Starring: Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, Erika Eleniak, Patrick O'Neal
Director: Andrew Davis
Producers: Arnon Milchan, Steven Reuther, Steven Seagal
Cinematography: Frank Tidy
Music: Gary Chang
Released by Warner Brothers
There's good news and bad news about Under Siege. The good news is that it's Steven Seagal's best movie to date. The bad news is that it's still considerably below the current high level of action and excitement established by the best of the recent entries into the genre.
Some have called this film a cross between The Hunt for Red October and Die Hard, but similarities are purely superficial. Certainly, the intelligent writing and detailed characters of those films are missing. Also, while there may be as much flash and bang as in the most technologically-accomplished of the action breed, the level of excitement is dramatically down.
Under Siege is occasionally fun to watch for those who like to see the good guys win, but amidst all the gunfights and explosions, there aren't many thrills. There's never a moment when you think Seagal's life might be in danger, and precious few occasions when you wonder how he's going to get out of a tight situation.
Interestingly enough, when the movie works, it does so in spite of its star. Seagal sleepwalks through the role, displaying absolutely no versatility or emotion. He has all the screen presence of a zombie, and one wonders how this man got to be so popular so fast. His co-stars, Gary Busy and Tommy Lee Jones, are far more entertaining. Jones delights by running around chewing up the scenery in a wildly campy performance.
Under Siege is the sort of action film that can be fun if you stumble into it without any grand expectations. However, it isn't the sort of movie worth making a special trip for. Seagal lacks the ability to lift this movie above so many similar -- and equally familiar -- pictures.
© 1992 James Berardinelli