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Under Siege (1992)

DVD Cover (Warner Brother)
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Overall Rating 60%
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Ranked #1,691
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Connections: Under Siege

Disgruntled ex-CIA operative Strannix, his assistant Krill and their group of terrorists seize the battleship with nuclear blackmail in mind. They've planned for every contingency but ignore the ship's cook, former Navy SEAL Casey Ryback -- an error that could be fatal. --TMDb
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Review by bluemeanie
Added: August 29, 2007
I know it's difficult to believe, but there was a time when Steven Seagal was a box office draw. His films made money, and one of his most successful was "Under Siege", directed by Andrew Davis, who also brought us the unforgettable classics such as "Above the Law" and "Chain Reaction". But, we can't forget that he also directed the Oscar nominated "The Fugitive" with Harrison Ford. Early in his career, he had a fascination with Seagal and directed him in some of his better roles, most notably Casey Ryback from "Under Siege". Seagal has long since been wanting to reprise this role in a third film, but it just doesn't seem to be happening any time soon.

As Casey Ryback, Seagal stars as a cook on a Navy battleship. When the ship is taken over by terrorists, what the bad guys didn't count on is the cook being a former Navy Seal who knows how to do just about whatever it takes to snap your neck like a twig. Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey star as the two uber-villains, Erika Eleniak as the female interest -- you've got to have one of those. For example, this exchange:

Tate: So, who are you? Are you, like, some special forces guy or something?
Ryback: Nah, I'm just a cook.
Tate: A cook?
Ryback: Just a lowly, lowly cook.
Tate: Oh my God! We're gonna die!

Steven Seagal is firing on all cylinders here. He is always best when he plays the man of few words who just kicks ass in this peaceful, spiritual sort of way. No one can make ass kicking seem as religious as Seagal, and you keep waiting on him to start chanting or something halfway through a roundhouse. A battleship is also a fine location for all the punching and kicking that transpires here. We get to see pots and pans and even the kitchen sink used in a variety of ass kicking methods. And how over-the-top brilliant are Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey? It's wonderful watching both of them share screen time, especially with Busey's smile and Jones' forehead. They could do more damage to Seagal than their fists ever could.

So, when you're sifting through the video store and looking at all the recent Steven Seagal direct to video releases, think back to a time when he was not only a box office draw, but a box office star. His name meant something, around the same time when Jean Claude Van Damme was experiencing the same surge. Seagal was always a different kind of ass kicker -- more introspective and more silent. Silent but deadly. He always took his whippings to the next level, because you're always more afraid of the gun with the pony tail. And if this film did anything, it made us realize that cooks are not to be messed with. They kick ass too.

8/10.
Lucid Dreams #1: Lucid Dreams - added June 1, 2010 at 2:46pm
It's sad that most action stars follow the same patterns over and over again, but for some reason I like it. However, with Steven Seagal I hate almost all of his movies for that very reason. This movie was pretty good, but I found it to be one of his only good movies. 7/10
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