This film puts Kurt Russell as an analyst who finds himself caught up in a covert operation to rescue a Boeing 747-200 that’s been taken over by terrorists with plans to target Washington D.C.. Steven Seagal is the leader of the mission, Halle Berry portrays a flight attendant and Oliver Platt appears as an aeronautics engineer, along with several other recognizable actors. “Executive Decision” (1996) follows in the footsteps of “Under Siege” (1992), coming from the same creative team behind "Die Hard 2" (1990). The connection to "Die Hard 2" is noticeable because this movie shares a similar feel, only it’s set entirely on an airplane instead of within an airport. I wasn't anticipating much enjoyment from it, as it felt like “Die Hard” transplanted onto a plane, and I questioned whether a good film could emerge from such a confined location. However, it manages to succeed. Admittedly, a significant portion of the movie involves rescue personnel planning their moves in the lower levels of the aircraft using advanced technology, including concealed cameras; nevertheless, the filmmakers demonstrate respect for the audience’s understanding and incorporate some clever ideas alongside genuine suspense. Looking back, the film seems remarkably perceptive given it was made six years before 9/11. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes and filming took place in Southern California at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, as well as Chino Airport, the Mojave Desert (for the crash scene), Sierra Madre (the Chechen Mafia House), and San Juan, Puerto Rico (where they filmed the wedding kidnapping sequence). GRADE: B

Source on TMDB