Director:
Stuart BairdCámara:
Alex ThomsonMúsica:
Jerry GoldsmithReparto:
Kurt Russell, Steven Seagal, Halle Berry, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt, Joe Morton, David Suchet, BD Wong, Len Cariou, Whip Hubley, Andreas Katsulas (más)Sinopsis(1)
Un conocido terrorista islámico es detenido. Tras ser entregado a las autoridades norteamericanas, miembros de su grupo negocian su liberación, después de cometer un atentado en Londres y secuestrar un avión Boeing 747 lleno de pasajeros en el que embarcan una bomba de gas nervioso que tienen intención de hacer explotar en Washington. (Warner Bros. España)
(más)Reseñas (4)
We all have our kinks, and mine is a fondness for this parade of all sorts of clichés. Despite its dumbness, it's a surprisingly entertaining drama about an anti-terrorist unit fighting against plane hijackers. David "Hercule Poirot" Suchet is properly nasty and fanatical, Ken Russell hasn't had a role this good in a long time, and Steven Seagal is most enjoyable as he glides through the air to somewhere far away. Decent entertainment, which you can forgive even a typically Hollywood far-fetched ending.
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No no no. Oddly enough, it sticks together nicely, and the action scenes work exactly the way they're supposed to. Steven Seagal has finally been given a fitting role, and before he can break his first criminal hand (and thus take part the traditional action dementia of his last period), he is taken out of the picture and other players take over the game. At first glance, this is about a dorky (but otherwise heroic, of course) agent in the standard version played by Kurt Russell, sexy stewardess Halle Berry (she is a good actress), Hercule Poirot with a shaved mustache, a non-Belgian accent and a tendency to use triggers instead of gray brain cells. Stuart Baird sticking clippings of other people's films side by side doesn't matter, because his collage holds together decently and leads the viewer to a well-thought-out but still entertaining finale in which Kurt Rusell conquers the honor and heart of a beautiful stewardess. That's the way it's supposed to be. At least on Friday around 1:00 am, anyway.
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The move with Steven Seagal ultimately proved to be a big plus, as the heroism portrayed by Kurt Russell is far more more spontaneous and therefore more interesting and thrilling. Seagal doesn't steal the show and we only reminisce about the old good times in the opening sequence, where he stylishly takes care of three guys with a knife, followed by a home cleaning. The action is surprisingly realistically filmed (no long shootouts, but fast-paced edited sequences) and the plot is packed from the very first minute. The members of the team are likeable and the plot follows a relatively logical path, without exaggerated heroism or pathos. David Suchet is a fantastic villain and Halle Berry is a likeable flight attendant. The only disappointing part is the annoyingly drawn-out ending with the database. A pleasant addition to action thrillers.
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Every once in a while, it's nice to watch a film where you don't have to think too hard, especially when it offers a great throwback to the '90s, when such films frequently appeared in theaters. Seagal was quite a joke, and I’d guess most viewers went to the movie theater mainly for him, so I’d personally want a refund. Just getting rid of such a name in that way (the escape from the pressure chamber was almost comical) was amusing. But back to the review. The story is a million times overused, featuring a bomb that threatens American citizens' lives. However, I liked the execution; the special effects were above average for 1996 and didn’t hurt my eyes at all. The cast was top-notch, with Kurt Russell delivering a solid performance and confirming his quality. David Suchet as the villain was convincing in his role. It’s not a groundbreaking film, but it has a few intense moments, interesting music, and overall a decent pace. It will never be a hit, but it’s enough for short-term entertainment. I give it 65%.
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