alexanderdavies-99382 I will never describe Steven Seagal as being an actor because he has no idea what that entails. He merely fits the bill regarding the requirements of being an action hero. He has the perfect knack for dozing his way through a film. However, in the early days of his movie career, Seagal successfully displayed his skills in the martial arts style of Akido. This was when he was in good shape, physically speaking. The opening scene in the dojo impressed me when Steven Seagal demonstrates his own style of martial arts in front of his students. His hand speed and his timing is on a par with that of Bruce Lee near enough. The story is very standard so I won't mention anything of what happens. Henry Silva makes for a creepy and sinister villain, he was always very good at playing those kinds of characters. The action scenes are capably handled and it helps that the lead is a professional martial artist. In my opinion, Steven Seagal made his best films from 1988 to about 1995 before weight gain cast a shadow over his career. The director of "Above the Law" was the same person who made Seagal's best film, "Under Siege."

Scott LeBrun Action genre star Steven Seagals' starring film debut is perfectly acceptable entertainment for fans. The real-life Aikido master plays Nico Toscani, a Chicago detective who has an interesting life. During the Vietnam war he became a CIA operative. Back home, he's a hard working cop with relatives in the local Mafia. The past comes back to haunt him when his efforts to take down a drug kingpin (Daniel Faraldo) reveal various nefarious schemes by his old CIA associates. Chief among them is Kurt Zagon (veteran film villain Henry Silva), a man with a fondness for torture.Seagal also takes a producer credit and co-authored the screen story with genre specialist filmmaker Andrew Davis ("The Fugitive"). It's a busy, convoluted tale, but it does serve to set up its well executed action set pieces. While it features some of the beautiful brutality of the early Seagal vehicles, it's never quite as sadistic as some of the ones that followed, like "Marked for Death" and "Out for Justice". It's fun to watch Seagal do his thing, and Davis even gets a better performance out of him than most directors have. "Above the Law" has a good music score by David M. Frank, and makes fine use of Windy City locations, but one of its biggest draws is its supporting cast. Sharon Stone is largely wasted in her role as Nicos' wife, but Pam Grier is terrific in what was something of a comeback vehicle for her. She plays Nicos' partner, a lady destined for bigger things. Faraldo is an entertaining weasel, and it's always a hoot to watch Silva. Some of the cast have been regulars in Davis' filmography, like Ron Dean, Joseph F. Kosala (a real life Chicago cop), Ronnie Barron, Gene Barge, Ralph Foody. Thalmus Rasulala, one of Pams' peers during the glory days of blaxploitation, here has a small role as one of Nicos' superiors. Keep a sharp eye out for Michael Rooker, who has one line in a bar.While not one of Seagals' best movies (in this viewers' humble opinion), he and Davis re- teamed for what is often considered to be one of Seagals' best, "Under Siege".Seven out of 10.

OllieSuave-007 This is an action flick starring Steven Seagal, in his first motion picture appearance, as former Special Operations Vietnam vet Nico Toscani, who works as a Chicago cop who tries to expose those broiled in a CIA-involved illegal weapons trade.This movie only has a handful of action scenes, but the plot is still pretty suspenseful and fast-paced, from the cover-up angle involving the CIA to the assassination plot of a U.S. senator. The acting was fine for the most part, with villains you would love to hate. But, I thought Seagal's performance was a little emotionless and stoic, but his awesome martial arts skills and quick wit are entertaining to watch. I also enjoyed Pam Grier's character - Seagal's partner-in-crime Delores Jackson.Overall, it's not a bad action-flick - somewhat entertaining.Grade B-

Leofwine_draca Steven Seagal's acting debut is a fast-moving little crime thriller, involving drugs smuggling, police corruption, and a maverick cop (guess who?). This above average thriller has a pretty generic plot, but there are lots of fight scenes to keep things moving swiftly along, and also the benefit of a young-looking Seagal. The pacing is spot on and a tight budget used to full extent in terms of screen spectacle. This was before Seagal became a totally indestructible killer who the bad guys couldn't lay a finger on, here he looks fragile and takes a beating before the final credits. Therefore, this guy is always on the line, instead of the viewer knowing that he's going to kill everybody without a single scratch. The freshness of Seagal's debuting character is what makes him of greater interest than normal.The fight scenes in this film basically show off Seagal's different abilities, whether it be jumping on the roof of a car to grab the bad guys, using his gun to take criminals down, or of course his famed martial arts skills which show him taking on multiple opponents with little effort required, packed with the bone-breaking violence we know and love. People are thrown through windows and into tables and there are plenty of exciting moments, like when a small shop becomes a battleground or the shoot-out in a multi-storey car park at the end. Added to this are memorable images such as a row of highly trained killers, walking down the street calmly while firing automatics. The fight choreography is excellent and the photography also superb, kudos to the cameraman for shooting the various scenes so well and making them look this good.Seagal is supported by an interesting cast for once with numerous familiar faces in supporting roles. Genre favourite Henry Silva, the only man to look scarier without makeup than Christopher Walken, is sadistically evil as the chief villain, a torturer no less who enjoys inflicting sadistic torment on his enemies. His features constantly perverted in a twisted grimace, Silva makes an excellent bad guy and for once his death truly fits the crimes he has committed - let's just say it involves a ton of explicit bone-breaking. Up-and-coming starlet Sharon Stone has a small and rather thankless role as Seagal's wife, although '70s blaxploitation icon Pam Grier as Seagal's partner fares a little better with a part which is still somewhat underwritten.NICO: ABOVE THE LAW remains far more believable than other actioners of the time like Schwarzenegger's COMMANDO, thanks to the plot which always keeps its feet on the ground and isn't too elaborate to seem contrived. The events occur with an emphasis on realism and a degree of characterisation to engage the viewer. These events could happen and do happen, and there's a gritty feeling to the film. It's a bit clichéd, for sure, but the formula works, which is why it has been used so many times before and since. The clever drama gives Seagal one of his best roles and the film has a hard edge to it which his later actioners lack. Therefore it deserves an very good rating, as it's a solid thriller which succeeds in all that it tries to achieve, thanks to solid direction from Andrew Davis (UNDER SIEGE) at the near peak of his game.