The 1980s, along with the presidency of Ronald Reagan, were coming to an end. Stallone, Norris and Schwarzenegger – among others – have flooded the action movie market. And Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz, believing he could turn anyone into a movie star, helped add another name to the long list of action movies in the form of his aikido instructor. And the man’s name was Steven Seagal! I know that in recent years Seagal has become a kind of living parody. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a legitimate tough guy in some legitimately tough movies. That is the topic of today’s review of his introductory article “Above the Law!”.
Steven Seagal (who also co-wrote and co-produced this film) plays Nico Toscani, a former CIA operative now based in Chicago. He is a cop who plays by his own rules. After arresting a major drug lord, Nico discovers that the not-Tony Montana is in possession of not high-quality cocaine, but military-grade plastic explosives.
The strings are pulled, and soon the kingpin returns to the street, and the FBI blocks any investigation against him (because of Chicago). Against orders to leave in peace, Niko’s investigation leads him to a conspiracy involving members of the black ops unit he served in during the Vietnam War!
Unlike films like Commando and Invasion of the USA, Above the Law does attempt to have a fairly layered plot. The conspiracy Niko reveals involving CIA contractors who used the opium trade to finance their covert ventures is very similar to what you and I would read on the front page of any major newspaper in the country. Also, Niko is pretty much built as a family man who really cares about the safety of his family and the protection of his city (also partially inspired by my OC, Adam Reagan).
It’s a much more realistic action movie. Yes, Segal is pretty much an unstoppable badass. He directed all of the fight scenes himself, and what sets him apart from the work of Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris is that the fights aren’t overly stylized. Aikido is a form of martial art that turns your opponent’s momentum against him in the form of throws and joint locks. So, if you’re wondering why Steven Seagal just throws bad guys around and breaks limbs instead of spinning around like a ballerina and landing a series of deadly roundhouse kicks, here’s the answer.
All this is perfectly captured in the classic cinematography of the 80s. With the camera pushed back just right, with just the right amount of cutting. The hometown of director, co-producer and co-writer Andrew Davis, Chicago, is also fully featured.
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Using several real locations and with full cooperation with the city, he becomes almost a character in his own right. The one whose primary colors are the dullest imaginable.
And finally, the cast. Steven Seagal at first glance may seem like an ordinary tough tough action movie with a stone face. But like I said, Niko is a character with a heart. He loves his family and will do anything to keep her family safe. Sharon Stone (best known for her role in Paul Verhoeven’s erotic thriller Basic Instinct) plays Nico’s wife, Sarah. It was one of her first roles, and she does a great job as a devoted wife who wants Niko to be able to do her job, but isn’t afraid to voice her concerns when it seems like his investigation is getting too dangerous. Pam Grier (best known for her work in ’70s black exploitation films) plays Nico’s partner Jax, a future ex-cop, a week after arriving at the DA’s office.
As fake as she sees Nico’s cheating antics, she stands by her partner no matter what. The chemistry between her and Seagal feels real. It can be said that these characters have been working together for a long time. Henry Silva (who had previously worked with Andrew Davis in his 1985 film Code of Silence.) plays the main villain of the Pound. Silva has played a variety of villains in films over the years, and what little screen time he has gets right to the point of what a demented psychopath he is. Real-life Vietnam veteran Chelsea Ross plays Nelson Fox, a contractor who previously worked with Niko in Vietnam, and makes a couple of appearances to try and convince him to drop the investigation. It’s really just there to increase the run time. Ron Dean portrays a Chicago cop who drops in from time to time to reveal that Niko has friends in Chicago. It’s also primarily there to increase runtime.