EXECUTIVE DECISION

US, 1996, 132 minutes, Colour.
Kurt Russell, Steven Seagall, Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, John Leguizamo, David Suchet, Joe Morton, B.D.Wong, Whip Hubley, Len Cariou, J.T.Walsh.
Directed by Stuart Baird.

A typical actioner of the 90s, far-fetched (we hope) which uses contemporary international tensions and technological developments to provide two hours of cinema tension. It is the usual mixture of stereotypes and predictable heroics but, on the whole, it works. And the tension remains until the end. (Though Steven Seagall who gets high billing does not last until the end.)

Kurt Russell is the granite-jawed officer in charge of a mid-air operation, of secretly setting a tactical group in a jetliner making towards Washington. It has been hijacked by Arab extremists. The technology to identify the hijackers, defuse the explosives and, eventually, land the plane is high-powered. Some violent sequences, but it keeps the tension and attention.

1. Enjoyable action show? Thriller? Disaster film? The tradition of the airport films? The '90s and the disasters in the air - hijackers, terrorists, mid‑air action and squads coming in to save the situation?

2. The American political background of the '90s? International relationships? The Middle East? Terrorism? American action skills? Technology?

3. The title, the role of the President, human decisions?

4. The action prologue, the action in the Middle East? The reflection of political stances about the Arab world in the '90s? The special effects for the action, the plane, the technology? The musical score?

5. The impact of the prologue, terrorists, American squads? Gas? The failure? The analysis of the mission in Washington? Travis and his associates? The team, working together? Ready for missions?

6. The London restaurant? The abduction, the hostages, the terrorists, the violence?

7. The background of Washington, the White House, the Pentagon? The social gatherings and events? Grant and his presence? His being seconded to the War Room? The personnel in the War Room, the information? Decisions? Moral perspectives, human perspectives, political perspectives? The nature of the meeting, discussions, the choices to be made?

8. Carl and the engineer? The decision to go? The establishment of the squad? Travis and his background, personality? The clashes with Grant? The plan? The transfer and the injuries? Travis's death? The equipment lost, the break in communications?

9. The flight of the plane, the hijacking of the plane? The Arab terrorist and his control, his team? The plant in the plane? The flight attendants? The passengers and their reaction? The control of the terrorists? Movie, meals? The group of flight attendants, especially the focus on Jean? The pilots, the revelation of the truth, their deaths? The bomb on board and the suicide attitude of the terrorists?

10. The Senator on board, his ambitions, his adviser? His offer to mediate? The moment when he hoped for the furthering of his ambitions? His being shot?

11. The personalities within the squad? On board? The means to find the bomb? The question of identifying the terrorist? The cameras, the familiarity with background The voice test and identifying the chief terrorist? The pilot, Jean, the silences? The interplay between the plans and the personalities involved?

12. The group: Rat, Baker, Lonnie, Cappi? Their work in the initial raid, their working together as a team, their skills? Travis and Grant on the mission? The difficulties in making connection with the plane? The separation of the capsule and Travis's death? The work of the team within the plane, their particular skills, searching for the bomb, searching for the terrorist? The means of sight and sound identification? Working with the flight attendant? The injuries? The engineer and his presence, the theoretical man, his weight and size, his nervousness? His having to collaborate with the group?

13. Grant and his skills, identifying the sleeper - and getting the flight attendant to help? The error and the danger to the passengers? The confrontation and fights? The deaths in the plane? The American marshal and his gun and contribution?

14. The abducted terrorist and his collaboration with the American authorities, the phone call to the plane? The terrorist leader and his making decisions, the shootings, the prayer? The clashes with his henchmen? The discussion whether his cause was Islam or for his own purposes? His death?

15. The fighter planes accompanying? The deadline for Washington, the plane coming near the United States? The decision to shoot the plane down? The tension with the devices for getting the Morse code light and signalling the fighters?

16. Grant and the initial sequences of his getting his pilot's licence? His having to bring the plane down? With the flight attendant? Communications, directions, skill, the dangers? Ultimate success?

17. An action thriller and the experience of tension? Plausibility and implausibility for heightened realism?