Hard to Kill (1990)
Hard to Kill is a 1990 American action thriller film directed by Bruce Malmuth, starring Steven Seagal, Kelly LeBrock, William Sadler and Frederick Coffin. Seagal’s second film after Above the Law, it features him as Mason Storm, a detective who falls into a coma after being shot during a fire-fight that killed his wife. Reawakening seven years later, Storm embarks on a journey to avenge the death of his wife, and expose the corruption of Senator Vernon Trent. The film was released on February 9, 1990, and grossed $59 million.
Plot.
In 1983, Mason Storm (Steven Seagal), a Los Angeles police detective investigates a mob meeting that takes place by a pier. He records a shadowy figure who assures the mob they can rely on his political support. Mason is spotted, but escapes. Unaware that he is monitored by corrupt cops, Mason informs his partner, Becker and his friend Lt. O’Malley that he has evidence of corruption. Mason hides the videotape in his house. When he goes upstairs, a hit squad composed of corrupt policemen, including Jack Axel and Max Quentero, break in and proceed to murder Mason’s wife and shoot him. Mason’s young son, Sonny, escapes out of a window. The corrupt policemen frame Mason, making it look like a murder-suicide. At the same time, assassins kill Mason’s partner. Later at the hospital, Mason is first pronounced dead, but is then discovered to be alive, although in a coma. To prevent the assassins from finishing the job, Lieutenant O’Malley tells the medics to keep Mason’s status a secret. Seven years later, Mason wakes from his coma. Andy Stewart (Kelly LeBrock),
one of his nurses, makes a phone call, which is intercepted by corrupt police officers. They send Axel to finish the job and kill the nurses to whom Mason might have talked. Mason realizes that he is still in danger, but his muscles have atrophied to where he can barely move. He manages to get to an elevator, and when Andy sees her co-workers killed, she helps Mason escape.
Needing time to recuperate, Andy takes Mason to a friend’s house, where Mason uses his knowledge of acupuncture, moxibustion and other meditation techniques to recover his strength. While training, Mason hears a commercial for Senator Vernon Trent and recognizes the voice from the pier. Mason contacts O’Malley, who supplies him with weapons and tells him that his son is still alive. O’Malley adopted Sonny and sent him to a private school so that he would be out of danger. He arranges to meet O’Malley and his now-teenage son, Sonny, at a train station later. After O’Malley leaves, Senator Trent’s men find the house and attempt to kill Andy and Mason, but they both manage to escape.
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Original ending, Box office.
Originally, the movie ended with Mason actually killing Trent, and some time later Mason, Andy and Sonny attending a funeral for O’Malley. The theatrical trailer shows parts of the original ending. Hard to Kill debuted at number 1 at the U.S. box office with an opening weekend gross of $9.2 million, the biggest 3-day February opening at the time. It eventually grossed $47.4 million in the United States and Canada and $59 million total box office worldwide.Cast:
- Steven Seagal as Detective Mason Storm
- Zachary Rosencrantz as Sonny Storm
- Kelly LeBrock as Andrea “Andy” Stewart
- William Sadler as Senator Vernon Trent
- Frederick Coffin as Lieutenant Kevin O’Malley
- Andrew Bloch as Captain Dan Hulland
- Branscombe Richmond as Detective Max Quentero
- Charles Boswell as Detective Jack Axel
- James DiStefano as Detective Nolan
- Dean Norris as Sergeant Goodhart
- Bonnie Burroughs as Felicia Storm
- Lou Beatty, Jr. as Detective Carl Becker
- Robert LaSardo as Punk
- Ernie Lively as LAPD Captain