Genre: Action | Thriller | Military Siege
Under Siege (1992) is a prime slice of ‘90s action cinema—part Die Hard-on-a-boat, part Navy thriller, and one of the best showcases of Steven Seagal’s stoic, bone-snapping action hero persona at its peak. Directed by Andrew Davis (who’d go on to make The Fugitive), this unapologetically explosive thriller is exactly what its title promises: a relentless fight to reclaim a hijacked battleship.
The story kicks off on the USS Missouri, a massive U.S. Navy battleship set for decommissioning. Enter Casey Ryback (Steven Seagal), the ship’s humble cook—except, of course, Ryback isn’t just a cook. He’s a former Navy SEAL with a reputation for being highly decorated, extremely dangerous, and very hard to kill. When a band of mercenaries, led by the unhinged ex-CIA operative William Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones) and rogue commander Krill (Gary Busey at full, wild-eyed energy), hijacks the ship during what’s supposed to be a harmless party, Ryback’s culinary duties are over. It’s knives, guns, and martial arts time.
What follows is a classic ‘90s high-stakes siege: terrorists seize control, hostages are rounded up, nuclear missiles are at risk, and one man has to fight room by room to save the day. It’s familiar, but Under Siege elevates the formula with memorable villains, big practical explosions, and that delicious cat-and-mouse tension as Ryback outwits and outguns heavily armed mercenaries using whatever tools and kitchen implements he can find.
Seagal is at his best here—stone-faced, soft-spoken, and effortlessly lethal, snapping limbs and dispatching henchmen with his signature aikido moves. But it’s the villains who really spice up the fun: Tommy Lee Jones, decked out in rock star sunglasses and manic glee, is clearly having the time of his life, while Gary Busey’s off-kilter performance as the unhinged Krill is delightfully unrestrained.
The film moves at a brisk pace and delivers plenty of ‘90s action staples—machine gun shootouts, knife fights in cramped corridors, cheesy one-liners, and a memorable cake scene with Erika Eleniak that teenage audiences still remember decades later.
Under Siege doesn’t break new ground, but it nails exactly what it aims for: a slick, satisfying action thriller that uses the Die Hard template in a fresh setting. It’s loud, proud, and completely entertaining—a time capsule from an era when action heroes didn’t wear capes, they wore Navy fatigues, carried big knives, and made sure the bad guys never stood a chance.
Three decades later, Under Siege still holds up as one of Seagal’s best—and a reminder that sometimes the cook really is the most dangerous man in the room.
