Strategic Command

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 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!!!!

In 1997, former American NINJA Michael Dudikoff and director Rick Jacobson so thoroughly ripped off the previous year's EXECUTIVE DECISION that it's hard to imagine how they avoided a lawsuit. A decade later, Steven Seagal returned the favor by blatantly remaking Dudikoff's BLACK THUNDER as FLIGHT OF FURY. Whatever the dynamics behind this odd reciprocation between stars, Dudikoff/Jacobson's offering is actually the sincerer form of flattery, for despite its knockoff status, it's a pretty serviceable adventure – a little too light on the action for my taste, but excelling in most other important areas.

The story: When a terrorist unit hijacks an airliner and threatens to detonate a devastating chemical weapon over America unless their demands are met, the designer of the weapon (Dudikoff) joins a Special Forces team to board the plane mid-flight and neutralize the threat.

I never thought I'd see the day when Michael Dudikoff becomes a cooler guy than Kurt Russell, but it happens in this film: Dudikoff and Russell play virtually the same role in their respective films, and the former's infinitely more active and able take on the part is the one way that COMMAND decisively outshines DECISION. Rick Jacobson's lively direction and maximization of resources helps a lot, making for a movie that's smaller-scaled than its original but no less professional-looking and, arguably, more fun. A great cast that includes Amanda Wyss, Paul Winfield, and Jsu Garcia keeps the plot energized and upbeat, thereby creating a tone that's fairly breezy for an action-thriller.

The always-welcome Richard Norton plays the terrorist leader, and in addition to being a fun menace, he helps supplies the movie's action highlights via three hand-to-hand fights with Dudikoff (one of them is even good). Other than that, the adrenaline scenes are limited to a handful of gunfights, including several ill-advised ones on the plane. The film leans disproportionately on the latter aspect of its action-thriller label, and I consider this a bad idea given that it's not nearly as serviceable of a nail-bitter as the movie it's aping. The fun characters help keep viewers involved, but there's nothing here in terms of excitement that you won't find anywhere else.

The movie teeters on a higher rating from me. I have a feeling that fans of Dudikoff will consider this one a favorite, but I could have used a bit more substantial action. Nevertheless, I can't speak too strongly against this one, and thus I'll give it an unenthusiastic recommendation: catch it on TV or lift it from the bargain bin.

This is a low budget clone of "Executive Decision" (1996) and "Airforce One" (1997). It was also made in 1997 more than likely after seeing the other two films and they thought it would be a good earner to almost directly rip off the two big budget films. It is not the worst film ever made (That would have to be "House of the Dead"), but it is quite weak. Apparently a crack team using stealth tactics don't think of using silenced guns, and gun fire in a pressurized plane does not cause any damage. It was funny seeing "Hal" from "Malcolm in the Middle". He looked quite young in this. If you have nothing better to do, it is still worth a watch, if only to spot the direct copied scenes and script errors. Mind you, it was nice to see the old SR71 Blackbird being used. I always loved this sleek high speed stealth aircraft that led to the B2 Bomber and F117 Nighthawk - used in "Executive Decision".

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.