On E List of Movie Reviews

(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)


Executive Decision (1996)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 4/06, 5/22

ExD
4/06: I appreciate Executive Decision for its low-key style as there are no fancy heroes or villains.

Instead, the film is about realism. It's also a well-done thriller with plenty of suspense. Once again, Kurt Russell delivers and is outstanding by playing a cerebral character. I'm surprised but accept Steven Seagal's abrupt departure which is a rarity in cinema history.

All in all, Executive Decision is a superb action-adventure picture with lots of ups and downs, so kudos to Stuart Baird for his fine direction.

5/22: I was impressed with Executive Decision when I first saw it sixteen years ago, and now, it's even better, prompting me to raise my rating from '8' to '9'.

Yes, the early death of Steven Seagal's character is the most shocking part, but they made a wise choice. It somewhat reminds me of what happened to Janet Leigh in Psycho, but Anthony Perkins did a wonderful job the rest of the way. It's what Kurt Russell and others have done, but Halle Berry is terrible. If John Leguizamo seems to have a lot of screen time, it's probably because of Steven Seagal causing problems on the set, and therefore, he had to be cut out.

Executive Decision may be 133 minutes long, but the editing is so good that time isn't a factor. Mainly, it's the suspense and what the best course of action should be. In other words, it's a thinking man's picture, Sometimes, the dialogue is hard to follow, but the action is remarkable although the last fifteen minutes is a bit like Die Hard 2. Nonetheless, Stuart Baird should be praised for making the vision possible.

The concept of a plane hooking up with another plane as shown in the film isn't possible. I think it's due to the infeasibility of both aircrafts staying in place for a long period of time. The danger is letting the connection go any minute which can potentially kill people because of the low cabin pressure.

All in all, Executive Decision is an underrated thriller with plenty of strong cinematic elements.