58
Metascore
17 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Chicago TribuneGene SiskelChicago TribuneGene SiskelFor its first hour is as exciting an action picture as the Die Hard films. The tension and humor level tail off a bit toward the conclusion, but Steven Seagal and Chicago director Andy Davis clearly declare themselves as top-flight talent.
- 75Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertThe formula is obvious: Die Hard Goes to Sea. I walked into the screening in a cynical frame of mind, but then a funny thing happened. The movie started working for me.
- 67Entertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanEntertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanIn the brutally efficient Under Siege, Seagal, with his soft-spoken nihilist charm, attempts to move beyond limb-snapping exploitation and into epically scaled mainstream thrillers. He succeeds — but only because this sort of slick action bash doesn’t require a star with much personality. At this point, personality might only get in the way.
- 60EmpireIan NathanEmpireIan NathanThis no-brainer is fine if all you're after a bit of escapism, but don't look for anything deeper than that.
- 60The New York TimesVincent CanbyThe New York TimesVincent CanbyAs wild as the premise is, Under Siege is almost guiltily enjoyable.
- 60Washington PostWashington PostAn entertaining splasher film, Under Siege pits Casey Ryback (Seagal) against psycho terrorists Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones) and Krill (Gary Busey). As with most action films, viewers guessing the ending won't disappoint themselves, though the setting is certainly different from the usual urban decay of Seagal dramas. Everything is played out on the Missouri, which is actually the cleverly reconstructed USS Alabama. Would that such cleverness had been applied to the script, which has holes big enough to drive a submarine through.
- 50Time Out LondonTime Out LondonDavis handles the pacy action sequences confidently, with dark, claustrophobic interiors enhancing the suspense; so it's all the more disappointing when corny dialogue and barely-sketched characters let things down.
- 50TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazineDuring its opening scenes, Under Siege threatens to achieve something like Die Hard's blend of wit, ingenuity and action, with Jones and Busey making highly entertaining, creepy-funny villains. Once the stolid Seagal takes over, however, we settle into a predictable high-tech groove of explosions, gunplay and gore.
- Ultimately, Under Siege isn't much because, basically, with Seagal as the star there's no real human center. But Davis, playing to Seagal's strengths, has woven a carefully crafted confection around the star, who has enough moves to hold it all together.
- 38Boston GlobeJay CarrBoston GlobeJay CarrUnder Siege is dumb formula stuff, sensory jolts by the numbers. [09 Oct 1992, p.89]