Under Siege (1992)

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writer (WGA):

J.F. Lawton (written by)

Release Date:

9 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

It's not a job...It's an Adventure!

Plot:

A former SEAL, now cook, is the only person who can stop a gang of terrorists when they sieze control of a US Navy battleship.

Plot Keywords:

Cook | Battleship | Navy Seal | Warhead | Playmate

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Steven Seagal	...	Casey Ryback
Tommy Lee Jones	...	William Stranix
Gary Busey	...	Cmdr. Krill
Erika Eleniak	...	Jordan Tate
Colm Meaney	...	Doumer
Patrick O'Neal	...	Capt. Adams
Andy Romano	...	Adm. Bates
Nick Mancuso	...	Tom Breaker
Damian Chapa	...	Tackman
Troy Evans	...	Granger
David McKnight	...	Flicker
Lee Hinton	...	Cue Ball
Glenn Morshower	...	Ens. Taylor
Leo Alexander	...	Lt. Smart
John Rottger	...	Cmdr. Green
Brad Rea	...	Marine Guard
Michael Welden	...	Lt. Ballard
Bernie Casey	...	Cmdr. Harris
Rickey Pierre	...	Kitchen Helper
Raymond Cruz	...	Ramirez
Duane Davis	...	Johnson
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.	...	Shadow
Richard Jones	...	Pitt
Tom Reynolds	...	Wave
Tom Muzila	...	Cates
Kirk Burroughs	...	Commando
George Cheung	...	Commando (as George Kee Cheung)
Jim Chimento	...	Commando
Craig Dunn	...	Commando
Daniel Dupont	...	Commando
Frank Ferrara	...	Commando
Adam James	...	Commando
Michael Gaylord James	...	Commando
Miguel Nino	...	Commando
David Webster	...	Commando
Gene Barge	...	Bail Jumper
Tony Brown	...	Bail Jumper (as Anthony G. Brown)
Hiram Bullock	...	Bail Jumper
Chris 'Hambone' Cameron	...	Bail Jumper (as Christopher Alan Cameron)
Richard Davis	...	Bail Jumper
Tad Robinson	...	Bail Jumper
Wendall Wayne Stewart	...	Bail Jumper
Tom Wood	...	Pvt. Nash
Jerone Wiggins	...	Sammy Lee
Joseph F. Kosala	...	Engine Room Watch Officer
Ousaun Elam	...	Marine
Pee Wee Piemonte	...	Marine (as Richard Piemonte)
Daniel H. Friedman	...	Spoon
Gregory G. Stump	...	Bridge Officer
David U. Hodges	...	Bridge Watchman
Bruce Bozzi	...	F-18 Pilot
Craig Pinkard	...	Submariner (as Craig A. Pinkard)
Sandy Ward	...	Gunner's Mate Calaway
Conrad E. Palmisano	...	Strike Team Leader
Luis J. Silva	...	Luigi
Michael Des Barres	...	Domiani
Nate Robinson	...	Ship's Doctor
Gary Gardner	...	Marine - San Francisco
Dru Anne Carlson	...	Capt. Spellman (as Drucilla A. Carlson)
Ralph Wesley Carey	...	Naval Aide
Joseph R. John	...	Chief of Staff
Dennis Lipscomb	...	David Trenton, National Security Advisor
Dale Dye	...	Capt. Garza (as Dale A. Dye)
Robert Nichols	...	Col. Sarnac
E. Daniel Corte Jr.	...	CIA Aide
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Marsh	...	Narrator, opening sequence (voice)
Jamie Avera	...	Naval Aircraft Handler (uncredited)
Barbara Bush	...	Herself - Aboard USS Missouri (archive footage) (uncredited)
George Bush	...	Himself - Aboard USS Missouri (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dick Cheney	...	Himself - Aboard USS Missouri (archive footage) (uncredited)
Edmund Druilhet	...	Comando (uncredited)
Tom Druilhet	...	Cajun Sailor (uncredited)
Kamel Krifa	...	Terrorist (uncredited)
Robert D. Parham	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Michael Sansom	...	Mike (uncredited)
Kevin Wayne	...	Submarine terrorist (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Davis

Writing credits (WGA)
J.F. Lawton		(written by)

Produced by
Jack B. Bernstein	....	co-producer
Gary W. Goldstein	....	executive producer (as Gary Goldstein)
J.F. Lawton	....	executive producer
Peter Macgregor-Scott	....	co-producer
Arnon Milchan	....	producer
Steven Reuther	....	producer
Steven Seagal	....	producer
Joel Chernoff	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Gary Chang

Cinematography by
Frank Tidy

Film Editing by
Don Brochu
Robert A. Ferretti
Dov Hoenig
Dennis Virkler

Casting by
Pamela Basker

Production Design by
Bill Kenney

Art Direction by
William Hiney

Set Decoration by
Rick Gentz

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Production Management
P.M. Scott	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Chernoff	....	second unit director
David Kelley	....	second assistant director
Thomas J. Mack	....	first assistant director
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director

Art Department
Clete Cetrone	....	construction foreman
K. Drew Fuller	....	carpenter
Joseph Lallement	....	carpenter
Denny Logan	....	art department
Alan Manzer	....	set designer
Sam Moore	....	property master
Ron Reedy	....	assistant property master
John Rozman	....	set dresser
Sally Thornton	....	set designer
Daniel Turk	....	foreman
Ken White	....	construction foreman (as Kenny White)
Lindanne Lewis	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Bradshaw	....	sound editor (as Bob Bradshaw)
Richard Burton	....	sound editor
Clayton Collins	....	sound editor
Rickley W. Dumm	....	assistant sound editor
Bruce Fortune	....	sound editor
Steven Gerrior	....	first assistant sound editor
Hector C. Gika	....	sound editor (as Hector Gika)
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound editor
Scott D. Jackson	....	supervising foley editor
William Jacobs	....	sound effects editor
Dawn Michelle King	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Kniest	....	sound editor
John Kwiatkowski	....	sound editor (as John Kwaitkowski)
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer
Lance Laurienzo	....	second assistant sound editor
John Leveque	....	supervising sound editor
Trillby Kim Lowe	....	dialogue editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Trillby Kim Lowe	....	sound editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor (as Anthony R. Milch)
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don Mitchell)
Frank A. Montaño	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Frank A. Montano)
Rocky Moriana Jr.	....	sound editor
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	supervising foley editor (as Victoria Sampson)
Kim Secrist	....	sound editor
Janelle Showalter	....	assistant adr editor
Scott D. Smith	....	production sound mixer
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor
Shawn Sykora	....	sound editor
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	sound editor (as Don Warner)
Mark Weber	....	sound mixer: second unit
Richard E. Yawn	....	sound editor
Corey Coken	....	additional adr artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Christopher Briles	....	assistant camera
Christopher Briles	....	special effects assistant
Thomas L. Fisher	....	special effects coordinator
Terry W. King	....	special effects assistant
Andrew Miller	....	special effects foreman
Matsune Suzuki	....	art department: Introvision
Jay King	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Nick Davis	....	visual effects producer
Chris Dawson	....	composite camera operator/visual effects editorial: Introvision
John P. Mesa	....	visual effects cameraman
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor
Liz Radley	....	video & computer graphics supervisor
Charles Wood	....	visual effects art director (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts
Richard L. Blackwell	....	stunts
Tim Card	....	stunts
Binh Dang	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt coordinator (as Jeff Dashnaw)
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts
James Deeth	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunts
Carlos Gonzales	....	stunts
Dick Hancock	....	stunts
Clifford Happy	....	stunt double: Mr. Jones
Tom Harper	....	stunts
Kane Hodder	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
K. Lee Johnson	....	utility stunts
Kevin LaRosa	....	stunts
Anderson Martin	....	stunts
Gary Morgan	....	stunts
Dean Mumford	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
John Rottger	....	stunts
Mark Stefanich	....	stunts
Nils Allen Stewart	....	stunts
Brian J. Williams	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Audie Aragon	....	best boy grip
David S. Campbell	....	first assistant camera
Dick Deats	....	key grip: additional photography
Ziad Doueiri	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
Curtis Failor	....	electrician: second unit
Curtis Failor	....	rigging electrician
Chris Fisher	....	assistant camera
Matt Gulbin	....	grip
Gary Holt	....	director of photography: second unit
Joe Humphreys	....	electrician
Frank Keever	....	rigging key grip
Bob E. Krattiger	....	gaffer
James E. Krattiger	....	lighting technician
Jim Luske	....	cinematographer: Hawaii
Tim Metivier	....	second assistant camera
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera: Hawaii
Greg Patterson	....	best boy rigging grip
Brad Rea	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
Randall Robinson	....	director of photography: additional photography
Bill Soares	....	assistant camera: additional photography, Hawaii
Stephen St. John	....	Steadicam operator
Stephen St. John	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Zoran Veselic	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Shirley Fulton Crumley	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Victoria Bruno	....	costumer
Wingate Jones	....	costume supervisor
Laurie Riley	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Byard	....	assistant editor
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Rolf Fleischmann	....	first assistant editor
William Marrinson	....	assistant editor
Bob Putynkowski	....	color timer
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter
John Reul	....	assistant editor
Frank Sacco	....	consulting editor
Ed Stabile	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Sally Boldt	....	music editor
Sharon Boyle	....	music consultant
Christine Cholvin	....	assistant music editor
Todd Hayen	....	composer: additional music
Todd Hayen	....	conductor
Todd Hayen	....	orchestrator
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor
Brian Reeves	....	music recording & mixing
Ed Stabile	....	assistant music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music recorder: orchestral
Dan Wallin	....	music recorder: orchestral

Transportation Department
Linda Cipperley	....	transportation
Hugh Kelly	....	driver
Timothy Stephens	....	driver

Other crew
Michael Battaglia	....	unit publicist
Howard Fannon	....	assistant propmaster: weapons
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
James Griffin	....	assistant marine coordinator
Moby Griffin	....	marine coordinator
Kurt Hall	....	laboratory technician: Continental Film Laboratories
Laurie Hansen	....	assistant: Mr. Davis
Joe Humphreys	....	set electricity
Sarah Knight	....	production office coordinator: Los Angeles
Bertram McCann	....	marine coordinator
Jim McCarthy	....	post-production accountant
Saty Raghavachary	....	graphics programmer
John Rottger	....	technical advisor
Robert Schick	....	key set production assistant
Ricki L. Stein	....	production accountant
James Stotler	....	assistant marine coordinator
Sarah Nean Bruce	....	production consultant (uncredited)
Jeff Coopwood	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Laura Tiz	....	accounting clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
• Regency Enterprises (in association with)
• Canal+ (as Le Studio Canal+)
• Alcor Films

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Introvision International

Other Companies

• Chicago Audio Works  production sound services
• Continental Film Laboratories  color timing
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• SoundStorm  sound editing
• Technicolor  prints
• Technocrane Ltd.  remote crane

Also Known As:

Dreadnought (USA) (original script title)
Piège en haute mer (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, and for language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Québec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:16+ (Québec) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (VHS rating) | UK:15 (uncut) (cinema release) | UK:18 (uncut) | Norway:15 (cut) (cinema rating) | New Zealand:M | Canada:14A | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (uncut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (Certifitcate #32058) | UK:15 (cut)

Filming Locations:

Fairhope, Alabama, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Patrick O'Neal's final movie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Ryback is preparing to blow up the helicopter on the deck he grabs a name-brand can of paint thinner. Firstly flammables such as this would not just be lying around on a flight deck area. Secondly any substance like this would have come from the Navy supply system and would have a very generic-looking label.

Quotes:

Tom Breaker: Look, Bill, if this is about reliving the 60's, you can forget about it, buddy. The movement is dead.
William Strannix: Yes, of course! Hence the name: movement. It moves a certain distance, then it stops, you see? A revolution gets its name by always coming back around in your face. You tried to kill me you son of a bitch... so welcome to the revolution.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)

Soundtrack:

WHISKEY FEVER

Seagal's best film

I gave this movie a solid ten, and I stick with it. I'm not in particular a fan of Steven Seagal, though I don't arbitrarily hate him like many critics do. In fact, this was the first of his movies I'd seen, and I liked it immediately.

For any people expecting this movie to deviate from the usual formula of (1): Seagal is wronged, (2): Seagal becomes killing machine, you'll be disappointed. Almost everything in this movie is to be expected, as Seagal plays his usual tough but lovable good guy who gets pushed just a bit too far and goes into full-on expert martial arts killer to enact revenge. A dozen or so people will die, as many or more limbs will be broken, and Seagal will do it all with as much emotion as a stick. To those expecting more of Seagal's usual stuff, that's what you'll get.

But in my opinion, what we also get are some inexplicably high level bad guys for this outing. Although about a decade or two behind today's times (keeping in mind the film itself is a decade and a half old), the two antagonists are the well known actors Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey. While getting on in their age nowadays, these two were some of the most crazed and entertaining actors of the 70s and 80s. Jones is probably best known from The Fugitive, for which he won an academy award, while Gary Busey has done a boatload of famous, not-so famous, and video game voiceover work. Together, these veterans almost steal the show as they chew the scenery and provide Seagal's most colorful and charismatic characters. Busey is a former ship's commander who's willing to drown his crew simply to taunt Seagal, whereas Jones' character used to send body parts to his ex-bosses at the CIA before turning up here.

The plot of this movie is that the two aforementioned crazies, with an entire crew of inside tech guys and hired muscle, have overtaken the aircraft carrier USS Missouri, with plans to extort various things from the big guys in Washington with the ship's small but capable arsenal of weapons at their disposal. The catch is that a high-ranking ex-navy seal is on the ship, serving a commuted sentence for misbehavior. Stuck here as the ship's cook, Seagal plays Casey Ryback who must do whatever he can to rally the ship back into responsible hands.

Strangely enough, the movie departs in several ways from the regular formula. The aforementioned bad guys are not only one head honcho but two equally ambitious ones, as well as a capable force of a dozen or so armed men. But where one would expect Seagal to be alone, this time the film adds at least a little credibility to the mix: Seagal still raises hell, but he also has to get the help of several others stowed on the ship if he's to have any chance in operating its guns and other functions. In a film rooted in implausability, it's at least nice to see old Steve actually running around with some admitted help.

The pace is interesting, as the early scenes in the movie set up some beautiful shots of the ship as well as some of its intricate interiors and set pieces. Some characters are the token one-line kills, but then there are some side characters who are given their own personality and a scene or two to take advantage of. Many characters from the aforementioned Fugitive (1993) make returns in this movie, as well as a decent character played by Colm Meaney, who was Miles 'O Brien to Star Trek fans.

Probably the only annoying bit of this movie is the female lead, played by Playboy model Erika Eleniak. She does a serviceable job, shows her breasts for a minute like she's expected to, and sometimes comes across as a believable person. But for the most part, she's there to lend support to Seagal, and add a little comic repartee between them. I didn't really mind her until she had a silly turn as hero(ine) for a minute or two.

But that's a minor quibble, in a film that I still love as being Seagal's most tight, interesting and energetic. It somehow seems more well written or polished than all his other efforts, and this is no doubt aided by the considerable time that is spent establishing the villains, who I've already noted as being the best Seagal's had to tackle. The sequel to this one was quite a letdown but still fun on its own, but in my opinion the original is Seagal's best and a great choice for those looking for some good old fashioned action heroics