‘Look around you over here. Is this the setting for profanity?‘
While I have some thoughts on the Steven Seagal vehicle, Out for Justice, it would be remiss of me not to lead off with what must surely be the greatest on set confrontation of all time. The story goes that Seagal, never a shrinking wallflower behind the scenes, claimed that due to his aikido training, he was ‘immune’ to being choked unconscious. Understandably baffled by this claim, stunt co-ordinator and judo expert Gene LeBell challenged Seagal to prove it. Seconds later, LeBell choked out Seagal in such an emphatic way that the the big oaf also shat himself and pissed his pants. If this is true (Seagal steadfastly denies the story), this is surely the most prominent example ever of a film being overshadowed by its production…
Anyway. Detective Gino Felino (Segal) is supposedly a hard-nosed Brooklyn cop. We know this because he references being from ‘the neighbourhood’ every ten minutes or so. Richie Madano (William Forsythe), a childhood friend of Gino, guns down their other friend Bobby Lupo (Joe Spataro) and so a game of cat-and-mouse ensues where the cat (Seagal) minces around the streets of Brooklyn wearing a beret and a vest (with a police badge pinned on the lapel – ridiculous), and the mouse (Forsythe) is a crackhead lunatic. It’s quite something. Luckily, Gina Gerson turns up half way through to add some class to proceedings.
While Out for Justice, like much of Seagal’s output, is ridiculous, it is worth noting that there are some good moments. One barroom brawl that ends with Seagal dropping a pool ball into his sock and maiming several people with it is particularly impressive. The late addition of a dog is also enjoyable. And for all of my misgivings about Seagal (he’s clearly a complete prick), I do find him compelling. I don’t like that I find him compelling, and I can’t pinpoint why this is the case, but I also can’t deny it either. The guy has charisma, goddamnit, which is probably why many of his films from this era were so successful (including Out for Justice, which eventually grossed $40 million from a budget of $14 million).
I imagine many of my fellow cinephiles reading this will be baffled by my growing devotion to the work of Steven Seagal, but I know there are other converts lurking in the shadows cheering me on. What’s that? Exit Wounds starring Seagal and DMX? Where do I sign?