Review: Above The Law Isn't Above Being Bad.
- Mar 27, 2017
- 2 min read
Continuing in my adventures of Steven Seagal's filmography I found myself where it all began. Once again directed by Andrew Davis, we have Above The Law.
Nico Toscani (Seagal) works with the CIA, running with a black ops unit in Vietnam. After he comes to blows with his commander when his morals are challenged he becomes a cop in Chigaco. 15 years later he's married and he's got a family. When he uncovers the biggest drug ring in the city is led by his old commander, his job suddenly becomes incredibly personal.
On first viewing it quickly becomes apparent that I've already experienced peak Seagal in Under Siege. Here he's less creative and even more deadpan than usual but he seems to be trying more, probably on account appearance on film. He takes a much more serious approach to almost everything which doesn't really work. Not because his character isn't interesting but because he isn't a good enough actor to not drop cheesy one liners every other word.
The action is pretty good but for an 80's movie it lacks the creativity of films like Commando and Die Hard. It's obvious that they're trying to make him into the new Bruce Willis, he's an everyman, a cop stuck in a bad situation, but the movie fails in its delivery of the action. There's a decent plot but it's buried under a thick layer of bad acting. There's a few solid martial arts scenes and a number of genuinely great shootouts which feel out of place in what is an otherwise mediore film.
Steven Seagal might be above the law but this movie shall be judged all the same. The good action scenes aren't quite enough to save it from the poorly delivered plot and the heroes overly stoic approach to everything.
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