Movie Info
Movie Name: Under Siege
Studio: Regency Enterprises
Genre(s): Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): October 9, 1992
MPAA Rating: R
It’s knife fight time!
The USS Missouri is prepared for decommission and the crew is celebrating…but Commander Krill (Gary Busey) has other plans. Plotting with an ex-CIA operative named Bill Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones), Krill is taking over the Missouri to sells its missiles. Unfortunately, their plan has a wrinkle in the form of Casey Ryback (Steven Seagal), a cook on the USS Missouri, with his own past. Now, Ryback finds himself teamed with a Playmate named Jordan Tate (Erika Eleniak) and the only thing standing between Strannix and Krill.
Directed by Andrew Davis, Under Siege is an action adventure film. The movie was released to positive reviews and received Academy Awards nominations for both Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Sound (losing to Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Last of the Mohicans). It is frequently makes “Best Of” lists for action-adventure films.
I’m the prettiest guy on this ship!
I saw Under Siege when it was release and hadn’t seen it since. Steven Seagal is one of the epitome of the lazy action hero in most of his movies, but surprisingly this movie is a lot of fun and has held up over the years (despite a so-so sequel).
The movie is an action movie and keeps moving. There are a few slow scenes, and I think the ending with Seagal’s rag-tag band of heroes surrounding a computer as Seagal types in codes to deactivate the missiles is pretty weak after an action filled battle. The standard action plot generally is a lot less complex than Under Siege, and Under Siege at least tries to do some different things.
I only strip…by gunpoint!
Steven Seagal is Steven Seagal. He seems to be the same in every movie and this movie is no different. This movie is generally hailed as his best movie, but it really doesn’t have much to do with him. The movie’s fun mostly can be seen in the supporting cast. The idea of a Playboy playmate as back-up is pretty amusing and for the most part Erika Eleniak pulls it off without being too annoying. The real stars of the movie are Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones as the villains. Tommy Lee Jones went on from this to his Academy Award winning turn in The Fugitive in 1993 which was also directed by Davis.
Under Siege is a fun movie and a better than average action film. It is worth checking out if you want a night of mindless action. The movie’s legacy however was tainted by a less than stellar follow-up. 1995’s Under Siege 2: Dark Territory follows the Ryback character as he tries to liberate a train.
