Leofwine_draca Steven Seagal's direct-to-video movies have been on something of a downward spiral as of late, so it's nice to see a film that finally takes a step in the right direction. MERCENARY FOR JUSTICE is no masterpiece by anybody's reckoning, but it's nevertheless a slick, action-packed thriller that doesn't take itself too seriously, while at the same time offering up a number of humorous supporting characters, a little welcome comedy and plenty of bangs for your bucks. Seagal himself presides over things, looking surprisingly distinguished in a suit, but bloated and aged elsewhere. At least fans can be thankful that he doesn't have somebody else dubbing his voice this time around (as in the likes of TICKER) and we do get to see him take part in some fun fight scenes, displaying his trademark aikido moves. Elsewhere a body double steps in as Seagal's character runs across some rocks, but we can forgive that.The plot is typically convoluted, but then you wouldn't expect anything else from this kind of movie. There are double and triple crosses, lots of nefarious bad guys, and some MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE style intrigues in bank vaults. One thing the film has in its favour is some great, stylish camera-work, done well on the low budget – if you can call a multi-million dollar budget a low budget – and strong, inspired direction. The script is mundane but there are some great supporting characters who steal Seagal's limelight; newcomer Jacqueline Lord is devilishly attractive as the heroine of the piece, while BLADE II's Luke Goss plays a corrupt government agent with typical aplomb. Roger Guenveur Smith's performance is less assured as another villain – I can't decide whether he's good or bad – and South African Adrian Galley steals all his scenes as a beefy bodyguard with a nice line in humour.The action is fun and varied, ranging from war action at the beginning (great) to a house-under-siege at the end, reminiscent of THE KILLER. Between then there are some cool fights, including a battle between Seagal and a goon in a bathroom that is really painful to watch. Necks and arms are broken with relish and blood spatters everywhere once the shooting starts. The title is somewhat amusing, seeing as Seagal goes about gunning down policemen and SWAT team members without blinking an eyelid; yet we're still supposed to identify 100% with this 'hero'. All in all, MERCENARY FOR JUSTICE is a film more entertaining than it has any right to be, and a real treat for Seagal fans who thought the actor had lost his way.

namashi_1 'Mercenary for Justice' is a routine fare, that works only in parts. Its a regular Steven Seagal film, with good action & a strictly passable story.'Mercenary for Justice' Synopsis: A mercenary gets involved in a mission that threatens the lives of his kin. In order to succeed, he must break into one of the most well guarded prisons in Eastern Europe and free the son of the most notorious drug lord in the world today.Not much really stands out in here, besides Seagal of course. I've been a fan of his & he does deliver some kick-ass action here too. Although appearing morbidly overweight, the action star still has the chops. As for the Screenplay, it has some interesting moments & some sequences, particularly the penultimate portions, are engaging. Don E. Fauntleroy's Direction is alright.On the whole, 'Mercenary for Justice' is, at best, a one-time watch.

freakfire-1 I will have to view this film again to see how the story really comes across. Because it sure was a mess to follow throughout the entire movie. However its Seagal, and Seagal films are never much for great stories. Some of them have been OK, but not great.Seagal, the action star that would be mistaken for a less fat John Goodman, is hired by a billionaire to kidnap a French embassy official. Then he get betrayed by somebody in the CIA, co-operating with arms dealers. His friend is killed and the widow is kidnapped to force Seagal's hand. So chubby Seagal gets off his butt and fights.The story is convoluted and mixed up. Sometimes Segal comes across with a good voice, then he reverts to his 'whisper speak' and you have to turn up the volume to hear him. (That was a huge problem if you have ever watched "Flight of Fury (2007)").Overall, the acting is decent, the story almost un-followable, and the action is good. Seagal gets to go his 'karate chop' and break urinals. So it was entertaining. Worth a look. "B-"

unbrokenmetal "Mercenary For Justice": a confused mixture of a bit of warfare in the "Black Hawk Down" vein, a bank robbery, a prison break and a mission to save an abducted mother and her little son. In between all the bullets flying around, you hardly get to know the characters, and thus you don't really care about any of them. I liked most of Seagal's recent movies such as "The Foreigner" or "Out For A Kill" (and many who watched those don't agree with me). However, "Mercenary of Justice" was the weakest among those I've watched. Seagal defeats bad guys without wasting any blood, sweat or tears. It's all coming too easy to be exciting. The two only good points were some camera work (many shots were hand-held, looks more realistic than nice crane moves) and beautiful Jacqueline Lord who bears a strong resemblance with Catherine Zeta-Jones and plays her role convincingly no matter if she is at a dinner party or a battle.