UNDER SIEGE
A film review by Steve Hastings
Copyright 1992 Steve Hastings
Terrorists have taken over a Navy warship. They control the whole thing, including its cruise missiles and its nuclear warheads. Their plan is going by the numbers. They have only overlooked one thing: the cook.
Steven Segal is the cook, and of course he is no ordinary cook but a former Navy SEAL. The stage is set for lots of gunfights, explosions, and general mayhem.
If any of this sounds like you might like it, you probably will. The movie is well-done for what it is. You never really doubt that the cook will save the day, but there are many surprises along the way. The action scenes are well-done, and Segal doesn't ruin things by overacting.
One thing I didn't expect: the background for the action, the Navy warship, is a major part of the appeal of the movie. I enjoyed seeing the action move all over the ship. I particularly enjoyed a sequence involving the main guns -- able to propel a shell that weighs as much as a VW Bug for miles, they don't make 'em like that anymore, and I enjoyed getting a close look at them in the movie. Contrast that with the high-tech Phalanx close-in defense system which you also get a close look at. If Naval hardware interests you, you'll enjoy these parts, too.
The plot is good. It doesn't require too much suspension of disbelief; I was wondering how terrorists could take over a warship, but the plot hand-waves that issue nicely.
There is one moment where the buxom blonde is shown bare-breasted. If you blink at the wrong moment you will miss it, so they won't have any trouble rendering this movie nudity-free for the inevitable TV showing. The woman character starts out useless and annoying, but the more the movie goes on the better the script treats her.
Star Trek fans take note: Colm Meany is one of the villains, using language you aren't used to seeing him use as Chief O'Brien.
I saw this movie in THX Dolby Digital Stereo; the sound was awesome, from explosions that shook me in my seat to the little pinging noises empty cartridges made as they hit the deck. This very much added to my enjoyment of the movie. By all means see this on the big screen.
If you enjoy violent action movies, I recommend this at full ticket prices.
-- Steve "I don't speak for Microsoft" Hastings uunet!microsoft!steveha steveha@microsoft.uucp
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