Executive Decision (1996)

When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation.

Director:

Stuart Baird

Writers:

Jim Thomas, John Thomas

Stars:

Kurt Russell, Halle Berry, Steven Seagal

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kurt Russell	...	Dr. David Grant
Steven Seagal	...	Lt. Colonel Austin Travis
Halle Berry	...	Jean, Flight Attendant
John Leguizamo	...	Rat
Oliver Platt	...	Dennis Cahill
Joe Morton	...	Sergeant 'Cappy' Matheny
BD Wong	...	Sergeant Louie (as B. D. Wong)
Len Cariou	...	Secretary of Defense Charles White
Whip Hubley	...	Sergeant Baker
Andreas Katsulas	...	El Sayed Jaffa
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Allison, Flight Attendant
Marla Maples	...	Nancy, Flight Attendant (as Marla Maples Trump)
J.T. Walsh	...	Senator Mavros
Ingo Neuhaus	...	Doc
William James Jones	...	Catman

Storyline

Terrorists take over a 747 bound from Athens to Washington D.C., supposedly to effect the release of their leader. Intelligence expert David Grant suspects another reason and convinces the military that the 'plane should not be allowed to enter U.S. airspace. An assault mission is devised, using a specially equipped 'plane designed for mid-air crew transfers, and Grant finds himself aboard the 747 with a team of military anti-terrorists who have to defuse a bomb and overpower the terrorists.

---

Plot Keywords:

plane | military | terrorist | hostage | bomb | 

---

Taglines:

Five miles above the earth, an elite team of six men must make an air to air transfer, in order to save 400 lives on board a 747... and 40 million below.

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and brief language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 March 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Einsame Entscheidung

Filming Locations:

Alverno High School - 200 North Michillinda Avenue, Sierra Madre, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,204,433 (UK) (17 May 1996)

Gross:

JPY 153,472,300 (Japan) (29 November 1996)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Silver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steven Seagal isn't named in the opening credits.

---

Goofs

Shortly after the pilot discovers the American soldiers, he goes back to the cockpit. A section of blue screen can briefly be seen at one point.

---

Quotes

Dr. David Grant: It's over.
Nagi Hassan: Over? It's not over. (Grant holds up the detonator).
Dr. David Grant: It's over.
Nagi Hassan: Who are you?
Dr. David Grant: No-one.
Nagi Hassan: You're very clever, but you're too late. You've solved nothing.
[fires his gun into the cockpit]

---

Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: Half Past Dead (2011)

---

Soundtracks

IT'S NICE TO GO TRAV'LING
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen (as James Van Heusen)
Performed by Frank Sinatra
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under Licence from CEMA Special Markets

User Reviews

one word: dynamite!

Slam-bang thriller is an intense, pulse-pounding thrill ride from beginning to end. Russell stars as a smart but inexperienced intelligence analyst who's given the task of a lifetime when he, along with a group of rugged Special Forces commandos, must board an American 747 in midair after it's hijacked by ruthless international terrorists. It's a race against time as they must not only ensure the safety of all the passengers, but retake the plane before it can reach the U.S. eastern seaboard. Swift direction, exciting, skillful action sequences, endless suspense, and rock solid performances make this wild ride of a movie a definite must for action fans. ***