Action Hall of Fame - Steven Seagal

I thought that I would try a new feature on my blog in which I induct actors, filmmakers, and significant figures in the action entertainment industry into a hall of fame of sorts chosen by me exclusively. I used to do a feature where I would try to highlight an actor's career and update the list, but it turned out to be far too time consuming, especially when you consider how many actors and filmmakers there are too highlight.

In order for a figure to make it into the official Better Clear On Out the Back - Action Hall of Fame, they must have made a significant impact on action cinema either throughout their career or at a distinct point in their career (i.e. Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger). They can also be inducted purely for appearing in countless action films or for devoting most of their career and screen image to the genre (i.e. Al Leong, Gary Daniels, etc). Filmmakers, editors, and composers can also be inducted, although actors tend to be the most highlighted faces of action cinema, as they are the star and marquee value and all. I plan on inducting a new figure every month and will explain my reasoning as to why that figure should be inducted into the hall of fame.

For my first inductee, I thought that I would go with someone typically overlooked, the one and only, Steven Seagal. It would be too easy if I started off an action hall of fame by inducting go to actors Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger (I'm looking at you IGN.com). Therefore, I decided to go with someone unique who requires explaining and reasoning for their place in the hall of fame.

"I'm just a cook."

Better Clear On Out the Back - Action Hall of Fame Inductee:

Steven Seagal (actor, director, writer, songwriter, producer, etc.)

You know you've made it when this is your 1st poster.

Steven Seagal is an action star whose films are mainly remembered for their incorporation of violent gun play and akido styled martial arts. When most people bring up Seagal nowadays, it tends to be met with a fat joke or a complete disregard for his entire filmography. While I agree that the man could lose a few pounds, as well as use a new attitude, I absolutely adore his early films and consider them to be the hottest streak of any breakout action star in cinema history. That Seagal was able to churn out hit after hit for several years in a row without missing a beat earns him a spot alone in the hall of fame.

Seagal broke out onto the action scene with not a supporting role, but a starring role in his very first film, 1988's Above the Law. It's not often that an unknown actor appears out of nowhere in a starring role, let alone an action film distributed by Warner Bros. Seagal is the rare action star who started as an action star, not a no name actor in the back ground or a small supporting role in a bigger action star's film. He came onto the scene as an action star and began his career on the highest of highs, something that no other action star to date has been able to rival or duplicate.

The best 'Die Hard' rip-off this side of the 90s.

Seagal's early films, specifically Above the Law and Hard to Kill, showcased an action star with both brutalistic fervor and gentle kindness. Watch the scenes with Seagal and his spouses in both of those films and tell me he is not the kindest husband you have seen that side of a gun and a badge. I also adore the scene in Hard to Kill in which Seagal prays with his son before he goes to sleep. For those who do not believe that Seagal can act, look no further than the first act of Hard to Kill in which he has everything and loses it all within minutes, all the while kicking ass at the same time.

The man would continue to thrill viewers with increasingly violent films like Marked for Death and Out for Justice, two films where Seagal's characters continue to show no mercy on his enemies. It is within these first films of his in which Seagal's trademark knack for breaking arms and destroying his enemies was established. However, Seagal experienced minor A-list success with his fifth film, 1992's Under Siege. The film was not only critically well received, but a massive financial success and a two time Academy Award nominee. You read that right, a Seagal film ruled the world at one point. To this day, most general audiences remember this as the film that defines Seagal as an action star and entertainer for its blockbuster sensibilities and success upon its release in the 90s. It's worth noting that both of the films that Seagal worked on with director Andrew Davis are two of his most critically well received pictures.

The end of an era.

Unfortunately, Seagal's hot streak ended in 1994 with On Deadly Ground, his first critical and commercial flop, as well as his directorial debut. While the film features some first rate action, Seagal's weaknesses as a director and story teller abound throughout the entire film. For example, Seagal resorts to lots of A.D.R. in nearly every scene. He also bashes the viewer over the head with his film's themes, thereby making it more of a lecture than anything else. Regardless of its flaws, it is truly a unique action film in which a muscle bound action star used their minor A-list stardom to highlight their concern for the environment.

Seagal followed up his first failure with two more minor hits that signaled the end of his minor A-list stardom. Under Siege 2, while a minor success and honestly an immensely underrated sequel, was not as well received as its blockbuster predecessor. And Executive Decision, Seagal's first film in which he played a supporting role, revealed Warner. Bros' dying patience for the star, in which they killed him off early in the film. For those who are curious, I personally believe that Executive Decision is the best film that Seagal ever appeared in, although I consider Hard to Kill to be the best Seagal starring vehicle.

After those films, Seagal's career took a nose dive into terrible theatrical efforts, such as The Glimmer Man and Fire Down Below. Before he knew it, the sensei was appearing in direct to video action film after direct to video action film, more than anyone could care to count. As someone who has seen some of Seagal's direct to video efforts, I can honestly vouch that they are some of the worst films ever made, with 2005's Attack Force earning the title as the worst film that I have ever seen. And although Seagal experienced minor theatrical comebacks in 2001 with Exit Wounds and 2010 with Machete, the action star's heydays seem to be long gone, as few people respect the actor anymore.

There is no denying it, Seagal is now a burnt out 'has-been' whose heyday happened long ago. However, based purely upon the strength of his heyday, I would argue that Seagal is probably the greatest 'has-been' to have ever come upon the action scene. Seagal's early films are still well remembered to this day because they blended both intimate drama with brutal action, something that had rarely been tackled before. And while those intimate films signaled a possible A-list star in the making, Seagal's blockbuster days were short lived. To this day, people still debate whether Seagal or Jean Claude Van Damme were the better B-list action star of the early 90s, as both men had one massive success that grossed over $100 million worldwide, Under Siege for Seagal and Timecop for Van Damme. Therefore, I personally believe that based upon the strength of his earliest films, Seagal most definitely earns a spot in the action hall of fame.

The Sensei proudly accepts his award.

Seagal Double Feature [The Early Years]: Above the Law (1988) + Out for Justice (1991)

Director: Andrew Davis

Cast: Steven Seagal, Pam Grier, Sharon Stone, Henry Silva

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 99 minutes

As part of my Seagal double feature review, I bring you Seagal's very first film: Above the Law. Seagal's debut film is a solid and fantastic action film. What makes it even more solid is that this was the very first film that Seagal ever appeared in and yet he was the star. No other action icon started off as the star. Stallone, Arnold, and Van Cleef all took several years before they found their break out films. But not Seagal, he found it with his very first film!

Of the three Seagal films that I have watched so far, this is definitely the best one. It shows exactly why Seagal became an action star. He's lean, aggressive, witty, and skilled with a gun. Directed by Andrew Davis (who also directed Seagal's biggest hit, Under Siege), Above the Law is a cop thriller in the vein of Dirty Harry (1971) and The French Connection (1971). Seagal plays Nico Toscani, a no nonsense cop who lives in Chicago. He and his partner Jacks (Pam Grier) discover that the CIA have connections with the rise in crime in the city. Nico eventually learns that an old CIA operative he once knew, Kurt Zagon (Henry Silva), is planning to assassinate the state senator and it's up to Nico to stop him.

I was caught off guard by just how complex the plot of this film was. This is not your average Dirty Harry crime film. Above the Law kicks butt and attacks the CIA and calls out their illegal methods. The film balances both this anti-CIA message and introducing Steven Seagal to the world at the same time. Director Andrew Davis crafts a fine action film that reminds the viewer why the age of the action icon was such a great time in cinema.

Seagal gives an excellent performance as Nico, the tough as nails cop that no one dare mess with. If you get in Nico's face, he'll punch your nose and snap your arm like nobody's business! We also witness Nico's kindness as he holds his crying wife, christens his new born child, and helps out friends and family. There are few action heroes who balance being both a realistic person and an ass kicker. Seagal's "Nico" is exactly that. It's also worth mentioning that Nico's name is mentioned maybe two hundred or so times it's ridiculous. If you are planning on playing a drinking game whenever Nico's name is called, you are most definitely going to get hammered.

I also loved the heck out of Henry Silva (Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai) and Pam Grier (Jackie Brown) in this film. Grier is an awesome actress to watch and I love the heck out of her. She is simply a blast of energy to watch in this film. Henry Silva is also one of my favorite character actors. Whenever Silva pops up as a seedy and devilish villain (Code of Silence, Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai) you know you are in for a treat. He does a great job in this film as Zagon, a cruel and sadistic man with a love for torturing his victims with a truth serum. 

Many people make a mockery out of Steven Seagal and consider him to be one of the worst action stars of all time. I theorize that if Seagal had died after he had made his first five or so films, he would be hailed as one of the greatest action stars of all time like Bruce or Brandon Lee. Above the Law is the greatest debut of any action star and Seagal proves that he had the action chops all the way back in 1988. I wish Seagal and director Andrew Davis would reunite for a third film because they make for a great director/actor duo. 

Rating: 8/10 - An awesome action film packed with shootouts, fist fights, and car chases. Seagal's debut had it all.

Director: John Flynn

Cast: Steven Seagal, William Forsythe, Gina Gershon, Jo Champa, Jerry Orbach

Country: United States
Rating: R
Run Time: 91 minutes

If Seagal's films have taught me anything, it is that Seagal's characters always have the best names! Look at some of these: Nico Toscani, Mason Storm, Casey Ryback, John Hatcher, and now Gino Felino. Dang, whoever was writing Seagal's early films knew how to name the guy's characters. The posters for his earliest films were also excellent. Look how awesome Seagal looks in that poster! All he has to do is hold a shotgun and stare at you as smoke billows around him to look menacing.

Even though Out for Justice lacks Above the Law's awesome amount of action, the film makes up for it with a far more basic plot. Gino Felino's (Steven Seagal) partner Bobby Lupo is gunned down by the drug crazed Richie Madano (William Forsythe). Detective Gino than sets out on a night long trip to find Richie, kill him, and avenge his partner's death. It's as simple as a Seagal film can come ladies and gentlemen.

Seagal is in full Seagal mode in this film. He's adopting abandoned dogs, rocking a ponytail, wearing sleeveless t-shirts, and breaking teeth with cue balls and cue sticks! Even though I'll never find Seagal's personal clothing style to be bad ass the way I find Clint Eastwood or Chow Yun Fat's personal style to be, I still find it entertaining to look at.

I have even less to say about this film than Above the Law. Seagal simply goes from action scene to action scene as he looks for the cruel bastard who gunned down his best friend. I do think that the dramatic scenes in between each action scene are quite boring. The scenes just drag on and on and become quite monontonous. The filmmakers were clearly trying to make a very Brooklyn, New York wise film but seemed to get bogged down with these slow portions of the film and the cornball montages (minus the awesome "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" montage, the Beastie Boys are always welcome).

William Forsythe is certifiably insane in this film! When a woman honks at him in her car, Forsythe steps out, grabs her head, and shoots her point blank! It's horrible! He deserves the beat down that he receives from Seagal at the film's end. There is no need to say spoiler alert people. You know Forsythe is gonna get it and Seagal most definitely messes him up.

Out for Justice can be summed up in one scene. Seagal holds a shotgun up and aims it at a thug. The thug turns and aims his pistol at Seagal. Seagal fires his shotgun and blows the guys leg clean off! As the poor guy screams and cries about his wound, Seagal shrugs the moment off and just walks away. Now that is what I call entertainment!

Rating: 7/10 - While a tad slow and boring during the second act, Out for Justice packs great action scenes and some truly gritty Seagal kills to boot.