Parents' Guide to Under Siege

This action-packed thriller set on board a U.S. Navy battleship was a big hit at both the box office and on home video. Under Siege provided breakout roles for both its star, Seagal, and central villain, Jones, who square off against each other in a high-octane game of cat-and-mouse. Jones and director Andrew Davis would reunite the following year for The Fugitive, but here they put their talents to work making sure that the fights, explosions, and one-liners all make an impact. Seagal's limited acting chops aren't too exposed by a script that largely requires him to punch, kick, and shoot his way through waves of baddies, after some light physical and verbal sparring with Busey—perfectly cast as the corrupt naval commander who initially turns the tide in favor of the ship's hijackers.

It's impossible to ignore the almost complete absence of female characters, but thankfully the script doesn't completely objectify Erika Eleniak's Jordan Tate, who pivots from being the captain's birthday party stripper to the hero's unlikely sidekick. This marginalization of women in action movies was commonplace in the 1990s, but it's the only outdated element in what's otherwise a fun serving of popcorn movie mayhem.