Movie · 1992 · Action, Thriller · 1h 42m · R · English
Curator score: 2.4/10 (153.9K ratings)
In 1992 a battleship's been sabotaged by nuclear pirates out to steal its warheads. Now, surrounded by terrorists, a lone man stands with a deadly plan of attack.
Overview
A disgruntled ex-CIA operative, his assistant and their assembled group of terrorists seize a battleship with nuclear blackmail in mind. They've planned for every contingency but ignore the ship's cook, former Navy SEAL Casey Ryback—an error that could be fatal.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.4/10
IMDb: 6.5/10
Letterboxd: 3.05/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Metacritic: 58
TMDB: 6.3/10
Director
Andrew Davis
Production
Regency Enterprises, Warner Bros. Pictures, Alcor Films, Arnon Milchan Productions, Le Studio Canal+
Cast
Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, Erika Eleniak, Colm Meaney, Damian Chapa, Andy Romano, Patrick O'Neal, Nick Mancuso, Raymond Cruz, Duane Davis, Michael Des Barres, Dale Dye, Troy Evans, David McKnight, Glenn Morshower, Sandy Ward, Michael Welden, Tom Wood, Lee Hinton
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A lean, crowd-pleasing 90s action vehicle that works best as a high-concept siege thriller with a nasty sense of humor. The plot is pure Die Hard-on-a-battleship, but the movie earns its reputation through brisk pacing, inventive set pieces, and gleefully unhinged villain performances that often outshine the star.
Best for
fans of 90s studio action
viewers who like siege movies and single-location thrillers
people who enjoy villain-driven action
late-night popcorn watching
fans of ironic-but-still-effective action
Skip if
you need a charismatic lead performance
you dislike cheesy one-liners and broad 90s action beats
you want realistic military procedure
you prefer action movies with modern choreography and polish
Overview
Under Siege is one of the defining “Die Hard on a [thing]” movies, and it knows exactly how to keep that premise moving. The battleship setting gives the film a clean, pressure-cooker structure, and Andrew Davis stages the action with enough momentum that even the plot holes feel like part of the ride.
Worth noting
What really makes it memorable is the antagonists. Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey are having a much better time than anyone reasonably should, and their energy gives the movie a dangerous, comic edge. The movie’s tone is serious enough to create tension, but loose enough to let the absurdity leak through.
Bottom line
Steven Seagal is the least interesting thing in his own movie, which is both a flaw and, oddly, part of the charm. If you want a polished star turn, look elsewhere; if you want a sturdy, efficient action machine with a few genuinely great villain moments, this still lands.
Top Letterboxd reviews
David Sims (3★) · 623 likes
lotta hype but Steven Seagal's bouillabaisse didn't look very good
Colin the dude (4★) · 395 likes
If you're going to make Die Hard on a Boat, I only ask for a few things.
1. The actors need to be having fun. Commitment to the part.
2. The violence needs to be bloody and merciless.
3. The violence needs to be undercut by humor.
4. The hero needs to be an everyman but still kick incredible amounts of ass.
5. The action scenes need to vary and escalate the plot.
6. Your team of bad guys need… more
Todd Gaines (3.5★) · 343 likes
It's Die Hard on a battleship. This time, instead of John McClane; we get a cook. The cook? Well, he's Casey Ryback. He has a Cajun cooking style, he's handy with a knife, and he knows Kendo. When his ship is taken over by a renegade former CIA operative, it's up to Casey to save the day. Under Siege could possibly be Steven Seagal's shinning moment. He owns the role of Casey. He might be missing his signature ponytail due… more It's Die Hard on a battleship. This time, instead of John McClane; we get a cook. The cook? Well, he's Casey Ryback. He has a Cajun cooking style, he's handy with a knife, and he knows Kendo. When his ship is taken over by a renegade former CIA operative, it's up to Casey to save the day. Under Siege could possibly be Steven Seagal's shinning moment. He owns the role of Casey. He might be missing his signature ponytail due… more
Matt! (3.5★) · 325 likes
“Another cold day in hell.”
Somehow my first ever Steven Seagal movie! For years he’s always just been known to me as “that other 90s action star” or “that really terrible SNL host” or “that guy who puts on hilariously fake martial arts demonstrations” or “that guy who’s good friends with Vladimir Putin”. Felt it was about time though that I finally knocked out one of the most well-known perpetrators of the “Die Hard on a [setting]” craze: UNDER SIEGE.… more “Another cold day in hell.”
Somehow my first ever Steven Seagal movie! For years he’s always just been known to me as “that other 90s action star” or “that really terrible SNL host” or “that guy who puts on hilariously fake martial arts demonstrations” or “that guy who’s good friends with Vladimir Putin”. Felt it was about time though that I finally knocked out one of the most well-known perpetrators of the “Die Hard on a [setting]” craze: UNDER SIEGE.… more
Jamelle Bouie (3.5★) · 315 likes
there should have been a whole series of movies with tommy lee jones as a traveling, murderous blues musician