Executive Decision [Blu-ray]

Director: Stuart Baird Stuart Baird

Overview

In this action thriller, a group of Islamic terrorists, led by Nagi Hassan (David Suchet), highjacks a 747 jetliner with 400 passengers aboard, but Lt. Col. Austin Travis (Steven Seagal), a United States intelligence agent, is convinced that this isn't an ordinary case of air piracy. His suspicions are soon confirmed; Hassan's men have obtained a large cache of stolen Soviet nerve gas, and they are using the 747 to smuggle the deadly gas into the United States, where they intend to use it to wipe out Washington D.C. and possibly the entire East Coast. As the jet approaches the U. S., engineer Dennis Cahill (Oliver Platt) designs a plan in which a military plane will be able to transfer U.S. soldiers onto the 747 and regain control of the plane and its deadly cargo. However, when Travis dies in the course of the mission, intelligence agent Dr. David Grant (Kurt Russell) is forced to take his place alongside explosives expert Cappy (Joe Morton), commando Rat (John Leguizamo), and stewardess-turned-anti-terrorist Jean (Halle Berry). Executive Decision was the first directorial assignment for veteran film editor Stuart Baird; he cut the film as well.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/08/2011
UPC:	0883929184859
Original Release:	1996
Rating:	R
Source:	Warner Home Video
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:13:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kurt Russell	Dr. David Grant
Halle Berry	Jean
John Leguizamo	Rat
Steven Seagal	Lt. Col. Austin Travis
Oliver Platt	Dennis Cahill
Joe Morton	Cappy
David Suchet	Naji Hassan
B.D. Wong	Louie
Len Cariou	Charles White
Whip Hubley	Baker
J.T. Walsh	Sen. Mavros
Andreas Katsulas	Jaffa
Mary Ellen Trainor	Allison
Marla Maples Trump	Nancy
Ingo Neuhaus	Doc
William James Jones	Catman
Paul Collins	Nelson
Nicholas Pryor	Secretary of State Jack Douglas
Stanley Grover	General Price
Eugene Roche	Admiral Lewis
Ken Jenkins	General Wood
Charles Hallahan	General Sarlow
Dey Young	Gail
Richard Riehle	Air Marshal
Bob Apisa	Demou
Granville Hatcher	Ahmed
Chris Maher	Kahlil
Jay Tavare	Terrorist
Ahmed Ahmed	Terrorist
Shaun Toub	Terrorist
Majed Ibrahim	Terrorist
Jon Huertas	Terrorist
Joey Naber	Terrorist
Paul Bollen	Fire Fighter
Ray Baker	747 Captain
Michael Milhoan	747 First Officer
Julie Wright	Flight Attendant
Sunni Boswell	Flight Attendant
Gregg Artz	Assistant to Senator Mavros
Will Schaub	Assistant to Senator Mavros
Yvonne Zima	Little Girl
Marianne Muellerleile	Diabetic Woman
Brad Blaisdell	Beckings Institute Aide
Don Fischer	Remora Pilot
John Rixey Moore	Flight Instructor
Warren Munson	American Ambassador
Lance August	American Embassy Duty Officer
Maggie Egan	CNN Reporter
James Victor	Spider
Tim Kelleher	Bulldog
David Birznieks	Fire Fighter
Nick Jameson	London Maitre D'
Juan Fernandez	London Bomber
Todd Jeffries	Collins
Joe Cook	Chechen
Ilia Volokh	Chechen
Blair Valk	Yugoslavian Girl
Joseph Makkar	Arab Co-Pilot
Damon Lee	Translator
Jayne Walter	London Hostess
Robert Londberg	Diamond Smuggler
Edmond Brown	FBI Agent
Michelle Boudreau	Party Girl
Kurt Kohler	MP
Jeffrey Senour	Helicopter Pilot
Dentis McDaniel	Helicopter Pilot
Bruce Ross	Helicopter Pilot
Leslie E. Smith	Helicopter Pilot
Kevin Eldridge	Helicopter Pilot
John Hardy	Helicopter Pilot

Technical Credits

Jim Thomas

Stuart Baird	Director
Peter Donen	Special Effects
Cathy Sandrich Gelfond	Casting
Amanda Mackey Johnson	Casting
Ken Pepiot	Special Effects
Steve Perry	Executive Producer
Joel Silver	Producer
Jim Thomas	Producer,Screenwriter,Screenwriter,Executive Producer
Dick Ziker	Stunts

Editorial Reviews

Inventive plot twists are the highlight of this action-thriller from screenwriter brothers Jim Thomas and John Thomas of Predator and longtime film editor-turned-director Stuart Baird. A running time that stretches on far too long for such thin material, wooden acting from some of the performers (notably Marla Maples in her screen debut), and occasionally laughable dialogue keep the film from achieving must-see status. Baird and his scribes have created a serviceable and tense popcorn picture, though, one likely to be enjoyed by the lowest common denominator at which it's squarely aimed. Though Steven Seagal leaves something to be desired as a performer as per usual, his is stunt casting. The rest of the cast is perfectly acceptable, led by Kurt Russell in the role that James Spader played opposite him in Stargate, a film that Executive Decision resembles to no small extent. Though some of the story developments don't hold much logical water, this is a film that crackles along on its own loopy energy, to be enjoyed with brain securely switched in the "off" position.

All Movie Guide - Karl Williams