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Above the Law (1988)

 -  Action | Crime | Drama  -  8 April 1988 (USA)
5.7
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Ratings: 5.7/10 from 15,442 users  
Reviews: 79 user | 34 critic

Nico Toscani is a martial arts expert who was recruited by the CIA when he was in Japan, he would be sent to Vietnam. While there he witness the sadistic treatment of prisoners by Zagon, an... See full summary »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
...
Detective Lukich
...
Tony Salvano
...
Miguel Nino ...
Chi Chi Ramon
Nicholas Kusenko ...
FBI Agent Neeley
Joe Greco ...
Father Joseph Gennaro (as Joe V. Greco)
...
Nelson Fox
...
FBI Agent Halloran (as Gregory Alan-Williams)
...
Uncle Branca
Metta Davis ...
Rosa Toscani
Joseph F. Kosala ...
Lieutenant Strozah (as Joseph Kosala)
Ronnie Barron ...
CIA Bartender
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Storyline

Nico Toscani is a martial arts expert who was recruited by the CIA when he was in Japan, he would be 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 drug dealer, he tells Nico of a major deal going down, when he busts them, he discovers a cache of plastic explosives. And before he knows it everyone he arrested is released and when Nico tries to find out what's going on, a brick wall thrown in front of him. But Nico isn't about to let that stop him. And before long Fox calls Nico to warn him to back off and it's not long after that he is arrested and suspended from the force. And when a bomb is set at his church, which kills the parish priest, Nico wages an all-out war on whoever's doing this. Written by rcs0411@yahoo.com

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

He was a covert agent trained in Vietnam. He has a master 6th degree black belt in Aikido... and family in the Mafia. He's a cop with an attitude. See more »


Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

8 April 1988 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Nico  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$7,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$18,869,631 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Due to film schedule constraints, the sequences at "Chicago Summer CES" (Consumer Electronic Show) were actually filmed at the November Comdex (Computer Dealer Expo) in Las Vegas. The film crew carried press credentials and pretended to be a news show filming about the products in the booth. See more »

Goofs

During ambush with cabriolet, guy with metal spring is changing positions while he is lying on the ground. See more »

Quotes

Nico Toscani: Tell me something old buddy, do we kill our own senators now?
Nelson Fox: Why not? The Romans did.
Nico Toscani: Are we the fucking Romans?
Nelson Fox: We're an empire too.
See more »

Connections

Spoofed in Confessions of an Action Star (2005) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Seagal's starter hit
9 February 2005 | by (WILMINGTON, NC) – See all my reviews

It's near the end of the 80's, and this movie "Above the Law" will be one of Steven Seagal's starter hit. It was not a sleeper from the beginning. The action there was almost non-stop, I liked the part where one of the thugs had a machete, that was used against him, that person ended up sliced and diced Seagal style.

Unlike those thugs there, the real deal were inside law enforcement, and that's where the fun begins. Pam Grier as Jacks maintains her toughness in this movie as she did in other blaxportaion films. Gregory Alan Williams was there way before "Baywatch", Sharon Stone, way, way, way, before "Total Recall" and "Basic Instinct".

Seagal character was just as a juggernaut in this movie as he was in "Hard to Kill". He was still driving the car with its front wheels shot out, and he shrugs off the cocaine murder attempt by one of the rogues. Everything turns out well in this movie, and the reviews should go well with the fans as well. Rating 3 out of 5 stars.


15 of 18 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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