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Executive Decision

  • 1996
  • R
  • 2h 13m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
64K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,341
966
Kurt Russell in Executive Decision (1996)
Home Video Trailer from Warner Bros. Pictures
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
99+ Photos
Political ThrillerActionAdventureThriller

When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation.When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation.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
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    64K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,341
    966
    • Director
      • Stuart Baird
    • Writers
      • Jim Thomas
      • John Thomas
    • Stars
      • Kurt Russell
      • Halle Berry
      • Steven Seagal
    • 214User reviews
    • 40Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Executive Decision
    Trailer 2:19
    Executive Decision

    Photos113

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    Top cast73

    Edit
    Kurt Russell
    Kurt Russell
    • David Grant
    Halle Berry
    Halle Berry
    • Jean
    Steven Seagal
    Steven Seagal
    • Lt. Colonel Austin Travis
    John Leguizamo
    John Leguizamo
    • Rat
    Oliver Platt
    Oliver Platt
    • Cahill
    Joe Morton
    Joe Morton
    • Cappy
    David Suchet
    David Suchet
    • Nagi Hassan
    BD Wong
    BD Wong
    • Louie
    • (as B. D. Wong)
    Len Cariou
    Len Cariou
    • Secretary of Defense Charles White
    Whip Hubley
    Whip Hubley
    • Baker
    Andreas Katsulas
    Andreas Katsulas
    • Jaffa
    Mary Ellen Trainor
    Mary Ellen Trainor
    • Allison
    Marla Maples
    Marla Maples
    • Nancy
    • (as Marla Maples Trump)
    J.T. Walsh
    J.T. Walsh
    • Senator Mavros
    Ingo Neuhaus
    Ingo Neuhaus
    • Doc
    William James Jones
    • Catman
    Paul Collins
    • Nelson
    Nicholas Pryor
    Nicholas Pryor
    • Secretary of State Jack Douglas
    • Director
      • Stuart Baird
    • Writers
      • Jim Thomas
      • John Thomas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews214

    6.563.5K
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    Featured reviews

    8Katz5

    Escapism with a touch of reality

    I saw this in 1996 and thought it was extremely entertaining--an action movie with emphasis on suspense over shoot-em-up thrillers and explosions. Seeing it again, after the events in the past 4 years, is a different experience. Some of the fictional dialog has actually been quoted by fanatics in the news. I had the same reaction with Black Sunday with Robert Shaw. A movie meant as pure escapism is now more like "what if." Executive Decision does ask you to suspend disbelief several times, especially near the end. I would rank it up with Air Force One, which came out a year later and delivers the same type of "suspense over explosions" entertainment. And this film deserves extra kudos for making the ones that save the world a bit on the "misfit" side (Oliver Platt, John Leguizamo, Joe Morton, BD Wong, and yes, even Kurt Russell). Another nice slimy role for late character actor JT Walsh. And David Suchet makes a scary villain. Like the best villains (Alan Rickman from Die Hard comes to mind), he can be charming and terrifying at the same time.
    8counterrevolutionary

    Even Seagal is good!

    A fun, tense, and exciting action/thriller with an excellent ensemble cast, headed by Kurt Russell and including Halle Berry, David Suchet, and John Leguizamo.

    Even Steven Seagal does a creditable job, mainly because this isn't a "Steven Seagal movie." His supporting role permits him to do what he does best (which isn't acting). He doesn't have to pretend to be witty, there's none of that awful smirking he does in a vain attempt to show emotion, the camera doesn't caress his body, and there's not one speech about how gol-dang *good* his character is. He even manages to enunciate his lines clearly!

    The plot might have seemed a little far-fetched when the movie was released, but not anymore.

    I'm not even much of an action film fan, but this one is really a lot of fun.
    7hitchcockthelegend

    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
    fischcj

    Different After 9/11

    Like my review of "Air Force One", the counterpart of this movie which came out the following year, this movie takes on a whole new element in the post 9/11 world. When released, a terrorist taking control of an airplane and using it against American Citezens as a bomb seemed the stuff Hollywood would make up and produce. After those shocking events, however, the movie takes on a quality of realism that it didn't before, and unlike the aforementioned "Air Force One", is superior in many ways.

    First off, the cast: Kurt Russell, Steven Seagal, and the star-to-be Halle Berry star. Russell proves himself as a versatile Character Actor. Afterall, his previous role was that of a Special Operations Soldier in the Sci-Fi hit "Stargate", and in this movie he plays an intelligence analyst whom Special Operations Soldiers despise, and pulls it off well. Seagal completely convinces you he is the Soldiers Soldier that he is supposed to be. And Halle Berry, well, she deserves that Oscar she later won, and her abilities are showcased here. She was not the star then that she is today, and this is perhaps one of her many breakout appearances.

    Second, all branches of the Armed Forces (save the Marine Corps) have a chance to shine in this movie. It shows a true devotion among the men who serve the United States. The Special Ops guys are Army, the delivery pilot is Air Force and the Tomcat Pilots are Naval Aviators along the lines of Maverick from "Top Gun".

    In conclusion, this is a good movie that is under-rated, and in the wake of 9/11, seems that much more real.
    8JoH-2

    Suspense and plot twists for everyone...

    I enjoyed this one. Sure there were some implausible things: the speed of the counter-action, the strange fact that a complete change of the aerodynamics of a stealth bomber seems to cause zero disturbance... But all in all it was well within bearable limits. Don't expect to see a 100% realistic plot in a movie that is supposed to contain heros! In reality, they usually get shot or explode before they have the chance to become one :-)

    Critical Decisions has a more than adequate mix of suspense, better-than-horrible acting, plot twists and mild humor to relieve the tension. Whereas a lot of movies in the same genre totally screw up one or more of those aspects. I'm thinking about the terribly balanced "humor" in The Rock, for example. Killing all tension and involvement..

    8/10

    JoH

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally Halle Berry refused the part in this movie, but said yes when she was offered $1 million for the job. This was her first million-dollar payment for a film.
    • Goofs
      Armed federal air marshals aren't listed as such on passenger manifests, since their modus operandi (and the extent to which they are used on commercial airplanes) is classified.
    • Quotes

      Rat: I hope there's a good movie on this flight.

    • 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.
    • Connections
      Edited into Diagnosis Murder: Murder in the Air (1997)
    • 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

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    FAQ23

    • How long is Executive Decision?Powered by Alexa
    • What is Executive Decision about?
    • What are the differences between the British BBFC 15 version and the uncut version?
    • So what happens to the pilot of the Stealth plane after he ejects?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 15, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
    • Also known as
      • Momento crítico
    • Filming locations
      • Alverno High School - 200 North Michillinda Avenue, Sierra Madre, California, USA(Chechen Mafia House)
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • Silver Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $55,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $56,569,216
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $12,069,780
      • Mar 17, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $121,969,216
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 13 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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