Daylight (1996)
Daylight (1996) is a high-stakes disaster thriller directed by Rob Cohen and starring Sylvester Stallone, Amy Brenneman, and Viggo Mortensen. Blending intense physical action with human drama, the film tells the gripping story of survival, courage, and redemption deep beneath New York City.
The film opens with an ordinary day in Manhattan, where the bustling traffic flows through the Holland Tunnel, connecting New York and New Jersey. Among the many people passing through are business travelers, a struggling playwright, a group of juvenile offenders being transported, and an ambitious adventurer. Life seems normal — until disaster strikes.
A gang of thieves attempts to escape the police by racing into the tunnel with stolen toxic waste in their vehicle. During the chase, their car collides with a truck carrying flammable chemicals. The resulting massive explosion sends shockwaves through the tunnel, causing a fiery chain reaction. In seconds, the tunnel becomes a death trap — the entrances collapse, cars are crushed, and thick smoke and toxic fumes fill the air.
On the surface, emergency responders scramble to assess the situation. Kit Latura (Sylvester Stallone), a former New York City Emergency Medical Services chief who was demoted after a tragic rescue incident, happens to be nearby when the explosion occurs. Despite his tarnished reputation, Kit’s instincts and experience drive him to act. Realizing that conventional rescue efforts won’t reach the survivors in time, he decides to enter the tunnel himself — from the only accessible route left: the ventilation shaft.
Using explosives and a harness, Kit descends into the wreckage and finds a small group of survivors trapped in a central pocket of the tunnel. Among them are Madelyne Thompson (Amy Brenneman), a traumatized writer; Roy Nord (Viggo Mortensen), a famous daredevil; and several other frightened but determined individuals.
As rising water, toxic fumes, and unstable debris threaten to engulf them, Kit takes charge. He calms the survivors, assesses injuries, and starts mapping an escape route. The group’s ordeal tests every ounce of his leadership and engineering knowledge. Nord, the risk-taking adventurer, tries to find his own way out but dies in a tunnel collapse — a grim reminder of the dangers ahead.
The tension builds as Kit’s rescue plans are repeatedly thwarted by flooding and collapsing structures. With oxygen running low and hope fading, Kit discovers an old maintenance tunnel leading to an emergency exit. He sacrifices his own safety to clear the path for the others, nearly drowning in the process.
In the final moments, Kit and Madelyne emerge through a submerged exit pipe, gasping for air as rescuers pull them to safety. Though battered and nearly dead, Kit’s selflessness redeems him — he has saved the lives of those trapped and proven his worth once more.
Daylight combines Stallone’s signature heroism with realistic, claustrophobic tension. The film’s practical effects, powerful visuals, and emotional storytelling create an unforgettable survival experience — showing that courage and sacrifice shine brightest in humanity’s darkest hours.
