seen across many a Royal Oaks/Phoenician flick, a la fellow nom-de-plumes ‘Noble Henry’ and ‘Don Key’; and a behind the scenes titbit which places the film’s making within the same timeframe as the rest of Wynorski’s Phoenician slate. Originally, Wynorski was slated to direct Phoenician’s Critical Mass (2001) until he and Fred Olen Ray — who was pencilled in for Extreme Limits — decided to swap projects, presumably being able to do so as they were developed in tandem.

Penned by Royal Oaks/Phoenician/Wynorski favourite Steve Latshaw (Counter Measures (1998), Active Stealth (1999), Gale Force (2002)), Extreme Limits’ busy script is populated by a lot of characters, leaving several undercooked and vying for space. Still, the roles are inhabited by capable and skilled performers who give their parts the requisite verisimilitude. The standouts are: Hannes Jaenicke as the terrorist villain; Gary Hudson as a smarmy pilot; Allan Kollman as a weirdly intense research assistant; and the film’s twin heroes, J.S. Cardone regular John Beck (in his second of four Wynorski assignments, following Militia (2000), and preceding Project Viper (2002) and Crash Landing (2005)) and the always welcome Treat Williams (in his first of four Phoenician(ish) gigs, ahead of Critical Mass, Venomous, and Gale Force). Wynorski totems George ‘Buck’ Flower, Lenny Juliano, Nikki Fritz, and Lorissa McComas also appear among the thirty-plus ensemble, the latter submitting a career-best dramatic turn. 

Beck and Williams play a scientist and a fed whose respective quests to get Extreme Limits’ MacGuffin — some wacky, matter-warping weapon designed by Nikola Tesla that’s “small enough to carry in a travel bag, heavy enough to end the world!”  — tie the film’s ‘Alive (1993) meets Die Hard (1988)’ plot together. Pacy and immensely enjoyable, Extreme Limits benefits from sterling snowy location work (the Beck-driven survival half of the film was mostly shot in the mountains of Bishop, California) and Wynorski’s typically excellent use of other filmmakers’ material, with the action bolstered by several thrilling set pieces lifted from Peter Hyams’ Narrow Margin (1990), and Renny Harlin’s Cliffhanger (1993) and The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996). 

Shot over fourteen days in January 2000, Extreme Limits — titled thus to ride the coattails of Columbia’s Vertical Limit (2000) — landed on VHS and DVD in August 2001. 

It’s also known as ‘Crash Point Zero’.

USA ● 2001 ● Action ● 93mins

Treat Williams, Hannes Jaenicke, John Beck ● Dir. Jim Wynorski (as ‘Jay Andrews’) ● Wri. Steve Latshaw