Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- propulsive
- claustrophobic
- action movie night
- 1990s nostalgia night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an entertainingly tense and inventive action thriller whose strong suspense and excitement outweighed predictable formula, loose logic, and plot holes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The counterterrorist team must infiltrate and operate inside a hijacked 747 while it remains in flight.
David Grant begins as an intelligence expert but joins the assault mission aboard the aircraft.
Grant suspects that the stated demand for a prisoner's release conceals the real purpose of the hijacking.
The early death of the character played by Steven Seagal redirects expectations toward Kurt Russell's protagonist and the wider team.
Films like Executive Decision, and why
Die Hard 2
shared high-altitude hostage crisis, terrorist threat, military rescue operation, and propulsive action thriller formula
Passenger 57
shared aircraft hijacking premise, contained suspense, and determined protagonist confronting a terrorist plot
Air Force One
shared aviation-based terrorism, bomb-defusal stakes, and procedural counterterrorism action
Under Siege
shared hostage rescue structure, government response, and escalating techno-thriller tension
Movie Details
- Director
- Stuart Baird
- Release Date
- 1996-03-15
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (1073)
Cast
- Kurt Russell
- Steven Seagal
- Halle Berry
- John Leguizamo
- Oliver Platt
- Joe Morton
- David Suchet
- BD Wong
- Len Cariou
- Whip Hubley
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Executive Decision about?
- An intelligence specialist joins a daring mid-air assault to stop terrorists from turning a hijacked 747 into a weapon against Washington.
- What is Executive Decision like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Executive Decision as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Executive Decision violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Executive Decision as moderate.
- What did critics think of Executive Decision?
- Critics broadly found the film an entertainingly tense and inventive action thriller whose strong suspense and excitement outweighed predictable formula, loose logic, and plot holes.
- Which films are like Executive Decision?
- Films with a similar feel include Die Hard 2, Passenger 57, Air Force One, and Under Siege.
- How long is Executive Decision?
- Executive Decision runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch Executive Decision?
- In United States, Executive Decision is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
