Once again, Steven Seagal (playing EPA agent Jack Taggert) is out to save the environment (and avenge a friend in the process). He heads into Appalachia, using a job as freelance carpenter as his cover. He will go to war against filthy-rich, environment-destroying jerk Orin Hanner, Sr. (Kris Kristofferson) and his army of goons. In the meantime, he will begin a relationship with shy local Sarah Kellogg (an appealing Marg Helgenberger), who's treated like a pariah in town.
This is rather along the lines of "On Deadly Ground", Seagals' directing debut from a few years previous, except with not as much of the speechifying that turned some people off of that one. The topicality adds some weight to the standard-issue plot that often sees Seagal effortlessly manhandle any thug that dares to take him on. (Of course, they never gang up on him, because that might make some sense.). Anyway, the film also benefits from excellent folksy atmosphere, with a colourful supporting cast, superb scenery, a good soundtrack (Nick Glennie-Smith composed the score, and Seagal actually co-wrote a number of songs on the soundtrack), and a decent pace.
These filmmakers, led by director Felix Enriquez-Alcala, are smart enough to surround the typically underwhelming Seagal with actors who actually know what they're doing. Harry Dean Stanton is once again great value as a local named Cotton, who pretends to be slower than he really is. Stephen Lang gives another of his great creepy-antagonist performances as Sarahs' domineering brother. Fans of country music will note the large amount of recording artists who appear on screen, whether playing characters in the film (Kris, Randy Travis, Levon Helm of The Band, Alex Harvey) or making musical appearances as themselves (Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt). Kris is an enjoyable villain, very slick and confident and certain that he can't be touched. One treat for Harry Dean fans is that he does a rendition of "Kentucky Waltz" during the closing credits. The film does make an egregious waste of Hollywood character actors Richard Masur, John Diehl, and Robert Ridgely (Masurs' and Diehls' roles are finished with before the opening credits are done).
The action IS of course well-executed; a lot of stunt people get credited for this show. It's amusing to watch so many of these luckless chumps go up against Seagal and get their posteriors handed to them.
Overall, this isn't a GREAT Seagal flick, per se, but it's probably a safe bet that it's still better than a lot of the direct-to-DVD stuff he's been churning out for the last two decades.
Seven out of 10.
This is rather along the lines of "On Deadly Ground", Seagals' directing debut from a few years previous, except with not as much of the speechifying that turned some people off of that one. The topicality adds some weight to the standard-issue plot that often sees Seagal effortlessly manhandle any thug that dares to take him on. (Of course, they never gang up on him, because that might make some sense.). Anyway, the film also benefits from excellent folksy atmosphere, with a colourful supporting cast, superb scenery, a good soundtrack (Nick Glennie-Smith composed the score, and Seagal actually co-wrote a number of songs on the soundtrack), and a decent pace.
These filmmakers, led by director Felix Enriquez-Alcala, are smart enough to surround the typically underwhelming Seagal with actors who actually know what they're doing. Harry Dean Stanton is once again great value as a local named Cotton, who pretends to be slower than he really is. Stephen Lang gives another of his great creepy-antagonist performances as Sarahs' domineering brother. Fans of country music will note the large amount of recording artists who appear on screen, whether playing characters in the film (Kris, Randy Travis, Levon Helm of The Band, Alex Harvey) or making musical appearances as themselves (Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt). Kris is an enjoyable villain, very slick and confident and certain that he can't be touched. One treat for Harry Dean fans is that he does a rendition of "Kentucky Waltz" during the closing credits. The film does make an egregious waste of Hollywood character actors Richard Masur, John Diehl, and Robert Ridgely (Masurs' and Diehls' roles are finished with before the opening credits are done).
The action IS of course well-executed; a lot of stunt people get credited for this show. It's amusing to watch so many of these luckless chumps go up against Seagal and get their posteriors handed to them.
Overall, this isn't a GREAT Seagal flick, per se, but it's probably a safe bet that it's still better than a lot of the direct-to-DVD stuff he's been churning out for the last two decades.
Seven out of 10.