#william strannix

[pandorasbox341]

Strannix

[adamwatchesmovies]

Under Siege (1992)

I haven’t watched all of Steven Seagal’s filmography but I’m nonetheless confident in calling Under Siege his best film. It takes a somewhat familiar formula (it’s Die Hard on a boat) and delivers everything you want to see. There’s a lot of action and thrills, the stakes are high, the bad guys are terrific - so good they easily steal the show.

Aboard the battleship USS Missouri, Executive Officer Commander Krill (Gary Busey) is preparing a surprise party for the captain. No one suspects there's more to it than music and a hot lady busting out of the cake. Actually, it’s a ploy to get William Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones) and his crew aboard so they can commandeer the ship and its nuclear arsenal. With all of the sailors killed or captured, it's up to the cook (Steven Seagal as Casey Ryback) and "Miss July" (Erika Eleniak as Jordan Tate) to save the day.

Unsurprisingly, Steven Seagal is not playing some lowly cook. He’s got special skills; exactly the kind required to take the Missouri back from the terrorists who’ve captured it. Even before we learn his backstory, you believe Ryback is up to the task because the character is smart. He knows he can’t take all of these baddies down on his own/through conventional methods so he finds ways to even the odds. Booby traps, subterfuge, calling for help, freeing some of his shipmates, getting anyone who will be sympathetic to help him and - my favorite - he picks up the weapons of those he defeats. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s what anyone with a brain would do in real life and in the movies, you rarely see anyone pick up a gun, much less pick up a spare so they can arm someone else to help. Though Seagal doesn’t prove himself to be all that charismatic, he handles the stunts well. You believe it when he sends the opposing goons to Davy Jones' locker. There are a lot of great kills in this movie, many of which will make you yell “Damn!” out loud.

I know Seagal has fans, but he's never been able to elevate the material handed to him. Luckily, we're in the hands of Andrew Davis (who made The Fugitive a year after this film) and a great supporting cast. First, there’s Gary Busey as Commander Krill. What a perfect role for him. The second he appears on-screen, you know he'll be an antagonist but then he surprises you by being even more despicable, sociopathic and corrupt than expected. You love to hate him because because you can tell he’s been thinking about this day for a long time, mentally picturing how it would all go down, and the people he was going to kill. You can’t wait for him to get what’s coming and the same goes for Tommy Lee Jones’ William Strannix. Somewhere between the cold, calculating Hans Gruber and the fanatical Egor Korshunov (from Air Force One”, another Die Hard-like action picture) he’s also enjoying this heist a little bit too much but between the jokes he makes at his victims’ expense, he keeps his cool. He recognizes the threat Ryback poses and comes up with counter strategies that keep him - and you - on your toes the whole way through.

Finally, we have Erika Eleniak as "Miss July", who might think is just a pretty face - and a bare chest - to add to the “R” Rating but she contributes A LOT. She’s the avatar for the audience: brought onboard the ship under false circumstances, she is totally in over her head. She realizes her only chance is to stick around with Ryback and yeah… that’s what you’d do too! I’m surprised more films haven't copied this aspect of Under Siege to give the hero someone to bounce off of and help them when they find themselves in a jam there’s seemingly no escaping.

Under Siege is a surprisingly memorable take on the Die Hard formula. I know that sounds like a backward compliment - like it’s only good if you’ve seen Die Hard a thousand times and you want something new - but this picture is solid. It’s a great “dad movie”, something you and the old man could sit through and thoroughly enjoy any day of the week. It makes great use of its location, both villains are memorable, the action is satisfying, Seagall handles the stunts well, and his sidekick is a great new ingredient to spice up the recipe. When you catch it, feel free to stay until the end of the credits to get some bonus facts about the ship upon which the film was shot. (On DVD, February 11, 2022)

[sewerfight]

Party in the USA: Under Siege edition

[chiefofboatwatsonstittymug]

CC @academicgangster

[strangeshipper]

Hunter when young, Hunter when old Star Wars - Clonewars :: Bad Batch - Hunter (fancast)

Billy Sole in "Predator" (1987, Sonny Landham) & William Strannix in "Under Siege" (1992, Tommy Lee Jones)

[academicgangster]

I'm dying to know; how should Under Siege have ended, according to you? Please go into as much detail as you'd like!

Under Siege!!! One of the most ridiculously fun films out there, and definitely one of my top ten TLJ roles. :D

Sadly my laptop is not functional at the moment, so I don't have as many screencaps lying around right now as I do of Batman Forever, but @lunoki 's wonderful gifs are readily available!

Strannix and Krill absolutely make the film. Their dynamic as a villain duo is off the charts. They're joyfully intimate with each other, clearly know each other extremely well, and Strannix even seems acquainted with Krill's drag persona:

Their dynamic also evolves throughout the film, with a lot more depth than Seagal's whole thing. Krill helped Strannix orchestrate the takeover of his ship, and Strannix's very first action on succeeding is to pronounce Krill captain (ie. he gives Krill something he knows Krill has always wanted) - and yet the moment orders need to be given, Strannix is the one who's giving them, and Krill is right back to calling him 'sir', almost as though this is a dance they're used to, like this is natural and familiar for them, like it's something they've grown into over the years. Did they serve together in the navy before Strannix joined the CIA? All signs point to yes. These two have known each other forever. They don't always get along - they have an argument or two in-film - but they are deeply affectionate and they are, always, on the same side:

And so it's extremely telling that while Strannix is gloriously batshit throughout and makes a show of being 'unhinged', his decisions are all actually very rational and sane...until Krill's vessel gets blown up.

That is when Strannix goes off the deep end, that's when he loses his mind and starts to go wild talking about cartoons: when Krill dies.

So, finally, how do I think the movie should end?

1. With Krill surviving - let Strannix have his breakdown thinking Krill has died, but let Krill miraculously escape and be working on a device to bring Casey Ryback (Seagal's character) down.

2. With Strannix beating Ryback in the final fight - let the fight be brutal, but let Strannix finally kick the guy's ass, like he deserves. Maybe it's too late to set off the nukes or the controls are fried, but Ryback is dead and the ship is still his, so it's kind of a victory for him, still.

3. With Strannix and Krill reuniting - Krill didn't need to use whatever he was working on, because Strannix beat Ryback, but it is an emotional Moment for Strannix to realize Krill not only made it alive, but was trying his best to help him win against Ryback.

4. With CIA handler Tom Breaker getting his comeuppance - Breaker is the guy who tried to kill Strannix, causing all this trouble in the first place, and it's at his door that the consequences must rest, so I'd like him to get a threatening letter or parcel in the mail suggesting that Strannix and Krill are watching him if he ever messes with another agent under his handlership.

[movieassholes]

A revolution gets its name by always coming back around in your face. You tried to kill me, you son of a bitch...so welcome to the revolution.

William Strannix - Under Siege (1992)

[terribleoldwhitemen]

tommy lee jones as william strannix in under siege (1992)

[vickys]

Tommy Lee Jones as William Strannix in Under Siege (1992)

[valdemarpost]

Filme: A Força Em Alerta

Ano: 1992

Duração: 1 hora e 43 minutos

Gênero: Drama/Thriller

Direção: Andrew Davis

Séries de Filmes: Under Siege

Elenco: Steven Seagal (Casey Ryback), Erika Eleniak (Jordan Tate), Gary Busey (Comandante Krill), Tommy Lee Jones (William Strannix)

Sinopse: Terroristas embarcam em um navio de guerra que está prestes a ser desativado. O grupo planeja roubar o arsenal nuclear da embarcação, mas antes terá que lidar com um agente especial que também está a bordo, disfarçado de cozinheiro.

Filme: A Força Em Alerta 2

Ano: 1995

Duração: 1 hora e 43 minutos

Gênero: Drama/Thriller

Direção: Geoff Murphy

Séries de Filmes: Under Siege

Elenco: Steven Seagal (Casey Ryback), Katherine Heigl (Sarah Ryback)

Sinopse: Um agente da CIA a bordo de um trem tenta impedir um gênio enlouquecido que ameaça usar uma arma em órbita no espaço contra inocentes, caso o governo não pague a ele um resgate de um bilhão de dólares.

[olivierdemangeon]

  Synopsis : Des terroristes avec à leur tête un ancien agent de la CIA, assiègent le navire nucléaire le plus puissant de la Marine U.S. Leur but : vendre cet arsenal à des trafiquants d’armes internationaux. Mais dans ce plan parfait, ils oublient un détail : Casey Ryback, le cuistot, un ex-combattant d’élite, son plat favori : l’action du Commando.

Origine du film : États-Unis Réalisateur : Andrew Davis Scénariste : J. F. Lawton Acteurs : Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, Erika Eleniak, Colm Meaney, Patrick O’Neal, Nick Mancuso, Raymond Cruz, George Cheung Musique : Gary Chang Genre : Action, Thriller Durée : 1 heure et 43 minutes Date de sortie : 10 février 1993 (France) Année de production : 1992 Sociétés de production : Regency Enterprises, Le Studio Canal +, Alcor Films Distribué par : Warner Bros. Titre original : Under Siege Notre note : ★★★★☆

Notre commentaire : “Under Siege” ou “Piège en Haute Mer” est un thriller d’action américain datant de 1992, réalisé par Andrew Davis, à qui l’on doit également “Dommage Collatéral” (2002). Les acteurs principaux sont Steven Seagal, qu’on a pu voir dernièrement dans “Code of Honor” (2016), Tommy Lee Jones, qu’on a pu voir dans “Mechanic Resurrection” (2016) et Gary Busey, qu’on a pu voir dans “Predator 2” (1990). 

“Piège en Haute Mer” est le film ayant obtenu le plus de succès en termes de critiques et financiers, dont deux nominations aux Oscars pour la bande originale. La musique fut composée par Gary Chang. Ce film a fait l’objet d’une suite intitulée “Under Siege 2: Dark Territory” ou “Piège à Haute Vitesse” paru en 1995. 

Le navire “musée” USS Alabama a été utilisé pour la plupart des scènes pour représenter l’USS Missouri, tandis que l’USS Drum dépeignait le sous-marin nord-coréen. Le film fait largement appel au processus Introvision, une variante qui permet une interaction tridimensionnelle réaliste des personnages au premier plan combinés avec des arrières-plans projetés, sans le coût élevé des effets traditionnels du bluescreen. Une technique qu’Andrew Davis, le réalisateur a également utilisé dans son film suivant, “Le Fugitif” (1993). 

Comme nous avons pu le voir à travers l’écriture de notre critique concernant “Une Journée en Enfer”, un script similaire avait été refusé par Bruce Willis pour le film de 1995 car la trame principale ressemblait beaucoup à celle de ce métrage. L’histoire proposée par “Piège en Haute Mer” nous emmène à bord du navire de guerre Missouri alors que celui-ci entreprend son dernier voyage afin d’être démantelé. Un groupe de terroristes montent à bord en usant d’un stratagème et prend l’ensemble des membres de l’équipage en otage afin de voler les différents missiles à bord. C’est sans compter sur Casey Ryback (Steven Seagal), chef cuisinier et surtout ancien Navy SEAL, qui va éliminer les terroristes les uns après les autres. 

L’intrigue repose essentiellement sur la méthodologie que va employer Casey Ryback pour éliminer ses adversaires. Fusillades, explosions, combats à mains nues et aux couteaux sont au rendez-vous. Steven Seagal s’en donne à cœur joie avec ce personnage d’ancien membre d’une force spéciale, montrant au passage sa dextérité pour les arts martiaux en plaçant quelques techniques d’Aïkido particulièrement efficaces. L’acteur nous livre un personnage froid et méthodique, qui n’exprime aucune émotion dans ses actions et ne semble pas plus gêné que cela d’éliminer l’ensemble des antagonistes de l’histoire. 

Tommy Lee Jones interprète William “Bill” Strannix, un renégat, ex-agent amer de la CIA, qui dirige l’équipe de terroristes. L’acteur livre un personnage à la fois organisé, enragé, limite extravaguant. On retrouve également Gary Busey dans la distribution, dans le rôle du Commandant Krill, un officier corrompu qui apparaît légèrement psychopathique dans cette histoire. Il est de mèche avec Bill Strannix pour voler les missiles du bateau. 

On retrouve également Erika Eleniak, dans le rôle de Jordan Tate, une playmate du magazine Playboy qui est venue à bord pour divertir le personnel du navire. Ce personnage n’était pas inclus dans le scénario original, c’est Steven Seagal qui l’a personnellement suggéré afin d’ajouter une touche d’humour. Lors de son week-end de lancement, “Piège en Haute Mer” a rapporté 15,7 millions de dollars. Il a engrangé 83,5 millions de dollars de recettes aux États-Unis pour une recette mondiale de 156,5 millions de dollars. 

“Piège en Haute Mer” a fait l’objet d’une édition en DVD ainsi qu’en Blu-ray, paru le 29 septembre 1999 chez Warner Home Vidéo France. Pour de plus amples renseignements, n’hésitez pas à consulter la fiche du film sur le site DVD.Fr.

En conclusion, “Piège en Haute Mer” est un très bon film d’action, qui colle très bien avec son époque et les films de ce type du début des années 1990. L’histoire est usuelle et est souvent considérée comme une copie de “Piège de Cristal” (1988) dont les ressemblances sont évidentes. Le rythme est soutenu dès lors que l’attaque des terroristes se met en place, offrant ainsi à Steven Seagal le plaisir de montrer sa dextérité au combat ainsi que sa maîtrise du maniement des armes. Par ailleurs, la distribution est dominée par les prestations de Tommy Lee Jones et de Gary Busey. Une petite touche d’humour est apportée par le personnage incarné par Erika Eleniak. Ce métrage reste, et ce, malgré le poids des années, un très bon divertissement pour ceux qui aiment les films d’action sans prise de tête.

  Bande-annonce :

PIEGE EN HAUTE MER (1992) ★★★★☆ Synopsis : Des terroristes avec à leur tête un ancien agent de la CIA, assiègent le navire nucléaire le plus puissant de la Marine U.S.

[academicgangster]

I just wanna say, I love your new profile picture. Strannix should've won; TLJ could easily beat Seagal's phony "akido" any day.

💛💛💛

Strannix should have won and got to live happily ever after with Krill. Everything about those two screams 'lovers, possibly lovers who are a little annoyed with each other right now but definitely lovers'.

[radactionmovies]

Casey Ryback (Steven Seagal) brutalizes a dummy of William Stranix (Tommy Lee Jones) that he’s built in his garage. It usually impresses the ladies, but most of all it impresses Ryback himself. From Under Siege (1992). http://www.unproductivememberofsociety.com/blog/2015/7/17/casey-rybacks-guide-to-a-successful-dinner-party-chapter-5

[academicgangster]

How hot is that character meme: William Strannix and Richard Kimble?

I mean u know it's LORD HAVE MERCY for both of them, but in very

different

ways

[academicgangster]

Today in characters who were presumably both in the CIA in the mid-80s and presumably made out: Alan Hunley and William Strannix.

Stop me.

[academicgangster]

I'm watching Blown Away and I'm already blown away 😅