History Film / SuddenDeath

''Sudden Death'' is a 1995 movie starring Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme. The story is about Darren [=McCord=], a {{Pittsburgh}} fire marshal who is on duty during the seventh UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague [[UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup Stanley Cup]] playoff game (with his kids in the seats), watching the game uncovers a plot to hold the stadium - and the Vice President, who is attending - for ransom.

* CaliforniaDoubling: Averted. It is set and filmed in {{Pittsburgh}}, mostly at the stadium known as "The Igloo" (then Civic Arena, later renamed Mellon Arena until its 2012 demolition). It was filmed there during the 1994–95 NHL lockout.
** It really could open as shown in the movie, but almost never was used in practice. The designers hadn't factored in how windy it would get inside with the top open, and after a few very windy graduation ceremonies and concerts opening the top was pretty much abandoned. Eventually upper tiers of seats were installed which, while enhancing revenue, hampered the ability to open the dome.

* INeverSaidItWasPoison: A mook messes up by saying Emily's name. He then {{Lampshades}} it by saying "You didn't say it, did you?"

[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Main/Tagline}} Action goes into overtime.]]]]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8617229_orig_3.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Main/Tagline}} Terror goes into overtime.]]]]

* AccidentalAthlete: At one point Darren [=McCord=] actually has to ''pretend to be the Pittsburgh Penguins goalie'' to avoid the terrorists who have invaded the arena. He even makes a save.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8617229_orig.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Main/Tagline}} Terror goes into overtime.]]]]

* DieHardOnAnX: Die Hard at a Hockey Playoff.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/89e48dd57aa19a863d1387c21b460cc7.jpg]]

* AlternateTimeline: The movie is set some time in June 1995, during game 7 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks. It was filmed before the 1994-95 NHL season even started, and the two teams that actually played during that season's championship round were the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils. The latter team won the championship and the series in only 4 games. Both Pittsburgh and Chicago made it to the playoffs that season, but were eliminated in the second and third rounds, respectively, Pittsburgh lost to the Devils while the Chicago lost to the Red Wings in five games.

* CombatPragmatist: Darren McCord is a textbook example, as he uses whatever he can get from his surroundings to beat the bad guys. Examples include, but are not limited to: boiling oil, a broken bone, gym equipment, hockey sticks, a squirt gun...

* WouldHitAGirl: A brutal fight to the death between Darren and a female assassin, which ends with the villain being simultaneously strangled and boiled alive. Though she's dressed as a penguin during their bout.

* RealPersonCameo: All of the hockey players, the announcers, and even the man with the fabulous hair doing the National Anthem are actually part of the Penguins organization. Paul Steigerwald (the younger announcer) and Jeff Jimerson (the Anthem singer) still do those jobs with the Penguins in 2016!

* WouldntHitAGirl: A brutal fight to the death between Darren and a female assassin, which ends with the villain being simultaneously strangled and boiled alive. Though she's dressed as a penguin during their bout.

* FauxAffablyEvil: BigBad Joshua Foss and his terrorist henchmen (notable examples include [[DeadpanSnarker Carla and Jefferson]] as well as the food-loving Scratch, the explosive expert with the Uzi and last, but not least [[spoiler: TheMole Agent Hallmark]]).

''Sudden Death'' is a 1995 movie starring Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme. The story is about Darren [=McCord=], a {{Pittsburgh}} fire marshal who is on duty during the seventh UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague StanleyCup playoff game (with his kids in the seats), watching the game uncovers a plot to hold the stadium - and the Vice President, who is attending - for ransom.

** This movie requires you to accept that this game is so interesting that every single person in the stadium - right down to the maintenance workers who are supposed to be behind the scenes and every security guard in the building are either watching the game or has been compromised. Otherwise there is no way Darren could wander the entire building which seems empty despite probably being the most occupied building in the city at that time.

* PeekABooCorpse: Twice, in the girls room and in the office.
* RuleOfFunny: Darren fighting the Penguins Mascot.
** Even more because the original writer said this scene was the only remnant of his script, intended as an AffectionateParody instead of a straight-up action movie.

* WouldHurtAChild: The terrorists are willing to harm Darren's daughter, who's being held hostage by the BigBad during the film.

* {{Pittsburgh}}: Though mostly at the stadium. It was filmed there during the 1994–95 NHL lockout. The stadium this took place at was the "Civic Arena" at the time, and later renamed "Mellon Arena" by Mellon Bank. Locals sometimes called it "the Igloo". Since then the Pittsburgh Penguins built a new arena (Consol Arena) across the street. The arena in the film was ripped down in 2012.
** It really could open as shown in the movie, but almost never was used in practice. The designers hadn't factored in how windy it would get inside with the top open, and after a few very windy graduation ceremonies and concerts opening the top was pretty much abandoned. Eventually upper tiers of seats were installed which, while enhancing revenue, hampered the ability to open the dome.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: While the time period isn't stated, the idea of keeping a media blackout on the situation was a little ridiculous back in 1995, and even more so in the age of everywhere Internet access.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: {{Creator/Netflix}} streaming listed this as taking place at a ''baseball'' game.

* AlternateTimeline: The movie is set some time in June 1995, during game 7 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks. It was filmed before the 1994-95 NHL season even started, and the two teams that actually played during that season's championship round were the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils. The latter team won the championship and the series in only 4 games. Both Pittsburgh and Chicago made it to the playoffs that season, but were eliminated in the first and second rounds, respectively, Pittsburgh lost to the Devils.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: {{Netflix}} streaming listed this as taking place at a ''baseball'' game.