Readers, believe it or not: there used to be a time when Hollywood could be relied on for being complimentary of all branches of the United States military machine.
Now, this isn’t to suggest in any way that such studio productions were all ‘rah-rah-sis-boom-bah!’ Producers, directors, and screenwriters still took issue with the national military apparatus and their various missions or campaigns in a great many features spaced out across the Cold War and well into the Reagan Presidency. My point is that there was also room for stories that celebrated the bravado, machismo, and heroism of the brave men and women who wore the uniform and even sometimes died for their country. Not all of it was based in reality – a good number of pictures were entirely fictional though sometimes based on a kernel of truth – but the studio system generally allowed for heroes to be heroes because the mighty dollar of box office returns spoke louder than did the institutional critics who couldn’t stand for any flag-waving on their collective watch.
Somewhere in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Tinseltown’s driving sentiments started to drift into some darker territory. Cultural watershed moments like Vietnam and Watergate started to seep into stories and themes, often times meaning that anyone in service to the government – including soldiers – couldn’t and shouldn’t be portrayed as courageous so pervasively. Why, these folks were as crooked and corrupt as the institutions they served, and this development pushed a great number of otherwise pro-military scripts into turnaround or saw their budgets so dramatically slashed that few talents could do justice to what was envisioned. These pro-Army, pro-Navy, pro-Air Force, and pro-Marines adventures continued, but they largely found life in the realm of B-Movies. Yes, there were exceptions – as 1986’s Top Gun proved definitively that viewers were still interested – but the norm was that the American military industrial complex should receive little positive praise in the years ahead.
Surprisingly, the movers and shakers behind 1992’s Under Siege apparently never got the memo. If they did get it, thank God they ignored it.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Ex US Navy Seal turned cook, Casey Ryback, is the only person who can stop a group of terrorists when they seize control of the US battleship The Missouri to obtain it's nuclear warheads.”
Near the beginning of his career on the silver screen, Steven Seagal proved that – against all odds – he was a force to be reckoned with in many, many, many more ways than one. His skills as a martial artist were reasonably unmatched onscreen; and – though his dramatic range was decidedly limited – the actor and athlete still managed to break through the usual Hollywood noise to build a small but faithful following amongst moviegoers. While it may not have lasted as long as he hoped for, the truth remains that those first handful of flicks were the kind of thing that audiences wanted. He made a living off of bringing the ultimate killing machine and underestimated underdog to every outing, and kudos to the man for both knowing and respecting constraints. On him, it all looked good.
1992’s Under Siege was the kind of vehicle that studios used to do very well. It was decidedly pro-government, with J.F. Lawton’s script cleverly reminding us that, yes, institutions trafficked in some dark territory but also somehow managed to build patriots of unquestionable character to serve in times of strife. Director Andrew Davis took great advantage of shooting locations – an aircraft carrier, some subterranean facility housing the heads of the military, etc. – and, by keeping things lean and mean, kept the focus lightly on character while pushing just enough action sequences to keep watchers interested. Sure, there were a few nefarious baddies – one even in uniform – but was there ever any doubt that any of the villains involved were destined to be dispatched in some grisly demise? I don’t think so … and that’s just what happened.
Ryback (played by Seagal) is a former Navy SEAL who – by his own characteristic insubordination – has been busted all the way back to the lowest rank possible. Because his service has earned him friends in the right places, Captain Adams (Patrick O’Neal) wouldn’t allow for the soldier to be drummed out of the Navy and, instead, allows the man to serve out the remainder of his tenure as the chief cook aboard the USS Missouri. Of course, it helps that Ryback is a surprisingly good chef, but his continued flippant attitude nevertheless has him constantly at odds with other members of the administrative staff, especially Commander Krill (Gary Busey).
Hoping to surprise Adams for his birthday, Krill has arranged for not only a rock’n’roll band – headlined by William Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones) – to come aboard the ship but also he’s importing a lavish dinner spread for which Ryback’s services will not be needed. Krill has even opted to sneak Playboy Playmate Jordan Tate (real-life Playboy model and actress Erika Eleniak), hoping to have the lovely lady – sans some clothing – pop out of a giant birthday cake at the start of the festivities. Not long the big shebang is supposed to begin, a disagreement between Krill and Ryback leaves the cook sequestered into the kitchen’s meat locker over his non-compliance with an order from a superior officer … and I suspect, at this point, everyone knew that Seagal’s character would be free to ‘do his thing’ once terrorists seized the Missouri and turned it into the United States’ worst nightmare: a nuclear-weapon-laden vessel in the hands of our enemies.
Naturally, there’s a great deal more to Under Siege, but what works here most effectively is how the film is the spiritual descendent of 1989’s Die Hard. In that picture, police veteran John McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself locked inside the Nakatomi Towers on Christmas Eve where terrorists have taken hostages and are seeking some unimaginable ransom. Because McClane wasn’t officially on any guest list, he’s free to run about in the background, at every turn trying to either outsmart or outshoot the bad guys who weren’t anticipating any kind of internal resistance. Seagal’s Ryback is essentially cast in that same mold – a veteran soldier who can match wits with the flock of CIA-trained operatives schooled in seizing foreign military resources – and he’s constantly staying one step ahead of the criminals throughout the flick.
Granted, Under Siege isn’t exactly a Die Hard clone. While it might stick to much of the same architecture, its second half has Ryback and a handful of soldiers he’s rescued going about some serious MacGyver tactics – a late 1980’s action series that built around a central character who would seemingly build a timebomb from things found in your mother’s kitchen cupboard – and, alas, not a good deal of it gets adequately explained. As such, the audience is left to watch and discover what the cook and his cohorts are up to; and I think Lawton’s script could’ve used a little helpful exposition. But when the chips are down for the big finale, you’d be a fool to not bet on Ryback and his merry band of men and their Playboy Playmate as, together, they prove themselves more than capable of taking up whatever patriotic task is required.
Under Siege (1992) was produced by Warner Bros., Regency Enterprises, Le Studio Canal+, Alcor Films, and Arnon Milchan Productions. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Arrow Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that the provided sights and sounds are pretty damn spiffy: Davies fills each frame to its fullest, cleverly using the potentially claustrophobic confines of the military ship to great effect. It’s an exceptionally well-photographed picture, and the upgrade looks wonderful. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts an audio commentary along with several newly-produced interviews, all of which are good for a listening but none really add anything earth-shattering in any respect. Still, it’s worth it for those thinking of making the leap.
Strongly Recommended.
While it would be easy to dismiss something like Under Siege (1992) for being a bit saccharin and over-the-top – both mostly owed to Busey and Jones’ screen-chewing presence here – I have nothing but respect for what Davis, Lawton, and Seagal achieved here. It’s that rare middle-of-the-road actioner that knows what it’s meant to be, sticks to its formula, and manages to hit the landing. Secondary character casting is even pretty damn impressive, filling out the flick with a cadre of actors you’ve likely seen before but don’t know their names (not an insult, just being honest). Lastly, Under Siege is that breath of fresh air – that mild throwback to when Hollywood didn’t feel bad about producing something admittedly pro-military – and I’d love to see a return to more of those days in the years ahead. Call me old-fashioned, but I love it.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Arrow Films provided me with a complimentary UltraHD Blu-ray copy of Under Siege (1992) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Now, this isn’t to suggest in any way that such studio productions were all ‘rah-rah-sis-boom-bah!’ Producers, directors, and screenwriters still took issue with the national military apparatus and their various missions or campaigns in a great many features spaced out across the Cold War and well into the Reagan Presidency. My point is that there was also room for stories that celebrated the bravado, machismo, and heroism of the brave men and women who wore the uniform and even sometimes died for their country. Not all of it was based in reality – a good number of pictures were entirely fictional though sometimes based on a kernel of truth – but the studio system generally allowed for heroes to be heroes because the mighty dollar of box office returns spoke louder than did the institutional critics who couldn’t stand for any flag-waving on their collective watch.
Somewhere in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Tinseltown’s driving sentiments started to drift into some darker territory. Cultural watershed moments like Vietnam and Watergate started to seep into stories and themes, often times meaning that anyone in service to the government – including soldiers – couldn’t and shouldn’t be portrayed as courageous so pervasively. Why, these folks were as crooked and corrupt as the institutions they served, and this development pushed a great number of otherwise pro-military scripts into turnaround or saw their budgets so dramatically slashed that few talents could do justice to what was envisioned. These pro-Army, pro-Navy, pro-Air Force, and pro-Marines adventures continued, but they largely found life in the realm of B-Movies. Yes, there were exceptions – as 1986’s Top Gun proved definitively that viewers were still interested – but the norm was that the American military industrial complex should receive little positive praise in the years ahead.
Surprisingly, the movers and shakers behind 1992’s Under Siege apparently never got the memo. If they did get it, thank God they ignored it.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Ex US Navy Seal turned cook, Casey Ryback, is the only person who can stop a group of terrorists when they seize control of the US battleship The Missouri to obtain it's nuclear warheads.”
Near the beginning of his career on the silver screen, Steven Seagal proved that – against all odds – he was a force to be reckoned with in many, many, many more ways than one. His skills as a martial artist were reasonably unmatched onscreen; and – though his dramatic range was decidedly limited – the actor and athlete still managed to break through the usual Hollywood noise to build a small but faithful following amongst moviegoers. While it may not have lasted as long as he hoped for, the truth remains that those first handful of flicks were the kind of thing that audiences wanted. He made a living off of bringing the ultimate killing machine and underestimated underdog to every outing, and kudos to the man for both knowing and respecting constraints. On him, it all looked good.
1992’s Under Siege was the kind of vehicle that studios used to do very well. It was decidedly pro-government, with J.F. Lawton’s script cleverly reminding us that, yes, institutions trafficked in some dark territory but also somehow managed to build patriots of unquestionable character to serve in times of strife. Director Andrew Davis took great advantage of shooting locations – an aircraft carrier, some subterranean facility housing the heads of the military, etc. – and, by keeping things lean and mean, kept the focus lightly on character while pushing just enough action sequences to keep watchers interested. Sure, there were a few nefarious baddies – one even in uniform – but was there ever any doubt that any of the villains involved were destined to be dispatched in some grisly demise? I don’t think so … and that’s just what happened.
Ryback (played by Seagal) is a former Navy SEAL who – by his own characteristic insubordination – has been busted all the way back to the lowest rank possible. Because his service has earned him friends in the right places, Captain Adams (Patrick O’Neal) wouldn’t allow for the soldier to be drummed out of the Navy and, instead, allows the man to serve out the remainder of his tenure as the chief cook aboard the USS Missouri. Of course, it helps that Ryback is a surprisingly good chef, but his continued flippant attitude nevertheless has him constantly at odds with other members of the administrative staff, especially Commander Krill (Gary Busey).
Hoping to surprise Adams for his birthday, Krill has arranged for not only a rock’n’roll band – headlined by William Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones) – to come aboard the ship but also he’s importing a lavish dinner spread for which Ryback’s services will not be needed. Krill has even opted to sneak Playboy Playmate Jordan Tate (real-life Playboy model and actress Erika Eleniak), hoping to have the lovely lady – sans some clothing – pop out of a giant birthday cake at the start of the festivities. Not long the big shebang is supposed to begin, a disagreement between Krill and Ryback leaves the cook sequestered into the kitchen’s meat locker over his non-compliance with an order from a superior officer … and I suspect, at this point, everyone knew that Seagal’s character would be free to ‘do his thing’ once terrorists seized the Missouri and turned it into the United States’ worst nightmare: a nuclear-weapon-laden vessel in the hands of our enemies.
Naturally, there’s a great deal more to Under Siege, but what works here most effectively is how the film is the spiritual descendent of 1989’s Die Hard. In that picture, police veteran John McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself locked inside the Nakatomi Towers on Christmas Eve where terrorists have taken hostages and are seeking some unimaginable ransom. Because McClane wasn’t officially on any guest list, he’s free to run about in the background, at every turn trying to either outsmart or outshoot the bad guys who weren’t anticipating any kind of internal resistance. Seagal’s Ryback is essentially cast in that same mold – a veteran soldier who can match wits with the flock of CIA-trained operatives schooled in seizing foreign military resources – and he’s constantly staying one step ahead of the criminals throughout the flick.
Granted, Under Siege isn’t exactly a Die Hard clone. While it might stick to much of the same architecture, its second half has Ryback and a handful of soldiers he’s rescued going about some serious MacGyver tactics – a late 1980’s action series that built around a central character who would seemingly build a timebomb from things found in your mother’s kitchen cupboard – and, alas, not a good deal of it gets adequately explained. As such, the audience is left to watch and discover what the cook and his cohorts are up to; and I think Lawton’s script could’ve used a little helpful exposition. But when the chips are down for the big finale, you’d be a fool to not bet on Ryback and his merry band of men and their Playboy Playmate as, together, they prove themselves more than capable of taking up whatever patriotic task is required.
Under Siege (1992) was produced by Warner Bros., Regency Enterprises, Le Studio Canal+, Alcor Films, and Arnon Milchan Productions. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Arrow Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that the provided sights and sounds are pretty damn spiffy: Davies fills each frame to its fullest, cleverly using the potentially claustrophobic confines of the military ship to great effect. It’s an exceptionally well-photographed picture, and the upgrade looks wonderful. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts an audio commentary along with several newly-produced interviews, all of which are good for a listening but none really add anything earth-shattering in any respect. Still, it’s worth it for those thinking of making the leap.
Strongly Recommended.
While it would be easy to dismiss something like Under Siege (1992) for being a bit saccharin and over-the-top – both mostly owed to Busey and Jones’ screen-chewing presence here – I have nothing but respect for what Davis, Lawton, and Seagal achieved here. It’s that rare middle-of-the-road actioner that knows what it’s meant to be, sticks to its formula, and manages to hit the landing. Secondary character casting is even pretty damn impressive, filling out the flick with a cadre of actors you’ve likely seen before but don’t know their names (not an insult, just being honest). Lastly, Under Siege is that breath of fresh air – that mild throwback to when Hollywood didn’t feel bad about producing something admittedly pro-military – and I’d love to see a return to more of those days in the years ahead. Call me old-fashioned, but I love it.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Arrow Films provided me with a complimentary UltraHD Blu-ray copy of Under Siege (1992) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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