Executive Command

I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I watched this turkey of a movie. Surely, if Hollywood handed out awards for blatant plagiarism, this load of horse manure would win hands down. Basically a total rip-off of `Executive Decision' with lashings of `Air Force One' and a pinch of `The Rock' slung in for good measure. How the makers of this dross got away without being sued for every penny they had beats me. Most of the other hacks on this page have outlined the finer plagiaristic details so I won't repeat them again here. But this film gives new meaning to the words `low budget'. The producers obviously had so little money that they couldn't even afford a few extras to serve as terrified passengers. And there were so many plot holes you could fly a real 747 straight through them. Like at the end where the Dudikoff character and the chief baddie are fighting it out. Bag of deadly toxin splits open. Baddies die horrible deaths, twitching and vomiting all over the place. Dudikoff has a syringe full of antidote and injects himself, Nicolas Cage-style. Okay I can just about buy that. But the other people on board - all goodies and a matter of metres away in the next cabin - conveniently remain completely unaffected. And just minutes before this, we were supposed to be buying into the line that a few broken bags of this stuff would wipe out the population of LA? I rest my case. Sexy female terrorist though!!!!

Granted, this movie isn't a cinematic masterpiece (then again, what movie since "Raiders of the Lost Ark" or "The Postman" is?), but it's still a rollicking good time. I've been waiting to see this movie since it was made back in 1997, and I just recently did. I've been a fan of Michael Dudikoff for many years now, and this is my favorite film starring him. Who cares if it borrows from "Die Hard," "The Rock," "Air Force One" and "Executive Decision?" This movie rocks!! If you watch this movie knowing it's low-budget and expecting low-budget elements, you'll enjoy it. I know I did. My whole family did. In fact, I just spent $80 to buy an actual copy of it. I loved it that much. I watched in five times in five days. Though it doesn't rank in my Top Five favorite films of all time, it's certainly more enjoyable than most of the Hollywood films I've seen in the last two years. So sit down with a big bowl of popcorn, a big screen TV with a good stereo surround sound system (much like I did), and enjoy. You're in for a ride that won't quit!!

I don't remember seeing a movie that used so much elements of other films. The whole plot is nothing else than a mix of "Executive Decision" and "The Rock". And if you watch carefully (show me someone who is able to do so) you will recognize various other scenes who are copied from blockbusters.

Although the story is everything else than new it's still fun to watch this B-picture. Dudikoff and Norton are such terrible actors, you can't stop laughing. And don't forget these cheap action sequences. So if you don't mind a lousy story, cheesy acting and horrible action this is the right thing for you.

The only reason I stayed up late one night to watch this was because Gina Mari was in it. However after seeing the first few minutes of the film I was presently surprised. Micheal Dudikoff always makes a good action hero, and excelled himself this time around. Also Richard Norton was in "over the top" form as the leader of a gang of mercanaries which includes the beautiful Gina Mari. The plot involves Norton's gang taking control of a plane which has one of the Presidents Interns or something like that on board. I'm sure you can work the rest out for yourself, it's basically a copy of Executive Desicion. Anyway if you like action films this one is probably for you, I do and must say I enjoyed it very much. Thanks to all involved!!

Combine the two and what do you get? STRATEGIC COMMAND (originally titled EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE, the title I prefer, which was also the original title of MURDER AT 1600). Michael Dudikoff comes to the rescue when the Vice President (Michael Cavanaugh) is held prisoner en route to D.C. For some reason (probably budget ones), the plane is a commercial airliner instead of Air Force Two. Due to the limited Secret Service (three guys and a girl), Richard Norton and cronies manage to overtake the plane, courtesy of a traitorous Secret Service agent, holding everyone aboard hostage for the old standby demand of wanting a fellow terrorist released from prison. Teaming with an elite strike force, Dudikoff attempts to save the day and his girlfriend (Amanda Wyss), a journalist who's on board to do an exclusive interview with the Vice President. Nick Corri is the head of the team, who (naturally) dislikes Dudikoff immediately but comes to except him. As with EXECUTIVE DECISION, their method of boarding the plane is by way of a specially-designed plane, this time an SR-71. But the operation goes wrong, and half the team gets left behind, leaving only Dudikoff, Corri, and one other soldier to neutralize the situation. Once on board, it's time to sneak around and improvise since most of the equipment was also left on the SR-71. The film is somewhat hampered by a low budget and the "rushed" feel that a lot of direct-to-video movies have, but it comes out well enough, helped along by a great soundtrack that sounds like a merging of the talents of Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams. Brother composers Eric and David Wurst should be given some big-budget movies to work with. STRATEGIC COMMAND is no AIR FORCE ONE or EXECUTIVE DECISION, but it's decent entertainment for a boring night.