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	...	David Grant
Steven Seagal	...	Lt. Col. Austin Travis
Halle Berry	...	Jean
John Leguizamo	...	Capt. Carlos 'Rat' Lopez
Oliver Platt	...	Dennis Cahill
Joe Morton	...	Sgt. Campbell 'Cappy' Matheny
David Suchet	...	Nagi Hassan
BD Wong	...	Sgt. Louie Jung (as B. D. Wong)
Len Cariou	...	Secretary of Defense Charles White
Whip Hubley	...	Sgt. Michael Baker
Andreas Katsulas	...	El-Sayed Jaffa
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Allison
Marla Maples	...	Nancy (as Marla Maples Trump)
J.T. Walsh	...	Senator Jason Mavros
Ingo Neuhaus	...	Doc

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.

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Plot Keywords:

panic | survival | stealth plane | mission | disaster film | 

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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.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and brief language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Knife maker Jack Crain made the knives used by John Leguizamo and BD Wong. Seagal is carrying a Gerber Mark II dagger, the same knife he used in Under Siege.

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Goofs

It has been claimed that a barometric trigger would not work, because the trigger was in the pressurized section of the hold. The pressure inside an aircraft's cabin does decrease as the plane increases in altitude, although at a slower rate than the pressure outside the plane decreases.

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Quotes

Cappie: If you screw up, you'll never know it.

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Alternate Versions

The German theatrical, video and DVD version has the same cuts as the UK version. Apart from that, all Arabian language has been dubbed into German, whereby all references to Islam and Allah were replaced by more harmless lines.

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Connections

Referenced in Kung Tai Ted: Ninja Death I (2010)

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Soundtracks

Snakes
(uncredited)
Written and Performed By No Doubt

User Reviews

The Pentagon is gonna shoot us down.

Terrorists hijack a jumbo jet with the apparent intention of getting an incarcerated comrade released from captivity. The American government are quick to react, and using a stealth plane, smuggle a crack team of commandos on board the mid-air jet. However, all does not go to plan as the terrorists motives come to light and the commandos are severely hampered by ill fortune and their resourceful foe.

Forget common sense or any semblance of probability, and just accept that Executive Decision is mindless, unadulterated fun. Every hostage/hijack cliché in the book is used by first time director Stuart Baird. From the roll call of character staples-the hero in waiting out of his depth- nerdy electronics geek-heroine trolley-dolly and Gung-Ho soldiers, to the by the numbers set of complications that come our intrepid heroes way. This is simple stuff that, although obviously given added emotional impetus post 9/11, remains a whole slice of tension pie laced with a disaster movie sauce.

Kurt Russell heads the cast as fish out of water suit, Dr. David Grant, and joining him for the malarkey is Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, Joe Morton and Joe Leguizamo. Steven Seagal appears in an uncredited role, a role that in turn will either delight or annoy fans and haters of the pony tailed one. Leave your brain at the check in desk and board this particular jumbo jet. 6.5/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

15 March 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Executive Action

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,069,780, 17 March 1996

Gross USA:

$56,569,216

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$121,969,216

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Silver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1