The Danger Zone (1987) User Reviews

The movie's stupidity comes through most during the fight scenes.

[tarbosh22000 · 4/10 · 28 May 2014]

When Heather (Tara) receives word that her girl group, The Skirts, is going to be performing on national television on the TV show "Celebrity Exposure", she couldn't be more excited. The Skirts are comprised of six members, and all six pile into a station wagon and drive through the desert to get to Las Vegas where the show is being taped. Unfortunately, the car breaks down and they become stranded. After walking for a while, they find what looks like a dilapidated town and they go in to investigate. It turns out to be the lair for a gang of ruthless criminal bikers, led by the nefarious Reaper (Canada). The girls happen in at a bad time, as the bikers are in the midst of executing a huge drug deal. So the bikers hold them hostage - but the girls might be getting some help from an unexpected source. Will they live to sing another day? According to the back of the VHS box (released by Charter), this is "A film that will chain you to fear - terrorizing your senses and violating your sensibilities - THE DANGER ZONE takes you on a ride through the fires of hell." This might be a bit overzealous, but it does feature a woman spraying a snake with a can of hairspray and bikers delivering drugs to Mexico via toy airplane. So count my sensibilities as violated. The Danger Zone is a biker movie where the bikers are the most uninteresting part. By far the best parts of the movie involve the girl group, The Skirts. Because the 80's rule, and their storyline was more 80's, we wanted to see more of them. But sadly there are no really well-drawn characters in this movie anywhere. The Skirts are like a cross between The Flirts (known for the album "10 Cents A Dance") and some primitive version of The Pussycat Dolls, and their car trip is really quite something.

The movie slows down considerably once it becomes a hostage drama, and we were wondering where Werner Hoetzinger was when we really needed him. Naturally, when the bikers appear on screen there is an "evil guitar riff" on the soundtrack. To balance that out, the girls always have music with classic 80's synths and the time honored sax solo. So you know who is good and who is bad. The Danger Zone (which, inexplicably, has two sequels), would make a perfect double feature with Blood Games (1990) The Gregory Scott Cummins/Ross Hagen/George "Buck" Flower movie about a team of female softball players that fight baddies. There's a guy in The Danger Zone, however, who really should have been played by Wings Hauser, but at least he has a sleeveless shirt that says "I'm Not D.B. Cooper". The movie's stupidity comes through most during the fight scenes.

Besides some TV work, Suzanne Tara only appeared in one other feature film besides this - and it's none other than Deadly Prey (1987). 1987 must have been an amazing year for her. This was director Vernon's only movie...we wonder why? Additional thoughts: the TV show Celebrity Exposure pre-dates American Idol, the big song by The Skirts, "Hearts on Fire" shouldn't be confused with the Rocky song of the same name, and Heidi The Dog gets a credit for "Hound" in the end credits. The Charter tape is of good quality, with bright colors. And let's not forget about the end-credits song, "Bad Men Ridin'", by Joe Turano.

Not to be confused with the Robert Downey Jr. movie of almost the same name, The Danger Zone may have some funny dialogue and amusing moments, but it needed more energy overall.

Six Stranded Ladies Walking Directly into the Danger Zone

[Uriah43 · 4/10 · 10 January 2024]

This film begins in Los Angeles with a young woman named "Heather" (Suzanne Tara) being informed that her female vocal group has just qualified for a competition in Las Vegas. Naturally, being quite excited by this news, she immediately calls her five colleagues to let them know. Not long afterward, they all pack themselves into a car and head out on the highway. Unfortunately, because the car is rather old and in serious need of maintenance, it breaks down along the way--which leaves the young ladies stranded along the side of the road in the middle of the desert. It's then that one of them spots a small town not too far in the distance and, having few other options at their disposal, they all start walking toward it. What they don't realize, however, is that this small town is controlled by a ruthless biker gang who have no regard for human life, and they are more than willing to prove it to all of these young ladies. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this could have been a halfway decent film if the writers could have come up with a better script and more competent action scenes. Since that clearly wasn't the case, I found it difficult to rate this movie any higher than I have. Slightly below average.

Fun throwback to '60s biker epics

[lor_ · 19 March 2023]

My review was written in July 1987 after watching the film on Charter Entertainment video cassette.

"The Danger Zone" is an unpretentious actioner that conjures up delights of the nonsensical biker pics that filled drive-ins nationwide two decades ago. Alas, most drive-ins are gone and those remaining play the same films as indoors, so this serviceable entry becomes merely home video fodder domestically.

Functional plotline puts a band of ornery bikers led by Reaper (Robert Canada) against a stranded group of six pretty femme singers, whose car has broken down en route to a "Celebrity Exposure" tv talent show competition being held in Las Vegas. The bikers and their molls terrorize the gals until they are saved by a combination of their own wits, a friendly prospector (Rick Nightingale) and an undercover narc who has infiltrated the gang (Jason Williams).

Blessed with a flavorful songs score, low-budgeter plays off smoothly with solid acting, especially a chilling psycho turn bby Robert Canada as Reaper which ecalls the youthful nasties esayed long ago by John Davis Chandler and Arch Hall Jr. Filmmaker/co-star Williams, best-known for his title role in "Flesh Gordon", is fun adopting the tough guy readings of a Clint Eastwood. The girls, especially wet T-shirt prone Suzanne Tara, are easy on the eye.

Unmemorable thriller

[jordondave-28085 · 3/10 · 7 April 2023]

(1987) The Danger Zone THRILLER/ ACTION

Six female inspired singing young hopefuls, with Heather (Suzanne Tara) the lead singer to whom they call themselves "The Skirts" make an attempt to drive on the highway toward Las Vegas for the intention of entering into a competition, only to have their car break down in the middle of nowhere. And they eventually cross paths with dope dealing bikers lead by, Reaper (Robert Canada) inhabiting a supposed ghost town.

More of a thriller than an action movie as I do not remember too much about this, as I watched this movie quite a while ago, as it is full of inconsistencies, particularly when the six girls and the only two men helping them battle it out with the bikers.

Bad Bikies vs Bouffante Bimbos

[helfeleather · 10/10 · 20 July 2002]

This movie is great. The bikies are pure evil. Reaper whips his gang members. Curtis sets his mate alight after drenching him with petrol, and PJ just mows down one of the girls on his bike. In the other corner we have aspirant girl group, the Skirts, who don't know how to fire guns, but have to fight to survive, dressed in their undies and with hair teased to the max, of course. Some hilarious scenes.