Rating: Summary: A movie that barely gets off the deadly ground Review: "On Deadly Ground" is definitely not one of Steven Seagal's best movies. In this movie, he stars as an oil rig worker who is environmentally concerned, and he ends up going against his employer who is searching for him. "On Deadly Ground" does have a plot, but not that great of one and that's really where the movie suffers. If it would've had a better storyline, it could've been a great movie. The action and fighting sequences in the movie are well done. It also has good special effects. The scenery in the movie is another good thing about it with the snowcapped mountains all through the movie. All in all, "On Deadly Ground" does have some mildly entertaining action sequences, but overall it's just an average movie. I'd recommend getting other Steven Seagal movies such as either one of the "Under Siege" movies before I'd recommend getting this one.
Rating: Summary: Actually, it's more like a 3 and a half stars! Review: A haunted statue is stolen from a room under high security and the thief goes unnoticed and doesn't leave a trail. Fearing the the thief/thieves are supernatural in nature, the owner of the statue hires mystics to investigate its disappearance. It's the characters in this anime production that make it enjoyable. The villian of the film doesn't steal the statue because he's evil and wants to `destroy the world' which would be typical in a lesser film. No, instead in this, the villian was born with a skill that was relatively useless in today's society but has found an outlet to really show off what he can do. Kujaku, the main character of the film gets motion sickness while in a car/train which makes him feel like a regular human more so then your regular anime demon/spirit hunter. The Master of Curses character is fun to watch because when he uses his powers, they tend to backfire on him. The drawbacks to Spirit Warrior: Festival of the Ogres Revival is that there are at least two occasions in which characters make reference to something which made me go what? Who? And this is important because? Well, at least they know what they're talking about. Also, the action scenes tend to be okay in Spirit Warrior. There is nothing wrong with okay action scenes except that the film's climax, which is a ten minute action scene, wasn't as exciting to watch as it should have been. Sure the heroes were being beaten around but I didn't feel as if they were truly threatened. But the climax, as is, is okay. If the action scenes were more then okay, I could see giving this a four star review. The only difference I can remember between the sub and dubbed version of the film is that in the dubbed version of the film, they name their attacks (which I find funny) while in the subbed version they just make noises like `kai moh sai.....' type thing. Anyway, Spirit Warrior is a fun way to spend fifty minutes of your life.
Rating: Summary: Packing On Deadly Pounds Review: After making his most successful film in 1992 (Under Siege) Seagal was then given the power to produce and direct a film. Audiences are still suffering today. Seagal starred in some quick but competent cop on a mission flicks in the late 80s and early 90s. Then something happened. He got power, and he decided he wanted to make a statement. This is rarely a good idea for actors, specifically action movie stars with ponytails. In this one, Seagal is fighting the evil oil industry. A massive oil company is up to some shananagins in Alaska, and it's up to Seagal as an EPA agent (with a shadowy background) to stop these injustices. Seagal's solution to the violence and environmentally unsound practices of the company is to kill a number of people and then cause more environmental damage by blowing up a pricey oil rig. The company is headed by none other than Michael Caine, who is sporting oil-black hair and some ridiculous rubber-face makeup. Caine makes the film worthwhile for those who are morbid enough to watch a fine actor's most shameless hour. I believe, most of the time, that bad movies are not born but made. Seagal may feel that the oil industry is shafting the people, and he is likely right, but the form his statement takes is ludicrous even if he doesn't realize it. Actually, Seagal probably believes he's making an important statement and serious film (while satisfynig fans) and this sincerity is what makes it all the more laughable. The film is appalling in most respects, but it offers the violence you came to see. Seagal was just plain fat by this point (though he would, in fact, get fatter) but it doesn't stop him from dispatching all level of minion from Caine. Seagal finally lost it when he made a speech during the finale that denounced the practices of the oil industry. Honestly, the guy might be sincere, and he actually has valid points (there is doubtlessly shady business happening with respects to oil in the world) but his forum is questionable. The plot has many holes, the victims have holes, Seagal is fat, there is a spiritual angle that exploits typical conceptions of Eskimos and Native Americans and Michael Caine is priceless. Simply a must for the bad movie addict, this is astonishingly not even close to Seagal's worse. Now that is a real achievement.
Rating: Summary: Packing On Deadly Pounds Review: After making his most successful film in 1992 (Under Siege) Seagal was then given the power to produce and direct a film. Audiences are still suffering today. Seagal starred in some quick but competent cop on a mission flicks in the late 80s and early 90s. Then something happened. He got power, and he decided he wanted to make a statement. This is rarely a good idea for actors, specifically action movie stars with ponytails. In this one, Seagal is fighting the evil oil industry. A massive oil company is up to some shananagins in Alaska, and it's up to Seagal as an EPA agent (with a shadowy background) to stop these injustices. Seagal's solution to the violence and environmentally unsound practices of the company is to kill a number of people and then cause more environmental damage by blowing up a pricey oil rig. The company is headed by none other than Michael Caine, who is sporting oil-black hair and some ridiculous rubber-face makeup. Caine makes the film worthwhile for those who are morbid enough to watch a fine actor's most shameless hour. I believe, most of the time, that bad movies are not born but made. Seagal may feel that the oil industry is shafting the people, and he is likely right, but the form his statement takes is ludicrous even if he doesn't realize it. Actually, Seagal probably believes he's making an important statement and serious film (while satisfynig fans) and this sincerity is what makes it all the more laughable. The film is appalling in most respects, but it offers the violence you came to see. Seagal was just plain fat by this point (though he would, in fact, get fatter) but it doesn't stop him from dispatching all level of minion from Caine. Seagal finally lost it when he made a speech during the finale that denounced the practices of the oil industry. Honestly, the guy might be sincere, and he actually has valid points (there is doubtlessly shady business happening with respects to oil in the world) but his forum is questionable. The plot has many holes, the victims have holes, Seagal is fat, there is a spiritual angle that exploits typical conceptions of Eskimos and Native Americans and Michael Caine is priceless. Simply a must for the bad movie addict, this is astonishingly not even close to Seagal's worse. Now that is a real achievement.
Rating: Summary: A Good Action Flick... Review: Big fan of Steven Seagal here and this movie doesn't disappoint. I'd rate this one on a par with 'Under Siege' and rank them both tied as 3rd favourites in my Steven Seagal collection. 'Hard To Kill' and 'Out For Justice' would rank 1st and 2cnd respectively.
Rating: Summary: SEAGAL TRYS TO ACTUALLY SERVE A PURPOSE Review: I ALREADY DIDN'T EXPECT MUSCH OUT OF THIS MOVIE, BEING THAT SEAGAL HIMSELF DIRECTED IT. BUT CMON, THIS WAS STRAIGHT UP TERRIBLE! A MAN MUST STOP AN OIL TYCOON FROM TURNING ALSAKA INTO ONE BIG ECOLOGICAL DISASTER. THIS MOVIE'S BIG ON ENVIROMENTAL MESSAGES, BUT VERY SHORT ON THRILLS. I GUESS SEAGAL TRYED TO DO AN ACTION MOVIE THAT SERVED A PUPROSE, WELL, HE FAILED MISERABLY. I KNOW SEAGAL CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS.
Rating: Summary: My problem with Seagal... Review: Many have tried to compare Steven Seagal with Jean-Claude Van Damme, so I think I'll join them. I've only seen maybe four Seagal films, but they all were the same to me. They all had the same dialogue, pretty much the same villains, and all of them involved Seagal confronting someone in a bar. Van Damme's films usually don't feel the same. They are all somewhat different and stand out among themselves. Granted, they aren't artful pieces of cinema, but at least you can tell which is which. "On Deadly Ground" is Steven Seagal's directorial debut and, as a first attempt at directing action, I can't really complain that much. The choreography isn't as bad as usual and some of the explosions are pretty cool. But the story is mind-numbingly awful along with the acting. And when I say the acting is bad, I mean it's worse than the usual dumb action movie. Sadly, the things that make "On Deadly Ground" a bad movie are the same reasons that make Seagal's other movies such bores. The story and pace are so painfully predictable and the lesson to be learned from this film is weak and pretty lame. Does Seagal have fans anymore? I know Van Damme has a cult following, but does Seagal? I'd be interested to know. So far everone I've talked to hates the man. So why are his movies in theaters and Jean-Claude's direct-to-video?
Rating: Summary: Director Seagal treads on thin ice. Review: On Deadly Ground tries to deliver a message about the environment in between the moments that people pay to see Steven Seagal movies for, him busting noses and snapping limbs. But director/star Seagal does not present the message strongly enough, the violent bloodshed drowning out his good intentions. The movie does deliver a great deal of action, though it lays the spiritual mumbo jumbo down a bit thick in the middle. Also the story gives no logical reason for Forrest Taft's violent backlash in the second half of the movie. He is a private citizen, not a government or police agent, so his actions, no matter how 'justified' in the film's philosophy, or nothing more than terrorism. On Deadly Ground is a fairly entertaining action movie, but a complete artistic failure.
Rating: Summary: Seagal to World: "Love nature, or I'll kill you." Review: Seagal or Van Damme?
That's like asking, spastic colon or dysentery?
Unless you're 9 years old, this is a worthless debate. They both appear in terrible movies. Van Damme flexes and kicks people in the head (tossing in the splits at some point) and Seagal squints, runs like a girl, and fights dozens of bad guys who move with the reflexes of a tackling dummy.
What really singles out ON DEADLY GROUND is that a real actor, in this case Michael Caine, appears in the film. Here's a new debate for everyone: which paycheck made Michael Caine feel the most "dirty": ON DEADLY GROUND or JAWS: THE REVENGE?
The one truly inspired moment of this film comes at the very end. After decimating an army of thugs and blowing up an Alaskan oil refinery that resembles an earthbound version of the Death Star, Seagal appears at a press conference to lecture us ON SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT! No kidding. He single-handedly destroys our 49th state and then warns us about the threat of pollution.
If you really want to see an impassioned anti-pollution film featuring a hero of limited acting range, then seek out GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER. The Big G was onto the environment message years before Seagal started polluting the screen.
Rating: Summary: Seagal to World: "Love nature, or I'll kill you." Review: Seagal or Van Damme? That's like asking, spastic colon or dysentery? Unless you're 9 years old, this is worthless debate. They both appear in terrible movies. Van Damme flexes and kicks people in the head (tossing in the splits at some point) and Seagal squints, runs like a girl, and fights dozens of bad guys who move with the reflexes of a tackling dummy. What really singles out ON DEADLY GROUND is that a real actor, in this case Michael Caine, appears in the film. Here's a new debate for everyone: which check made Michael Caine feel the most "dirty": ON DEADLY GROUND or JAWS: THE REVENGE? The one truly inspired moment of this film comes at the very end. After decimating an army of thugs and blowing up an Alaskan oil refinery that resembles an earthbound version of the Death Star, Seagal appears at a press conference to lecture us ON SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT! No kidding. He single-handedly destroys our 49th state and then warns us about the threat of pollution. If you really want to see an impassioned anti-pollution film featuring a hero of limitid acting range, then seek out GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER. The Big G was onto the environment message years before Seagal started polluting the screen.
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