EXECUTIVE DECISION: More Than an Enjoyable Action Movie

As the legend goes, at the beginning of the decline of this boom, Steven decided to make a breakthrough in his career – he decided that in his next movie, unexpectedly… he would die. And indeed – after just over half an hour of the film, the crowds in theaters were rubbing their eyes in astonishment after our brave hero heroically sacrificed his life for Kurt Russell and his team (who, in turn, had to complete an important mission). This is not exactly a spoiler, because this plot twist became well-known even before the premiere in 1996 – and even among people who had never seen the film. Besides, even today, everyone remembers Executive Decision mainly thanks to that scene. Kurt Russell? Halle Berry? Hercule Poirot killing the unfaithful? Eee… but did you know that Seagal dies in it? That’s how legends are born.

Of course, this is only partly true, because on the set of Stuart Baird’s directorial debut – an acclaimed editor of, among others, Lethal Weapon 2 and The Last Boy Scout – convincing the sensei to let himself be killed was not easy. Originally, this scene was supposed to differ from the final version, and Seagal’s Lieutenant Colonel Austin Travis was supposed to die in a terrible accident. Ready? Due to decompression, his head was supposed to… explode. Yes, that’s right! Steven Seagal was supposed to do his own solo version of Scanners! Personally, I’d expect at least an Oscar nomination for something like that (not to mention a Nobel Prize). But with a star like him, and with America, you don’t negotiate, so the whole thing was rewritten and now Seagal dies in a noble cause and out of the goodness of his big heart due to that decompression… flying out of the plane. Without a parachute. Unfortunately, he didn’t receive any awards for that achievement (except for a nomination for a Razzie). However, the film only gained from it. But let’s go step by step…

Shortly after a significant upheaval in the Middle East, Algerian “freedom fighters” take control of a passenger plane of the fictional Oceanic Airlines (full of passengers, just to be clear) and head for the very real Washington (full of unaware Americans, tourists, and illegal immigrants). The big shots in suits and a team of generals must therefore make the titular Executive Decision. So they quickly assemble a team of Kurt Russell, Seagal’s tough guy, and his people, along with the clumsy Oliver Platt, who are tasked with quietly removing any threat with minimal losses… That’s the plot, which also features a super-duper flying and docking machine, deadly gas (as expected!), and the former scout’s girlfriend – the aforementioned Halle Berry.

Despite the somewhat clichéd atmosphere surrounding this work (terrorists, a plane, and a race against time? Boring!), it’s far from another banal and predictable action movie, which were flooding the market at the time (just think of Delta Force, Passenger 57, Air Force One, or Turbulence). The script by Jim and John Thomas – who are credited with the famous Predator – is full of smaller or larger twists that allow you to easily immerse yourself in this just over two-hour plot without losing interest for even a second. Moreover, the fact that the main villain here is Nagi Hassan, played by the beloved British crime fan-favorite David Suchet, is a sufficiently attractive surprise.

Furthermore, everything more or less holds together here, and the slight suspension of disbelief that naturally accompanies this type of production does not immediately result in a decrease in the viewer’s intelligence or constant facepalming. Especially when you consider the film from the perspective of the later attacks on the World Trade Center, which innocent society was only five years away from at the time… In its own way, this is a joyful precursor to sad events (much like Tom Clancy’s book Debt of Honor, which was storming bookstores at the time, the sequel of which is titled… Executive Orders). But on the other hand, it’s simply – or rather: above all – really good, entertaining action cinema. And it’s the kind where individual scenes are directing gems, keeping you on the edge of your (not necessarily airplane) seat, perfect for repeated enjoyment even apart from the broader context.

As befits a bombastic project, the technical side of the production is also of importance. Of course, the editing plays a role, which Baird personally supervised along with four other professionals (!!!). The length of the film does not affect the overall pace of the narrative, and the whole thing, through the lens of Alex Thomson (Excalibur, On the Edge, Alien 3), is a real treat to watch, even though the cinematography is merely skilled craftsmanship. Similarly, Jerry Goldsmith’s music doesn’t rise above a certain solid standard – although it must be admitted that the main theme is an immediately unforgettable masterpiece of simplicity. The sharp, predatory-military notes are so distinctive and grand that every time they resonate in the background (which happens very often), the overall sense of awesomeness rises on its own, like a hijacked Boeing 747.

The cherry on top of this flying cake is the cast, in which we find many familiar faces from the American dream factory. Among Travis’s commando team, there are John Leguizamo (Die Hard 2, Carlito’s Way), Joe Morton (Speed, Terminator 2), Whip Hubley (Top Gun, the pool victim of Sil from Species), and BD Wong (the memorable Dr. Wu from Jurassic Park). Besides them, you can also spot Andreas Katsulas, the one-armed man from The Fugitive, Charles Hallahan (Norris from The Thing), Paul Bollen (Die Hard 2, Lethal Weapon 4, Demolition Man, Unlawful Entry, also with Kurt), and the ever-reliable Len Cariou, one of the many Hollywood politicians/military men.

Let’s not forget the unforgettable masters of the supporting roles: Mary Ellen Trainor – Robert Zemeckis’ wife, known for her expressive, episodic roles as the psychologist from Lethal Weapon and its three sequels, the secretary from Action Jackson, and the reporter in Die Hard; and the always negatively cast J.T. Walsh, for whom this was one of four films made together with Russell (the others being Tequila Sunrise, Backdraft, and Incident), and the only one in which they didn’t share any scenes, though paradoxically they were in the same place. A keen eye will also spot Jon Huertas, just beginning his career (from the Castle series), who is listed in the credits under the charming title “Terrorist Sammy,” and sweet Marla Maples – a model and then-wife of… Donald Trump (I wonder if this title is part of the current White House collection).

It must be said that such a cast makes an impression even years later, even if only on nerds, and it’s based mostly on nostalgia (although it’s hard to fault the casting and acting here). And similar little treats – like the fact that Kurt plays an aviation rookie here, even though in reality, the iconic “Snake” Plissken is an experienced pilot with several different licenses – make Executive Decision a must-watch for fans of this type of film, where you can feel at home.

A notable and somewhat ironic fact is that this work, by the true veteran of the genre Joel Silver and Warner Bros., was the result of a deal with the rival Paramount, which sold the script in exchange for… Forrest Gump, which was undergoing production troubles at the time. And although it’s not logically possible to compare the quality of these titles, both studios eventually came out on top. Executive Decision didn’t receive the same recognition as Zemeckis’ film, but it was a seasonal hit. It easily made back its “modest” $55 million budget four times over and entered the genre’s classics almost by the backdoor (through the DVD market).

Like many similar productions of its time, with the advent of the new millennium, Executive Decision fell victim to complete misunderstanding and ceased to be just an innocent entertainment for the masses. However, I don’t think any other action film suffered as much in its clash with reality after the 9/11 attacks as this one – and not just in terms of its R rating (which was too harsh for the material). Over time, the theatrical version was literally censored in the name of political correctness, and now we no longer see the terrorists holding a Quran or performing prayers to Allah. In fact, depending on whether we’re watching the film on TV or in a home version, the religion and the kidnappers’ origin have been suitably hidden not only in the picture but also in the sound by dubbing over the “inconvenient” words. An uncritically stupid, regrettable decision…