Rating: 
Summary: finally, segal got a better script and better director
Review: this is so far segal's best film in recent years. the fighting scenes are all great, some split-second fighting moments are well done and looked pretty realistic. the script could be more concentreated but it's already good enough to satisfy the segal's fans. fantastic stunts and special effect. all the fighting scenes are finally typically segal's trade mark and could keep you sit thru the whole movie without blinking your eyes. of course, there are still certain moments that almost lagged and dragged a bit, but there's not a moment that might fail you to focus on him and the story. wonderful directing, editing, acting (well, segal doesn't need to do any acting, his fighting techique is the real deal). i just wish that segal could be 15 years younger, 50 pounds less, face not so puffy, belly not so potty. but hey, as a loyal fan who never passed on or missed out any segal's films, even some of the films in recent years did suck big time, this one is really good enough. some low downs are that they put a much too young girl fell for the old segal, too many bullets shot out of the handgun before reloadings, handguns with sound surpressors/silencers seem always be more superior against machineguns....but, these flaws still won't hurt this fantastic and exciting movie a bit. i strongly recommend that segal stick with this great director who never failed in any action movies and 100 times better than john woo. besides a high 5 for you, have a cigar too this time, mr. segal. this movie rocks!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!!!
Review: This is what I have been waiting for! After watching the disappointing Ticker, The Foreigner and Out for a Kill, I was afraid that my movie hero was going downhill and not coming back like he used to be in the 90's. But BELLY OF THE BEAST is amazing! The action scenes are very cool and explosive. I'm glad Steven had a much, much better director on his side than in The Foreigner and Out for a Kill. Belly Of The Beast shows that Steven is still capable of performing explosive action movies.
This action-packed movie is a MUST SEE for all Steven Seagal fans!
Rating:
Summary: allot of action
Review: this movie is a fun rush of adrenaline. it's like riding a roller coaster. your kind of nervous at first but once it starts you aren't nervous anymore amd your having a great time. strongly reccomended.
Rating: 
Summary: Not A Good Showcase for Seagal
Review: This movie started off well with Steven Seagal (as a CIA agent) and his partner trying to make a deal with a mafia gang to lay off of a certain territory. As they conclude the deal WHAMM we're given our first action scene, one that's done with minimal trickery and lots of speed, technique, broken glass and furniture. This is what one hopes for from a Steven Seagal picture, real use of authentic aikido techniques (or at least techniques enhanced for the cinema but still based on real fighting methods). Next guns are fired and Seagal's partner kills an innocent woman bystander in front of her child. Another bystander sees this and retaliates by shooting the partner. Further chaos ensues as Seagal steps in and shoots that man. This scene contains real pathos and confusion and is a great example of how violence can beget violence and how innocent people can get caught in the middle with those firing no longer knowing who they're shooting at. It is unforunate that after such a strong opening segment the film quickly spirals downhill, once again showing Steven Seagal the lazy actor mumbling his way along another uninspired script when not grimacing and frowning during slow motion shootouts that overstay their welcome or posing with tai chi hands before
fights not geared to his particular talents. The story itself, which later involves Seagal's attempts to rescue his daughter and her friend from terrorist kidnappers, is uninvolving because we are never properly introduced to the characters as real people we can care for. They are merely there to create reasons for action (an evil priest is thrown in the mix as a major bad guy, but the whole time one thinks, "who is this guy, and where did he come from?". Seagal especially walks through his role and even sounds like he's been dubbed by someone else during one scene. Maybe he didn't feel like going back and doing it himself or maybe it is him and he just didn't care. A lot of his recent releases have him dub his voice later on and he simply sounds bored. The director/action director is one of the all-time best choreographers around (see DUEL TO THE DEATH or THE SWORD), but Seagal is not the ideal performer for showcasing said director's highly stylized (and often high flying) type of action. Instead of showing Seagal as an expert in Aikido, the style he is best identified with, performing moves that he can do effectively and that work in real life situations when done as such, the director chooses to insert obvious doubles doing jumping spin kicks and 360 degree leg sweeps that are the opposite of the simple but effective style Seagal has chosen to practice. This juxtaposition of Seagal and double, and more importantly of aikido and wushu, takes away from the enjoyment of the action as our eyes are jarred away from the real Seagal to the double and back. I have nothing against stunt doubles, in fact I would much rather watch a highly skilled stuntman perform a daring stunt than an actor who isn't as skilled do a pale imitation (or even worse a suspense lacking computer generation) in his place, but Seagal has created a persona that must be adhered to. He is known for his joint locks and circular motion takedowns from the art of Aikido and that is what originally attracted, and still attracts, his fans. There are still tons of moves to work with from this art form. Fans of Seagal became fans because they saw him use these simple techniques that a regular guy (not too muscular, not a kung fu prodigy, not even the most athletic) can do. It would serve him (and his fans) well if he would go back to those basics, and by this I don't mean simply repeating them. If he is given a plausible script that makes sense and tells a story involving a man of his age, size, and skill then we would once again have a hero to look up to. I for one would be much more inspired by seeing an overweight 50 something year old man kick butt with moves that are actually possible and effective for people of that age and size than to see someone often ineffectively doubled who always wins just because the script says so. Get back to the basic foundations of your success Steven Seagal, new but still real Aikido based moves for regular guys who want a hero to inspire them not a hero who tires them. The art of Aikido is inexhaustible so don't exhaust yourself doing what you don't do best. The only redeeming qualities of this film are that some of the other fighters do perform some nice movements and now and then the old Seagal is allowed to strut his Aikido stuff. He just isn't allowed to strut it enough. For hardcore Seagal fans only.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Disappointment from Seagal
Review: While this film is certainly better than his last two direct-to-DVD offerings, Belly Of The Beast is still a let down. Plus, I am very concerned for Seagal's health -- he is not looking well, and it's more than just the weight gain. Listen to his voice. The fight scenes are okay, and there are more of them than normally found, but it's Seagal's sidekick who, to me, really steals the show. He's a likeable character, a tragic character, and the actor portraying him obviously has some martial arts background. Otherwise, just a fair outing, the kind that Van Damme's films have become. Personally, I think both actors could make a great comeback if they would find a better vehicle and, possibly, get back into better shape. I admire & respect Seagal's abilities -- I remember watching his earlier films and the beauty of his Aikido -- but it seems like he's not trying anymore.
Rating:
Summary: Title Refers to Seagal!
Review: Yes! I knew this movie was going to be another Seagal classic just by looking at the title. Seagal is a monster ex-CIA agent who wants his daughter back. Bad guys made a big mistake by kidnapping Jessica Hopper! Jake Hopper (Seagal) gets attacked by short men all over the place and he seems to throw them onto small tables. A lot of breakage occurs and Hopper tells a guy, "You ain't nothin but a trailer park bee-atch!" As always Seagal is in top shape and of course does all of those stunts! It's unbelievable when he glides across the floor at the beginning like a stealth ninja and when he dodges all of those arrows! Seagal delivered an exceptionally worthy movie and it ended the year of 2003 quite nicely.
|
