It takes until over 7 minutes into this movie, to actually start the main credits, & confirm your about to watch a 'Steven Seagal' picture. Due largely to having 3 sections of back stories that introduce all principle threads of a blander than usual plotline.
Can we believe in 'Seagal', as a newly celebrated professor of archeology? Indiana Jones thrill ride this is not, so opening scenes of hot & heavy nightclubs, gratuitous carnage, balanced against sepia like jeep rides similar to a middle popular PS2 game, comprise these randomly insignificant scenes and are poor reasons to stay in your seat.
Humour arrives in tiny snippets of wit during a montage of prison scenes. Test yourself , which famous character 'Steven', attempts to impersonate?
Full bore, martial action starts at 27th minute in full 'C.T.H.D' style, while such moments continue to please fight fans in the rest of this bargain flick, sadly the characters wife has a tragic demise soon after, which means there is little more than a twisted, obsessive revenge motive to bouy up the characters development which is oiniently described in one of the better dramatic scenes.
I'm sure I have heard somewhere " beware the demon barber...", well the second best fight of this movie occurs in very similar circumstances.
What really rankles is how limited a dramatic role, the two detectives representing law enforcement were given. Actress, "Michelle Goh"
plays 'Tommie Ling', an oriental version of X-Files 'Scully', who teases her female quarrey , and doubles as a narrative conscience. The placement of a Colin McRae style car pursuit, is excellently handled. Leading to the films best and most witty scens of the movie.
The finale, exists as an existensial, stylish spoof of one of the most shocking moments of 'The Omen', yet is still overwhelmed by the preceeding off tune mix of editing.
Conclusions - I still think S Seagal could be better off as Ian McShanes stunt double, based on this presentation. Overall a 3+ with only 2 cheers.
Posted: 2010-04-30 17:09:26