Reviews

Since 2001 life has not been too kind for Steven Seagal fans who watched him come back to the number 1 charts with the box office hit exit wounds nearly 7 years ago only to stumble with the less than stellar half past dead,and from there it was dtv jail without passing go. And if that was not bad enough the majority of his dtv films have been howlers aside from a few. Urban Justice had a lot riding against its success as most fans are jaded,but let me say that Urban Justice turned out to be his best and most violent film since exit wounds.

Seagal is Simon Ballister who is attending his policeman son's funeral that was premeditated by crooked cops or local gangsters and Simon is here to simply find out who killed his son and take them to hell. We don't get much exposition on his character other than he is a man with a "dark past",and for the most part it works just fine. Eddie Griffin and Danny Trejo show up for as rival gang leaders with danny's role running about 5 minutes at best. Both men come off well.Yes.Even Eddie Griffin this time.

The real surprise is the lack of stunt doubles and the fact that Seagal is doing all his own fight scenes here.Bones are broke,necks snapped,ball shot upon ball shot,maiming,and gratuitous violence for all as only Steven Seagal can deliver.There are also some nice gunfights that recall Under Siege and a really good car chase.Director Don E. FauntLeRoy does a really good job of directing this time out.

As for Seagal? he is just fine here aside from a Brooklyn accent that pops into an urban drawl and back again. It kind of gets on this viewers nerves.Other than that he is totally hellbent and has that scrappy charm that we remember from the good old days is back.

8/10

I really hate it when action stars are given no kudos for they're acting like Sly Stallone who wowed everyone in Copland and Jet Li who surprised as well with Danny the Dog.Jean Claude Van Damme is no different and while he has put in decent gigs in such movies as Lionheart,Double Impact,Hard Target and Maximum risk that were overlooked rather unfairly.

Something has happened since JCVD's fall into dtv land is that he has been a lot choosier most of the time with his projects that are top-notch like Replicant,In Hell,and Wake of Death.Its a shame these have been neglected to DTV being that they are better than some of his last big screen theater releases!

Until Death continues the trend of JCVD playing darker and more sinister characters as he plays a corrupt cop named Anthony Stowe who seems like he was ripped from an Abel Ferrara movie.

Anthony it seems has blurred the line between good/bad that his fellow cops despise him,His emotionally neglected wife is cheating on him,Stowe has a nice heroin habit to contend with,and a twice-as corrupt(sublimely played by Stephen Rea) ex-partner gunning for him who has designs on being the new mob boss.It changes with the flash of a gunman's bullet that leaves Stowe in a coma for several months and upon awakening he sets out to ease his conscience as well as bloody retribution.

This has got to be Van Dammes best ever acting job as he leaps onto the scene growling,snarling and making life difficult for everyone around him.His deranged look in the first half of the movie was striking and a lot of viewers are going to be surprised into thinking he let himself go.Even better is the after effect of the coma.

Selina Giles does an good job as the wife.Adam Leese has a couple of nice moments as Van Huffel.The actor who plays the fat Sargent gets the loud cop mode just right and has some good moments near the end.

The real shock is Stephen Rea and how sublimely underplayed Callaghan is by him.I thought we would get a real tour-de-force from him along the lines of Lance Henricksen as He only seems to come to life in his scenes with JCVD at the end which are fun to watch.If only he had put more into it than just taking a paycheck.

Simon Fellows does a good job here with his creative touches that seemed to fail in SIC and its pretty clear his strength is getting the performances and working with the actors.The grimy New Orleans setting is also plus.Some of his shots recall Early De Palma.

The only real fault of the movie is the action.Its not that the action scenes are done badly,but it needed more kick.The gunfights are good and bloody,however the last gunfight is a bit of a jip.

Where was the commentary on the state of a post-Katrina New Orleans?That would have been great explaining on the crime wave that is going on there right now.

It seems to me after the Shepherd JCVD might have just couple more action movies in him.What more does he need to prove if his best efforts get dumped to dtv?Dare I say he might wanna nab another drama?

Until Death was a nice surprise after the down shift into the average SIC and okay Hard Corps.

Even better to watch JCVD out-act Stephen Rea!

With a catchy title like the Butcher of Plainfield this Ed Gein variation and Kane Hodder playing him will no doubt fly off the shelves for a couple of weeks.Most viewers will be bored silly with this latest take on the life of Ed Gien.

The movie focuses on Ed's rampage and gives us a(few)glimpses into his Psycosis and dwelling in Plainfeild.Its these scenes that give the movie a much needed jolt.

What ruins this is the constant focus on other characters lives and focuses less on Eds.Big mistake here.

Kane Hodder is a strange choice to play Gein,but He does pull it off quite well,and deserves more acting credits than he gets these days.Prascilla Barnes and Micahel Barryman also show up.

3/10

Smoking Aces directed by Joe Carnahan(Narc) gives us the ever-simple tale of one stoolie about to turn his back on the Outfit that made him resulting in MANY assassins that come in all shapes and sizes to make him sleep with the fishes.

Joe Carnahan was very wise to turn down the pedestrian MIA 3 in favor of this high-octane outing that delivered so much action,Gore,and comedy that will make ones head spin.But I missed the quiet and coherent intensity of Narc which has been jettisoned in Smoking Aces.

Think Mad mad world or Cannonball Run but with Hit men instead without the lowbrow humor not that there's anything wrong with it.

We have a Monster cast here while most are very good,some fail to register or get bogged down by the many subplots and stereotypes,From Redneck,Gangster,Crooked Fbi agents,Psycho,or bad-ass Lesbian.

Its kind of a hollow but enjoyable outing for the action overkill and Jeremy Piven's Over the top run.Good to see Ben Affleck return for a little while.Andy Garcia,Peter Berg,Alex Rocco,Kevin Durand,and Nestor all make a dent here.What is up with Mathew Fox and that bad wig? Someone get Ryan Reynolds a sitcom so he will not ruin another movie please?Alica Keys was less than convincing.

Last but not least a little advice to Hollywood:Give Ray Liotta a leading role will ya cause he rocked here.

High octane but hollow in the end.

6.5/10

I look around in the video store still in shock how Steven Seagal with his track record of Bad action movies can still have 3 movies hit the shelves in less than a Year.Attack force being the 3rd no less promised the first-time entrance into the Sci Fi Genre for our ever widening Seagal.Visions of bad movie entertainment flashed before my gullible eyes.Sadly this is not the case one bit with no entertainment and a movie as bad as they come.

Seagal rebounded a tiny bit with the Trashy-but enjoyable Shadow Man last time we saw him.However Attack force has to be his absolute worst movie ever!Don't argue for out for a Kill,Ticker,or even Black Dawn folks.This is the bottom of the Septic tank here.

Anyone who says this is Steven Seagal's return to form should be forced to write a 100 page essay on the word Taste.

Seagal is yet another agent/I'm a supreme bad-ass yet again named Lawson wants revenge for the killing of his Team that leads him to a nefarious plot to distribute a really bad drug to the unsuspecting public.Not to mention the dealers are not from around here.

The whole Production from Directing to the acting is poor.Was this movie shot in the Dark?Its gotta be the most poorly lighted movie since Howling 2.The action is terrible and very badly done.

The Producers have also unwisely decided to do what the fans hate the most:throw in stunt double after stunt double and horribly dubbed Steven Seagal.Who seems to show little enthusiasm here.Can ya blame him?

While it has been said that Attack Force was not the movie Stevie signed on for(originally Harvester)and surely has to be better than Attack force.The post-production tampering has not made it more coherent and made Seagal look worse.I feel bad for Directer Michael Keusch and writer Joe Halpin as they are gonna be judged forever for the ill-advised production re-shoots.

So Now This leaves Seagal in the impossible position to come up with something to atone for this mess.But after seeing how bad Attack Force has turned out do we really want him to make another movie?

Pumkinhead(1988) is considered to be a minor classic by most horror fans.It was generally well-received during its limited run that year and remains a video favorite.Naturaly a schlock-sequel,Blood wings,was conceived in 1993 that met such universal scorn,it was dumped on video with no theater run whatsoever.

After rumors and false starts Pumkinhead has finally returned in a Romanian-shot sequel that aired on the Sci Fi channel October 28th.

A corrupt town Doctor(Doug Bradley)and his grave-robbing family are the cause of the Demon's revival this time around by vengeful family members.As the body count rises they start to learn that revenge has its price to pay.

Doug Bradley is does a great job as the real "Heavy" of the movie and its a Shame he does not get more high-profile gigs.Wise choice by the producers to get Lance Henricksen to play Ed Harley again.The rest of the cast over-acts or under-acts.Another wise choice for the continuity to the first movie,and the ignoring of the 2nd.

What bugged me the most the the cinematography in this one which did not have that eerie feel of the first and cheapens the movie more than it truly is.Pumkinhead is just one step away from being another generic monster of the week.They should have him reacting and interacting more.Don't get me wrong he looked very cool.They just handled him wrong.Most of the characters were just redneck-clichés.One after another.

Is this the sequel that fans have been asking for over a decade?

Yes and No.

But if I were going to bring s well-loved monster out of the mothballs like Pumkinhead,it would have been in a much better movie than this was.

5.5/10

Cradle to the grave should have set a new standard for action movies with Jet Li and Dmx re-teaming with Joel Silver after the very good Romeo must Die.Throw in Marc Dacascos,Gabrille Union,Kelly Hu,Tom Arnold,and Anthony Andersen for a great action movie right?

Wrong on all counts.What we get here is an 80 minute music video that seems content to play a new Dmx song every other minute,action scenes that are so poorly conceived,a lack of logic,and wasted talent that made me throw my popcorn at the screen.

Jet Li and Dmx seem uninterested and going through the motions.Both men deserved much better.Gabrielle Union is serviceable.Kelly Hu barely registers.Dacasscos is utterly wasted and ill-used as the main villain.

The only bright spots are Andersen and Arnold 's comedic banter and the awesome fight between Li and Dacasscos that nearly save the movie if not for one of the really lamest demise's in history for a villain.

Whatever style Bartkowiak displayed on Romeo must die and exit wounds is nowhere to be found here.Anywhere.The movie jumps all over the place with barley any coherence.

fans of Jet Li need to avoid this at all costs.

Hard Corps reunites Jean-Claude Van Damme with frequent collaborator Sheldon Lettich for the 4th time.The first time was 1991's Lionheart,followed by the classic Double impact,until 2001's interesting,but flawed The Order.Hard Corps is a nice return to form for the talented director who should clearly be making more movies than he has.

On one side we have battle-traumatized soldier Phillip Savuage(JCVD) who lands a gig as a bodyguard to a head-strong(but well to due) Boxer named Barclay(Raz Adoti) all the while answering to his sister played by Vivica Fox.Tensions arise when a Gangster with an army of thugs put away by Barclay is released from jail wanting serious payback.Can Savauge rise to occasion?

The production looks like a medium-budget movie.Good photography and locations add to the "american" look of the movie.

We get a lot of character detail.Some nice fights.especially the Savauge/Barclay throw-down.Some nice humor involving rap music form critic Savuage.A rather Macabe scene that revolves around the "feeding" of Singleterry's dogs.

HCs gives JCVD a fully rounded character for once.There is a nice sub-plot that is handled very well involving his character's battle record and misplaced guilt.He still has the chops that developed very well at the start of Replicant and shined through WoD.He is a way more subtle here though.Why can't Hollywood see this?

Vivica Fox is very commanding and reactive.Charming as well.She has some nice Chemistry with JCVD.Shame she does not get to go Kill Bill for a few scenes though.Raz Adoti is very likable as the Boxer-turned-entrepreneur.He gets better in every movie he is in. As gangster Singleterry Viv Leacock gets to set on the sidelines and bark orders and does not make that imposing of a villain.That part is left to the imposing Ron Selmore.The supporting cast is good.

The only real fault is that the action scenes are far and few between scenes.At 110 minutes you would think there would be more.A lot of opportunities end up wasted.I was expecting a little more myself after some of the stand-out action seen in Hell and WOD.

However no bad CGI Trains,helicopters,Jets,Moths,or bad slow-motion is nice for once.

7.5/10

Steven Seagal returns in Black Dawn.Cool title.I cannot say the same for the movie though.It ranks as the Worst Seagal movie yet.Yes.It is worse than Out for a Kill.Did we really need a sequel to the Forigner that bad?

Steven returns as Jonathon Cold.Assassin for hire.This time he is out to stop a group of Terrorists and prevent Nuclier Bomb from hitting Los Angelas with the help of CIA agent Tamara Davies.

This idea seems okay.The Jonathon Cold character once again gives the big guy a chance to tarnish his clean-cut cinematic Image.You get the feeling with a decent director and production team this movie could have went somewhere.If this cost 15 million I wanna know where it was spent?It was not spent on the movie?!!

The action scenes are not bad.The movie was obviously shot like a Doug Liman flick.Its just that most of the Time Seagal is doubled so much you cannot take the movie seriously whatsoever.The script seems...what script?!Logic is Black Dawned for a dozen low-budget action movies.

Seagal is not too bad here for a whole 15 minutes he is engaging then goes about the sleepwalking that he has done for his last 2 movies.Whoever is doing his fighting is doing a commendable job.

The light that shines through is Tamara Davies as Cold's sidekick.She has the chops,skills,looks and drive that give Black Dawn a little kick in the action department.How she got in this movie is a riddle.She should be a bigger star.Nicholas Davidoff and John Pyper Feruson are not believable bad guys.

Whose idea was it to make a sequel to a bad movie in the first place? It did not set the world on fire to my memory.I can only hope they inject the next Forigner sequel with some class,imagination,Less stunt doubles and a livelier Seagal.If not then leave Jonathon Cold on Ice.

I cannot understand why Knock off is one of Jean Claude Van Damme's most ripped apart movies.I mean the critics and fans were not nice to this movie.I think it had a lot to do with how JCVD was perceived to the public back then.If they look a little closer they will see it is not the steaming pile they say it is.I also think there was shock as to why Tsui Hark would make another movie with Van Damme after Double Team got the shaft by critics.

Van Damme is Marcus Ray also known as the king of Knock off's in Hong Kong who has just went legit with the help of his partner Tommy.(Rob Schinder)They have a devil may care attitude until running afoul of the Russian mob,Covert CIA agents,and the local mafia in an effort to stop the distribution of Nano-Bombs.

Van Damme does a good job in Knock off.Don't mistake him for Anthony Hopkins yet.It's just that Knock off gives the fallen karate man something he's rarely offered:Comedy.His timing is okay.Its a nice character change for him.He delivers very well in the action department as usual.

He also gets a lot of help from the multi-layered casting of Rob Schinder as his Quirky partner,Gorgeous Lela Rochon as a take-charge Clothing executive who is not what she-seems,and Paul Sorvino offers a lot of Menace as a CIA boss.Asian Actors Wyman Wong,Glen Chin,Carmen Lee,and Michael Wong also show up.

Let me just say that Tsui Hark goes all out with the action sequences here.Over-kill might be the word.A dazzling Rickshaw race through the streets of HK.A violent frenzy-like fight for life at a fruit market. Lots and lots of shoot outs,stabbings,fist-fights,explosions,and a surprising death scene that rivals the latest James bond flick for sheer lunacy.Also we get to see Schinder kick ass.Rochon has the Pam Grier Moxy working well for her.

The camera-work is totally over the top here.The Hong Kong back drop is a nice contrast to the on screen events and is awesome to behold.Nice touch to set this against the handover of 1997.The pacing is non-stop and barley lets you breathe.

There are the obvious problems in the seemingly rushed idea of the plot.Green Explosions?Paul Sorvino is kind of wasted here as just another stock villain.

Knock Off is a true Hong Kong-styled movie in every sense that people seem to forget.However Its nice to see that it is gaining a better rep of late.

I always wonder if Steven Seagal reads the forums here.I think he does as his latest,Shadowman is actually an entertaining action movie that does not mock(most of the time)or insult the audiences Intelligence. Did I just say that?The story is another matter.

Yes he is Jack foster.Not a bad name this time.He is yet another CIA agent.Yes his daughter has been kidnapped by shady types.All in a eastern European area.What is a shadow man to do but kick some ass.

Whats different here is that Seagal actually tries and succeeds in giving a decent turn here.He does most of his own fights.Gone is the raspy voice and Dubbing.The stunt doubles are kept to a minimum.He gets into quite a few scraps here that recall his early days glory.

The only bad thing is they needed to get some better actors to back him up.With the exception of Eva Pope most of the Bad guys are what else?Clichés.I do remember when the villains were written good even for low-budget movies.

The other problem is the most common plaguing DTV movies today.The Badly-done CGI.Its the same problem in the Detonator and Second in command.

Director Michael Kunesch Keeps the movie rolling,gives it a nice look,but winds up a little uneven.He is the best since Anothony Hickox though.Production values are good.

Its a few notches above Seagals latest work which was depressing me.What is good to see is that Seagal has woken up to the fact that we want the old-time Seagal action.

When this was announced I knew there would be trouble.Kolchak is one of TV land's most beloved and remembered supernatural-themed shows.One of the reasons being the superb casting of the Late,greats Darren McGavin,and Simon Oakland.

As a big fan of the original I was looking forward to a faithful updating.The studio just used the name to launch a generic x-files wanna-be.

This time we get Sturt Townsand and Gabrielle Union.They are not bad.The stories that aired had a little promise.The whole thing played like a wake.None of the charm or wit of the original to be found,and ended up very disappointing.

Townsend is a bit underrated in my book.He could have grew into the role if given time and better writing.A bit too young for the character in my book.

With Time this might have developed into something good.The show needed to start with a BANG;Not on mute.They just went for a serious tone with nothing to balance it out.How could the network have the stomach to green-light this and send it out into the public.

It was clear from the start they had no idea of the following the original had.

I expected more.

Since Wesley Snipes descended(or Ascended)to the world of DTV action movies the result has been Miss,so-so,and miss.Unstoppible was weak.7 seconds was entertaining.The marksman was the proverbial scraping of the septic tank.

And what of The Detonator?We'll anything would be above suffering the Marksman again.But the Detonator holds a small amount of merit that is hampered by a lazy star and Low budget.

Sonny Griffith is a not-so-by-the-book Covert op who busts illegal arms dealers in Poland.When his latest assignment ends up a bullet-buffet leaving a pile of bodies;Sonny then is ordered to escort a witness; Nadia (the ever-hot Silvia Colloca) to the US.Trouble is; Sonny is being duped by a traitor in his own organization who is keeping his trail hot for Gangsters with Nuclier Ambitions.

Snipes delivers in the action department.He is in half-blade mode here.He actually does well in the first 15 minutes of the Detonator,before descending into pure sleepwalking mode that ruined the Marksman.Colloca does more than look pretty.There is some conviction to her scenes.A lot of the actors look familiar,and have been in the last 3 or 4 Seagal/Snipes movies.Its always good to see Michael Brandon again.

The action is telegraphed here.But never boring.Running,car chases,Fights.Director Po-Chih Leong seems to have gotten better after the Seagal farce;Out of Reach.He does a credible job.But is constantly hampered by the low budget.Enough with the eastern Euro-locations.Its cheapening the movie's look.Vancover cannot be that much expensive can it?

The Detonator ends just average.It does not have the so-bad its fun aspect of Seagal' Mercenary for Justice. But it is nowhere near as entertaining as Van Damme's Second in command.Nor as thrilling as Dolph's Mechanik.Perhaps Dolph should direct Wesley next eh?

Its high time The producers pump a little more money and thought into these DTV titles with the kind of money they are making from them.Its only fair.The result could be a high seller perhaps?

Snipes would be advised to try making this one his last DTV action flick.Its sad to see YET another waste of this gifted actor's Talents.

Hide and creep.I like the title.I heard about this being on the sci-fi channel the other night.Let me say these guys have been watching shaun of the dead too much.No!I take that back.One can never watch Shaun of the dead too much.It is a funny ass zombie movie.H&C tries to be the same.It has some very funny jokes.Really.Most of the characters are likible.But it just suffers too much from its ultra-low-budget-trappings which drag it down.

But hey my hat is totally off to the guys who made hide and creep.At least they got off they're butts and made a flick that actually received national distribution.Kudos guys.I hope they get a budget next time.

Upon watching JCVD's previous movie wake of death,I knew it would take something special to top that monster.Unfortunately SIC is not gonna do it.But it does manage a bit of suspense,a lot of bang for the buck,Some competent direction,and some decent actors That manage to rise above the proceedings.

After nearly a two year absence Jean Claude returns with the siege flick Second in Command in which he is a special forces type of guy who who is made second in Command To the US ambassador in a small euro-country on the brink of war and chaos.It gets worse when the local Prez seeks sanctuary at the US Embessy causing the local insurgents to target it as well.Its up to JCVD to lead them into the light.

The action is fairly good a bit realistic,and on the brutal side.Van Damme does not have a lot fight time in this one.Though there is one of 3 that is just down and dirty street-like that fans will enjoy.Lots of machine gun fire and explosions.Some decent twists along the way also.

Van Damme is just as good here as he was in WOD.He gives a very steady and controlled performance in this one.He has arrived.The rest of the cast are good.Julie Cox handles the dramatics very well.Razzaq Adoti is likable as ever.Leading man anyone? William Tapply provides smugness,and a-holisem as the CIA guy out for JC.Much like Ron Silver in Timecop did.Velibor Topic is in Arnold Voosloo mode as the leader of the insurgents.

Simon Fellows does a good Job of keeping things moving forward and directing.He even gives the movie a documentary-like feel to some of the scenes.With each movie he is getting better.Van Damme regular Doug Milsome give the movie a crisp look as always.

There are a few gripes.There should have been more tanks.Continuity issues abound.CGI work is merely okay.There could have been more Mano-a-Mano involving JC.Some of the camera work is a bit shaky.

But with IN Hell,WOD,and SIC Van Damme is becoming a credible actor.I was a bit worried when he signed with MCPA that SIC would end up like the Marksman or the latest Seagal trash.Not so thankfully.

After the semi-entertaining,back to basics approach of Belly of the Beast it appeared that Seagal was on a minor comeback.Then along comes out of reach to flush all that down the toilet.

Seagal is a retired agent(how many times can one man play a retired agent!!!)who crashes a human slavery ring in Poland headed by Matt(Transporter)Shultze.Get ready for some bone-breaking,gun-fighting,neck-breaking mania that never happens.Its not that it is totally boring,just unexceptional.

Out of reach is missing a lot of the trademarks that make up a Steven Seagal movie.Not a lot of hand to hand action.More gunfighting instead. The final Mano a Mano between Shultze and Seagal is just modest at best.Seagal actually takes a few hits.The setting seems like the same faceless location of his last three movies.

Seagal is a little better here.He handles the fights okay.But the dubbing and the raspy voice make one question his health.Ida Nowakowska holds her own and does a pretty good acting job as the cop helping Seagal.Matt Schultze is the best thing Out of reach has going for it.He plays a nasty villain as usual with high potential.But ends up wasted and Ill used.

Good Idea undone by producers?Bad Director?Star?Who knows.It had some potential.Its mauled by one of those freeze-frame-feel good endings.

I paid nearly 4 bucks to rent this and I don't feel good.

New Steven Seagal movie at the video store.Out for a Kill.Nice title.Good cover.Looks like throw-back to the good old days of Out for Justice and The Glimmer man.WRONG on all counts.

This time around Stevie is an ass-kicking archaeologist named Burns who runs afoul of the Chinese Mob who make life a hell for Burns and his family involving a framing,Prison,and the death off his loved ones.He promptly joins up with Chinise cops and a Dea agent for some righteous pay-back.

This is a different approach to a Seagal flick...That does not work.The fight scenes are ludicrous and laughable most of the time.The editing is very choppy.There is one fight with a monkey type guy where Seagal is sitting down for the whole fight.And never taking one shot.

The bad guys are a round table-type of crew that snicker and smirk like they came right out of an Austin Powers movie.Ditto for the supporting cast.The script has the worst Dialogue of recent Seagal flicks.

Seagal has let himself go.I can understand he is no spring chicken anymore.But at least get into shape.Whats with the dubbing of his voice?He is on auto-pilot here.

The only thing I recommend is the visuals for OFAK.It has a nice dark feel.I would have thought Director Michael Oblowitz and Seagal would have made amends for the debacle that was the Foreigner.Nope.Oblowitz has went downhill as well since his underrated Vampire flick,The Breed.

Why all the bad reviews for Tobe Hoopers Mortuary?It is certainly not as bad as some viewers have made it out to be and if they were to watch it again they would see so.How does one describe Mortuary?Entertaining.Like an episode of Goosebumps on acid.

A family Played by Denise Crosby,Dan Byrd,and Stephanie Patton, who has just lost their father lease an old Mortuary with a graveyard to boot.They fall in with some of the local teens Alexandra Adi and Rocky MarQuette to learn that they're new home has a dubious past.As well as a creeping(lovecraftian) growth that brings the Dead to life.

The acting is well done by most of the cast.Dan Byrd captures displaced youth well.Stephenie Patton is engaging as the little sister.Adi looks very nice.Marquette's character has a nice twist.Its always nice to see Denise Crosby as the mom in a movie again.She gets to go over the top.Lee Garlington has a nice bit as Adi's Hippie mom.

The Zombies certainly look dead enough.There is some nice creepy atmosphere and sense of dread.There are also a few jump scares that work.There are even some touches of Hoopers old Chainsaw to some of the underground sets.

What really cold-cocks viewers is a totally unnecessary-shock ending(I think that where the bad reviews started)That drags the down the charm and creepiness that Mortuary had built up.Its like a kick in the stomach.The movie could have done without the Bobby Fowler subplot.It has been done a thousand times.

Mortuary does not break any new ground in horror movies or Special Effects.But it was the cast that made it watchable,and it is clearly a Hooper film with his touch.

(Note.This may be updated for when the movie is released on DVD)

After the flop of Half past Dead in theaters and the one-two punch of pure mediocrity Of the Forigner and Out for a kill it looked that Steven Seagal's Carrer had hit the proverbial brick wall.Wisely he hooked up with International Director Siu-Tung-Ching who injects the average Script of "Belly of the Beast" with some good fight scenes and other-world creativity.BUT, Not without the tarnishing of the ever- usual pitfalls of cliché,kookiness,and a bloated(though Lively) star.

Seagal is Jake Hopper.An ex(what else?)CIA operative who reunites with his Buddhist monk buddy(Bryon Mann) to Find his Daughter,who has been kidnapped in Thailand by a Psudeo-Terrorist group into...Black Magic.

This movie has some decent gunfights.One that echos the Punisher,and the Matrix.Some nice martial arts action with a traditional Hong Kong approach.Seagal and Bryon Mann get into some nice battles.Seagal is really good with the Swordplay.But at times it goes overboard for its own good.And the fact that one can clearly see that Stevie is being Doubled most of the time.The Location of Thailand adds some nice flavor to BOTB.I would rather see Mr Seagal make his movies in places like this rather than some faceless eastern European country.

What brings this movie down in my book is the "romance" with Monica Lo.Its just not Believible that this young hottie would fall over heels for a guy 3 times old as her.Seagal is no Sean Connery.

I am also kind of mixed about the black magic guy.It does not really fit that well and ends up being ridiculous.And as Usual Seagal never even gets a scratch.

Seagal is a little better here.I think this is the one where he started to get the raspy voice.But nonetheless,projects the enthusiasm of his Marked for Death Days.Its always good to see Bryon Mann in action.He also does a good job in the acting Department.One gets the idea that he would be the Headliner if Seagal was not involved.Monica Lo is Stunning.Tom Wu shows up as a villainous general.

This is about as good as Seagal can do,action-wise with the resources of independent studios,Limited Budgets,& Age.He would be wise to get out now or try getting back with Warners or switch Genres like comedy.

Sadly it was not to be the case.

Steven Seagal made his debut with this lean and mean actioner filmed on location in Chicago(My Hometown)Illinois.

Seagal is Nico a Chicago-Cop with a bad past.Once a CIA operative in Vietnam who quit over a torture loving Boss Zagon(Henry Silva)from hell.Cut to the present where his past rears up to bite him in the ass In the form of a Drug Dealer he is trying to put away with Ties to Zagon.As a mini war erupts on the Streets of Chi-Town.

This is Seagal at his best.He starts with the pain right away in a nifty scene that recalls 1985's Underatted Chuck Norris Actioner Code of Silence.(also Filmed in Chi Town)From there on its shoot outs,Bone-breaking's,Heady car chases,and Intrigue.Just when you think its gonna let up it starts roaring again.

Seagal actually does a neat Job channeling Dirty Harry.He's engaging,intimidating,and funny.Veteran actress Pam Grier is along for the ride as his partner.What more can I say?She's Pam Grier!Sharon Stone Pops up as his wife displaying some early acting chops.The always fine Henry Silva adds the slimy menace needed.He very cool.The rest of the supporting cast is just as good.Michael Rooker pops up for a blink and you'll miss him cameo.

Andrew Davis(Code of Silence,The Fugitive) gives the movie style,pace,and gets the best acting out of Seagal yet.At least until they re-teamed for the even-better Under Siege.

8/10

When I saw the box for Ticker at at the local video store back in 2001,I was genuinely surprised.I had not seen this in theaters?Surely A seasoned actor like Tom Sizemore off great parts like In Saving Private Ryan,Black Hawk Down,and many others get the DTV treatment?

Even more eerie is Steven Seagal fresh off his return to box office glory with Exit Wounds hit DTV so soon?It was bound to happen anyway.

Throw in acting legend Dennis Hopper slumming it.How could this go DTV? Simple:its a bad movie.A 3rd-rate speed/Blown away Knock off.Sizemore and Seagal are the cop and Bombsquad master on the trail of Maddog Hopper.It seems like a normal B flick.B for boring.It starts slow and stays that way.Never rising to above mute.

Is this the same Steven we saw 6 months earlier from Exit Wounds?The Raspy voice.Sudden Weight gain.There is not even a decent fight scene in the whole movie?I did not buy the Zen style he talked up.I suspect it is not all his fault here though.

Sizemore looks bored.But can act in his sleep.He gives a little depth to his role.Fault cannot really lay with him either.

Dennis Hopper shows up as the "Irish" terrorist.He is kinda hamming it up here.He is amusing to watch.No fault here either.

Peter Greene,Ice-T,Jamie Pressly,Nas,and Hill ST blues alum Joe Spano pop up for either bits or extended cameos.The sad fact is they could have been in the movie longer.Or a better movie altogether.I cannot blame them.

Albert Pyun.The name ring a bell anyone?Nuff Said.Bad director.But even he can rise to the occasion sometimes.I think its simple: Nu Image-bad movie makers.Its their fault.

This could have been something.I suspect there was a decent movie in the script.But the finished results leave a lot to be desired.Maybe this is what drove Tom Sizemore to drugs?Seagal to even worse movies.

French Cop,Alain(Jean Claude Van-Damme)one day finds out he had a twin Brother,travels to America to find answers about who he was,and who murdered him.Running afoul of the Russian Mob,a Brian Bosworth Looking Hit-man,and crooked FBI agents along the way in New York.He also finds himself Protecting/falling in love with the dead bro's squeeze played by Natasha Henstridge.All leading up to a big shoot out in an abandoned Wherehouse...Sorta.This is not your usual Van Damme movie.

Matured Van Damme?Yep.

For starters Maximum risk is helmed by Asian-action-man,Ringo Lam.He gives the movie a lot of atmosphere and style.The fight scenes are realistic,gritty,and for the most part brutal.Notice Van Damme goes for the Jugular here.Breaking bones as well as high flying kicks. The gunfights are staged well.Some good chases.And a nice scene involving a chainsaw.

The scenery is worth it too.We start out in warm,beautiful,summertime France to Dead of winter, smelly, New York city.I think its a nice contrast arc on the story.

Lam gets one of the very best acting gigs outta Van Damme Yet.He is at his darkest and most volatile here.Natasha Henstridge is kinda wasted to anything but eye candy.Zach Grenier and Paul Ben Victor are just okay as the bad guys calling the shots.Trouble is they are not really a physical threat for Van Damme.Stefanos Miltsakais as Redface fits this bill very well.His 3 confrontations with Alain are worthwhile.although its get to be a little tedious bordering on parody.

This would probably be the best Van Damme movie if it were not for the slow pace and excessive dialog,which does serve a purpose.Its just we get some flashy action.Then 15 minutes go by leaving us wanting more.Then it starts up again.Brake.Gas.Brake.Gas.

The gunfights are good,but It seems Ringo was holding back a little from his usual trademark stuff to pacify the suits behind the scenes.

If your looking for the usual from JC,then go watch the Quest.This is a much more complex,adult-themed movie.

Half past Dead was a good idea on paper.But the finished results leave a lot to be desired.As an action flick it is truly no worse than some of the other movies released during 2002.Ecks Vs Sever anyone?But with the talent involved I was expecting better than a run of the mill Die Hard hybrid.And Seagal who pulled it back together with Exit wounds just one year prior to get sunk by this?Its like he just let himself go.

Minor Prison flick involving two thieves(Seagal & Ja Rule)taking on a group of Mercenaries taking over the prison to find out where a death row inmate hid 200 million worth of Gold Bricks.Action hijinks,matrix knock offs,no logic, and clichés populate this mess.

Seagal is half past here.Whatever credibility he gained back with Exit wounds is nearly flushed here.Ja Rule is actually pretty engaging and likable.Morris Chestnut does what he has to do with a thankless villain role for this re-teaming with Seagal.Claudia Christian and Bruce Weitz show up.He is a looong way from his Hill street days.

The one bright spot is Nia Peeples.She is totally buff,beautiful,and lethal,as one of the mercenaries.She is in matrix mode.And gets to show off her martial arts prow less.Hollywood are you listening?

Teaming up Seagal with the hip hop/Rapper crowd is not the best idea.It has worked for Jet Li.But His movies were at least watchable. It is totally stale here.