I've always a slightly negative opinion when it comes to films starring Steven Seagal, because the only credible film he has done is Under Siege, every single other film I've seen of his have been dull, adequate or rubbish, I didn't have my hopes high for this film, his Razzie winning directorial debut. Basically Forrest Taft (Razzie nominated Steven Seagal) is a former government operative who works for the Aegis Oil Company in Alaska. Aegis Oil is headed by ruthless CEO Michael Jennings (Sir Michael Caine), he is the kind of person who doesn't care whether or not oil spills into the ocean or onto the land, as long as he is making money from it. He even makes television commercials that make him look like someone who cares about the environment. Jennings is close to finishing the construction of his new state-of-the art oil rig: AEGIS-1, but his problem is that if he doesn't finish building the rig in thirteen days, the land rights will be returned to the Eskimos and the Alaskan government. Taft's best friend Hugh Palmer (Men in Black's Richard Hamilton) has a computer disk that contains information about defective equipment on AEGIS-1, Jennings finds out about this and sends his men to murder Palmer. Taft finds out about Jennings' dodgy dealings and tries to interfere, so the corrupt businessman tries to have him killed as well, sending him inside a building loaded with explosives. Taft survives the explosion set for him, he is rescued by an Eskimo woman named Masu (Razzie nominated Joan Chen), and also meets Silook (Chief Irvin Brink), her father, and the chief of her tribe. With Masue's help, Taft treks through the beautiful Alaskan wilderness, heading straight for AEGIS-1 and to destroy it before it destroys the forest. A group of New Orleans-based mercenaries led by Stone (R. Lee Ermey) are hunting for Taft, who is able to collect a number of weapons and explosive devices to set traps for and kills the various goons, including chief of security MacGruder (John C. McGinley) and henchman Homer Carlton (Billy Bob Thornton). Taft and Masu confront Jennings, string him up, and drop him into a pool of oil, he drowns in his own wealth, they then escape as a series of explosions destroy the oil rig. In the end, Taft avoids the charges of sabotage and multiple murders (self-defence), he delivers a speech at the Alaska State Capitol about the dangers of oil pollution, and the companies that are endangering the ecosystem. Also starring Shari Shattuck as Liles, Mike Starr as Big Mike, Irvin Kershner as Walters, The Mask's Nils Allen Stewart as Oil Worker and One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest's Louise Fletcher as Bartender. Seagal does his usual limited performance, making it up from his martial arts skills, he isn't much of a director either, and Caine with his weird black hairdo is amusingly hammy and over-the-top as the villain, this isn't the sort of film you may be expecting, it does pack a punch in the fight and explosive sequences, but it is slowed down and made boring by it's environmental message, otherwise it is just another predictable and slightly naff action adventure. It was nominated the Razzies for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay and Worst Original Song for "Under the Same Sun". Okay!
Review of On Deadly Ground
