Terrible casting decision
Modine is far from a movie star
Keanu reeves would have been the best option at least for that time
It was a weird choice.
But Keanu didn't really blow up as a legitimate A list action lead till Speed in 1994 and this was already in production. He did get offered it but turned it down, as did almost everyone else.
Originally, Michael Douglass agreed to do the part but he dropped out which eventually led to Modine.