(Manufacturer # 1000046025 )
PlotMartial arts hero Steven Seagal developed, co-wrote, co-produced, choreographed, and debuted in this thrill ride -- a cop film with more attitude, and more plot, than its star had duties on the set. Seagal is Nico Toscani, an Italian immigrant, American patriot, ex-CIA agent, aikido specialist, and unorthodox Chicago policeman. He is as committed to his job as he is to his personalized brand of justice: expert and thorough bone-crushing. When the FBI orders his squad to ignore the mysterious shipment of military explosives they seized from a notorious narcotics dealer, Nico defiantly pursues his own investigation. With the help of his partner Jax (Pam Grier), he sifts through a tangled web of Catholic priests, illegal immigrants, and trained assassins to uncover a drug cartel run directly out of the CIA by an official named Zagon Henry Silva. Nico remembers the man from his CIA days in Vietnam, when Zagon used the agency (and the war) as a front for smuggling opium. At the time, Nico was too outranked to thwart him, but he will no longer let Zagon abuse his position to remain immune from prosecution -- especially now that the official has plans to murder a U.S. senator. Zagon may be above the law of most men, but he is certainly not above Nico's. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi Movie TypeMovie Level ThemesMovie Level TonesTense, Visceral, Harsh, Lurid DVD Features AwardsAMG RatingReview Hollywood heavyweight Michael Ovitz hoped to prove that he could make anyone a star by arranging a meeting between Warner Bros. and his aikido instructor, Steven Seagal. In fact, at 6'4", with a sixth degree black belt and an ego to match, the reasonably handsome Seagal already easily possessed the makings of a bankable action hero. Above the Law is the first movie to result from the actor's contract to make martial arts films for Warner Bros., its success setting the tone for a decade of Seagal flicks. Playing Chicago cop Nico Toscani, Seagal begins his reign as the skilled vigilante -- a man with the competence and the arrogance to defy rules in order to abolish crime. This is the motivation for each quick and impressive fight scene, as the actor swiftly pummels his way through the city's injustice. Above the Law also begins to outline Seagal's political and moral agendas -- exploring Vietnam, drugs, immigration, corruption, and spirituality. Such a broad plot makes the action film even more superficial, but it also allows for a large supporting cast to complement its star. Veteran actors Pam Grier and Henry Silva, along with a younger Sharon Stone, provide support and chemistry for the neophyte Seagal -- letting his heroic persona shine without too many theatrical slip-ups. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi
Requirements
Blu-Ray Drive or Blu-Ray Player
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