Guide Picks - Top 5 Steven Seagal Movies |
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Steven Seagal rocketed from being one of the highest-ranking aikido instructors
outside Japan to a career in action-adventure movies. Seagal burst onto
the scene in the late 1980's with his then-revolutionary "Above the
Law". Showcasing Seagal's aikido skills, the fight scenes wowed viewers,
even those familiar with aikido techniques. Here's my picks for the best
Seagal movies available.
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1) Under
Siege
"Die Hard" on a battleship. Seagal plays a former Navy SEAL, now
the cook on the USS Missouri. When the captain's birthday party turns into
a terrorist hijacking, you-know-who kicks some butt. Great casting, including
Tommie Lee Jones as the lead bad guy, Gary Busey as a crazed mutinous officer,
and "Baywatch" star Erika Eleniak as "the girl". Look
for shotokan expert Tom Muzila in a bit part.
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2) Above
the Law
Ex-CIA cop (married to Sharon Stone!) goes after devious bad guys. Seagal
shows some supposedly autobiographical exposition in this movie, with flashbacks
to working with the CIA in Vietnam and his years studying aikido in Japan.
When this came out, viewers used to the punching/kicking in other martial
arts movies were amazed at the fluid fight sequences using aikido locks,
throws, and breaks.
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3) Out
for Justice
Cop goes after bad guys. This time in New York City, Seagal goes after William
Forsythe as a drugged-out killer. Great pool hall fight scene. Look for
John Leguizamo and Gina Gershon in pre-stardom roles, and Jeet Kune Do heir
Dan Inosanto as--what else?--a stick-wielding fighter.
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4) Marked
for Death
Cop goes after drug dealers.This time, Seagal takes on the Jamaican drug
trade, including an amped-up kingpin named Screwface. Plenty of gratuitous
violence here--after noting the audience reactions to "Above the Law"s
bone breaks, the directors added plenty more.
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5) Exit
Wounds
Cop goes after...you guessed it, yup, more bad guys. Seagal returns to his
(sort-of) trim self in his best movie in ten years, as a cop taking on drug
dealers (of course). This time though, he's teamed up with rapper DMX for
that hip urban edge.
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