Sick Product of a Sick System

Pretty Good

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Nico Toscani (Seagal) is a Martial Arts expert who travels to Japan from his native Chicago to further hone his skills. While there, he's recruited by the CIA and sent to Vietnam to work Special Ops. While in 'Nam, he crosses paths with a sadistic torturer named Kurt Zagon (Silva). Nico becomes disillusioned with CIA life and returns to Chicago and becomes a cop. Back on his home turf, he has some very important women in his life - his wife Sara (Stone), his partner Delores "Jacks" Jackson (Grier), and also his mother and young daughter. Nico and Jacks get embroiled in a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top when a simple drug investigation becomes a high-level FBI and CIA cover-up...and that necessitates the sinister return of Zagon. When Nico is forced to turn in his badge and gun, in order to get to the truth he's forced to go ABOVE THE LAW. Above the Law is the one and only 80's Seagal, so we might as well bask in the glory of that moment. The sax on the soundtrack, classic computers, giant cars, and general lack of political correctness all help to add 80's flair to this fine cop drama. Seagal made an impressive debut as Nico - he had serious fighting moves, he was in great shape, and he even was an actor back then. Having co-written the story and co-produced the film with director Andrew Davis, with whom he'd later re-team for Under Siege (1992), the whole outing is serious-minded, professional, and delivers the Martial Arts/action goods. It was the 80's, after all, and things were just better. This includes Seagal movies. Another Andrew Davis regular also appeared here and is worth noting - Joseph Kosala as Lt. Fred Strozah. He was a Chicago cop in real life, and you can absolutely tell. His authenticity stands out, as does his thick Chicago accent (you think at any moment George Wendt is going to show up and they're going to have an in-depth discussion about "Da Bears"). He worked as a technical advisor as well, and we wanted to shine a spotlight on him. Sadly, he passed away in 2015, but his work on screen preserves his legacy. In other cast news, we have fan favorite Pam Grier as Nico's parter, which was an inspired casting choice. Thalmus Rasulala - Blacula himself - plays a small role as well, bringing back memories of 70's Blaxploitation actioners such as Truck Turner (1974). Sharon Stone's role is small, and fan favorite Michael Rooker has a blink-and-you'll-miss-him role as "Man in Bar", but it all adds to the fun. Of course, the great Henry Silva is the main baddie, just as he was in previous Davis film Code of Silence (1985) - both Above the Law and Code of Silence have other things in common as well, plotwise - though it must be said his final exit in the film The Hard Way (1989) might be impossible to top. In all, Above the Law takes us back to a time when Seagal had a bright future ahead of him, action movies were beloved by all and went to the movie theater, cop dramas were tough, and movies weren't wussy and/or tinted blue or green like they are today. You'll surely be entertained by this classic of Seagal Cinema.

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-

"Above the Law" is a tedious action movie with too much plot and not even one memorable set piece.This was Seagal's first movie, and audiences must have lapped it up. Perhaps they were sick of Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Norris. The difference for me between Seagal and the other action movie heroes, aside from the fact that his movies always seemed grittier and low-rent, is the cruelty. You don't want to watch Seagal beat bad guys up. You can feel bones breaking; his scenes make you wince."Above the Law" could have had a great bad guy. He is, after all, played by Henry Silva. He doesn't get nearly enough screen time. We are distracted by a church keeping Central American refugees in its basement, and by drug dealers who want to assassinate some guy, and FBI ages who want to help them. This is all somehow related to the Seagal character's experience in Vietnam, where he first met Silva's evil doctor.It doesn't make much sense, but it's impossible to care.

Nico Toscani is a martial arts expert who was recruited by the CIA and sent to Vietnam. While there he witness the sadistic treatment of prisoners by Zagon, an interrogator, when he clashes with him, Nelson Fox, his friend tells him to get away. Nico goes home to Chicago and becomes a cop. 15 years later, when he busts a major deal going down, he discovers a haul of plastic explosives. Not long after, Fox calls Nico to warn him to back off and later he is arrested and suspended from the force. But when a bomb is detonated at his church, and kills the parish priest, Nico wages an all- out war on whoever's doing this......The years really haven't been kind to this movie, and as a debut for Seagal, it's pretty mediocre stuff. But films like this were very unique, and are scarcely seen now.The budget for the film wasn't huge, but marketing for the film was very heavy if I remember correctly, and Seagal was a no name. Imagine a studio like Warners releasing a 50 million budgeted movie, where the only advertising was of someone you'd never seen or heard of before holding a gun? It sounds bonkers. Something fishy must have been going on, Seagals always been shady about his past.But that's the exciting part of the film over with, and considering its directed by Davis, its a pretty dull film, with admittedly good fight scenes, but they are few and far between.The big problem with the film is that there are too many caricatures on display here. The Mafia are always in restaurants and dress like prohibition is still going on, men of the cloth are almost too religious, and don't get me started on the owner of the shop that gets destroyed, I think the casting director just flicked through a cultural match book and picked the cheapest actors.But it's all about Seagal, and he can carry a film, his screen presence is definitely remarkable, you could see his star quality. Seagal is very restraint in this, but I feel like a lot is missing, the relationship between him and Grier is very rich, but on feels like something was edited out for time sake, because it appears that they are more than just friends on more than one occasion.His trademark swagger came into full swing with Hard To Kill, and he was unstoppable until Fire Down Below, but seeing this now it's amazing how culturally offensive and borderline racist the film actually is.Still great fight scenes though, which really is the only reason to watch this.