Executive Decision

Executive Decision is an entertaining thriller about a hijacking that may have greater consequences than first foreseen. Kurt Russell plays David Grant, an expert on Middle Eastern affairs, who works out the terrible truth. For the special forces unit that David Grant recently sent out to prevent stolen nerve gas from falling into the wrong hands came back empty-handed. Now the nerve gas is on board the hijacked plane. The hijackers' leader, Nagi Hassan, intends to spread the nerve gas over the US East Coast, but the operation is disguised as Hassan wanting his imprisoned brother Jaffa released by the USA.

David Grant is sent off on his first mission together with the experienced Lieutenant Colonel Travis, who leads the very special forces unit David Grant sent on an impossible mission. A small fighter plane latches on unseen to the passenger plane, but the mission does not go quite as planned, as Travis does not make it on board and the bomb specialist Cappy is injured during boarding.

David Grant is now leading the few men who must try to defuse the bomb and neutralise the bomber with the remote control and the other hijackers before bombers blow the plane out of the sky. David Grant has a short deadline, but fortunately he gets help from the sweet and quick-witted stewardess Jean.

Executive Decision takes place mainly in the air, where the film offers intense suspense. The film is in no way innovative, but it is good action craftsmanship. What the film's American title actually is remains another mystery. Both "Critical Decision" and Executive Decision are mentioned.