Half Past Dead (2002)

Director:

Don Michael Paul

Writer (WGA):

Don Michael Paul (written by)

Release Date:

15 November 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The Good. The Bad. And the Deadly.

Plot:

This movie tells the story of a man who goes undercover in a hi-tech prison to find out information to help prosecute those who killed his wife. While there he stumbles onto a plot involving a death-row inmate and his $200 million stash of gold.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Gold | FBI | Undercover | Alcatraz

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Steven Seagal	...	Sasha Petrosevitch
Morris Chestnut	...	49er One / Donald Robert Johnson
Ja Rule	...	Nicolas 'Nick' Frazier
Nia Peeples	...	49er Six
Tony Plana	...	Warden El Fuego
Kurupt	...	Twitch
Michael Taliferro	...	Little Joe (as Michael 'Bear' Taliferro)
Claudia Christian	...	Special Agent Ellen Williams
Linda Thorson	...	Judge Jane McPherson
Bruce Weitz	...	Lester McKenna
Michael McGrady	...	Guard Damon J. Kestner
Richard Bremmer	...	Sonny Eckvall
Hannes Jaenicke	...	Agent Hartmann
Matt Battaglia	...	49er Three
Wiliam T. Bowers	...	Alcatraz Guard
Stephen J. Cannell	...	Frank Hubbard
Ross King	...	FBI Agent
Yasmina Filali	...	Sophia (as Yasmina Filall)
Alexandra Kamp-Groeneveld	...	Reporter (as Alexandra Kamp)
Jed Sutton	...	Air 49er
Kelly Lange	...	Herself
Mo'Nique	...	Twitch's Girl
Eva-Maria Schönecker	...	Priest
Alister Mazzotti	...	49er Seven
Michael Bornhütter	...	49er Eight
Rainer Werner	...	49er Nine
Ralf Häger	...	49er Ten (as Ralf Haeger)
Art Camacho	...	49er Eleven
Wolfgang Lindner	...	49er Twelve
Volkhard Buff	...	Hooded Figure (as Volkhart Buff)
Mike Möller	...	Inmate #1
Christian Gneisel	...	Inmate #2
Lutz Vogel	...	Inmate #3
Stefan Langel	...	Gunner
Ralph Günthler	...	Gunner (as Ralph Guthler)
Jogi Blumenthal	...	Entrance Guard
Thorsten Gliewe	...	Entrance Guard
Micha Bornhütter	...	Entrance Guard
Marc Logan-Black	...	Control Center Guard (as Mark Logan-Black)
Mike Brun	...	Tower Guard
Georg Ebinal	...	Tower Guard / Truck Driver
Wanja Götz	...	Nick's Crew
Norman Ernst	...	Nick's Crew
Asuka Tovazzi	...	FBI Chop Shop
Jason Oettle	...	FBI Chop Shop
René Bellmann	...	Forklift Driver
Eddie Geber	...	Inmate
Sascha Magerl	...	Inmate
Chi Man Wong	...	Chinese Tier Guard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Cook	...	William T. Bowers (uncredited)
Kris Deskins	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Don Michael Paul	...	SWAT Captain (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Michael Paul

Writing credits (WGA)
Don Michael Paul		(written by)

Produced by
Christopher Eberts	....	executive producer
Randall Emmett	....	co-executive producer
Richard L. Fox	....	associate producer
George Furla	....	co-executive producer
Phillip B. Goldfine	....	co-producer (as Phil Goldfine)
Brandon D. Hogan	....	producer (as Brandon K. Hogan)
James A. Holt	....	co-producer (as James Holt)
Elie Samaha	....	producer
Uwe Schott	....	executive producer
Steven Seagal	....	producer
Alison Semenza	....	line producer
William B. Steakley	....	line producer
Andrew Stevens	....	producer
Mac Yasuda	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Tyler Bates

Cinematography by
Michael Slovis

Film Editing by
Vanick Moradian

Casting by
Jeff Gerrard

Production Design by
Albrecht Konrad

Art Direction by
Andreas Olshausen

Set Decoration by
Ernestine Hipper

Costume Design by
Barbara Jäger

Makeup Department
David Atherton	....	hair stylist: Mr. Seagal
David Atherton	....	makeup artist: Mr. Segal
Sheila Evers	....	makeup artist
Björn Rehbein	....	hair designer
Björn Rehbein	....	makeup designer
Valeska Schitthelm	....	hair stylist
Valeska Schitthelm	....	makeup artist
Michelle Werner	....	key makeup artist: US Crew

Production Management
Markus Bensch	....	production manager
Thorne Mutert	....	unit manager
Maureen Norton	....	post-production supervisor
Andrew Stevens	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Art Camacho	....	second unit director
Richard L. Fox	....	first assistant director
Karen Fulham	....	first assistant director: second unit
Klaus Große Darrelmann	....	second assistant director
Eva-Maria Schönecker	....	first assistant director
Jonathan Southard	....	first assistant director: Los Angeles
A. Stevens	....	first assistant director
Juliane Walker	....	assistant director (as Juliane Heicken)

Art Department
Christoph Baumstieger	....	set dresser
Christoph Baumstieger	....	swing
Roman Berger	....	stand-by carpenter
Simon-Julien Boucherie	....	assistant set decorator
Klaus Eckmann	....	swing gang
Enzo Enzel	....	head painter
Michael Fechner	....	prop supervisor
Oliver Kuhlmann	....	stand-by props chargehand
Christoph Lanksch	....	set dresser
T. Brett Lindsey	....	scenic artist: reshoots
Joao Gonzaga Silveira	....	stand-by props
Otu Tetteh	....	painter
John Wong	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Kami Asgar	....	supervising sound editor
Ed Cantu	....	sound mixer
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley artist
Wayne Heitman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Takako Ishikawa	....	sound effects editor
Devin Joseph	....	dialogue editor
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist
Marla McGuire	....	adr editor
Robert Nichols II	....	sound recordist
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
Tim Tuchrello	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Michael Apling	....	special effects: technical support
Norman Ernst	....	special effects technician
Sebastian Hanusch	....	special effects assistant
Till Hertrich	....	senior special effects technician
Stefan Knauer	....	special effects technician
Michael Luppino	....	special effects foreman
Armin Moritz	....	special effects technician
Uli Nefzer	....	special effects supervisor
Bernd Rautenberg	....	head of armour weapons
Marcus Schmidt	....	armourer
Jens Schmiedel	....	special effects senior technician
Thomas Thiele	....	special effects technician
Bernd Wildau	....	special effects: technical support
Adolf Wojtinek	....	special effects: technical support

Visual Effects by
Clay Dale	....	visual effects
Victor DiMichina	....	digital imaging supervisor
Chris Ervin	....	digital compositor
Patrick Flanagan	....	digital compositor
Tyler Foell	....	digital effects supervisor
Tyler Foell	....	visual effects producer
Mike Hardison	....	CG supervisor: Pixel Magic
James David Hattin	....	digital compositor/removal guy
Bonnie Kanner	....	executive producer: Pixel Magic
Kevin Kipper	....	digital artist
John R. McConnell	....	2D Compositor: Pixel Magic
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor
Brad Moylan	....	lead digital compositor: Pixel Magic
Patrick Murphy	....	digital compositor
Josh Novak	....	lead compositor: main title sequence
Alfredo Ramirez	....	digital effects compositor: Pixel Magic
Michael Geordie Spradling	....	weather effects
Michael Stetson	....	digital artist: Pixel Magic
Mike Uguccioni	....	digital compositor
Juan Carlos Vargas	....	visual effects (as Juan Vargas)
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging: iO Film (uncredited)
Tony Magaletta	....	first assistant cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
Sandra Barger	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Joseph Billingiere	....	stunt double
Volkhard Buff	....	stunt coordinator
Art Camacho	....	action coordinator
Norman Ernst	....	stunt rigger
Ariel Roncoli	....	stunts
Wolfgang Stegemann	....	stunts
Xin Xin Xiong	....	fight choreographer

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Altmann	....	video operator
Klemens Becker	....	director of photography: second unit
Viviane Bendjus	....	clapper loader
Jan Brun	....	dolly grip
Brek Cooney	....	grip
Johnny Feurer	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Steve Garrett	....	best boy grip: second unit
Mario Grech	....	rigging spark
Birgit Gudjonsdottir	....	camera operator
Greg Harrington	....	camera operator: second unit
David Hörnle	....	second assistant additional camera
Holger Joos	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Sebastian Meuschel	....	camera operator
Ronald Schwarz	....	gaffer
Sascha 'Sash' Seitz	....	second assistant camera
Marco Teuchert	....	best boy
Marco Teuchert	....	electrician

Casting Department
Josh Godfrey	....	casting assistant
Iris Müller	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anna Isabell Logen	....	costumer: Steven Seagal
Meike Schlegel	....	costume supervisor
Juliana Stenzel	....	crowd costumier
Carol Anne Wegner	....	key wardrobe (as Carol Turney)

Editorial Department
David Feldman	....	apprentice editor
Derek Herr	....	on-line editor
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
Chris Mistorni	....	first assistant editor
Joel T. Pashby	....	assistant editor
Aaron Rottinghaus	....	apprentice editor
Christine Seino	....	assistant on-line editor

Music Department
Malé Baby Alexander	....	composer: additional music
Jim Ervin	....	music consultant
Michael Lloyd	....	executive soundtrack producer
Michael Lloyd	....	music supervisor
Brian Richards	....	music editor
Mark Skillingberg	....	assistant music editor
Tim Williams	....	orchestrator (as Timothy Williams)

Transportation Department
Benjamin Dunker	....	driver: Steven Seagal
Michael Kraft	....	personal driver: Ja Rule
Daniel Mattig	....	transportation coordinator
Grit Menzzer	....	production driver
Alexander Stolle	....	driver: property

Other crew
Alan Abrams	....	production legal affairs
John 'JR' Craigmile	....	accountant
Ava DuVernay	....	publicist
Torrence Hall	....	armorer: USA
Charles Heaphy	....	production financing
Mary Jasionowski	....	post-production accountant
Meng Johnson	....	miscellaneous crew
T. Sonny Klawitter	....	personal assistant: Steven Seagal
Christian Klempert	....	location manager
Silke Krüger	....	assistant location manager
Casey Leveque	....	photo retoucher
Peter Madamba	....	script researcher
Sabine Renger	....	assistant production coordinator
Marco Schenke	....	crowd marshall
Anna Schmigalla	....	accountant
Zoe Simijonovic	....	script supervisor: second unit
Imke Sommerkamp	....	production coordinator
Mark Stehli	....	location manager
Philip J. Strina	....	production legal: Barab Abrams & Coate
Mike Tristano	....	armorer: USA
Jim Valdez	....	assistant: Andrew Stevens
Ian Watermeier	....	finance manager
Sabine Wührer	....	script supervisor
Xin Xin Xiong	....	fight choreographer
Sabine Zimmer	....	script supervisor: second unit
Brynne Chappell	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Michael Bay	....	special thanks
Pen Densham	....	special thanks
Mick Partridge	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Screen Gems (presents)
• Franchise Pictures (presents)
• Half Dead Productions Inc.
• Modern Media Filmproduktion

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2002) (worldwide) (all media)
• Screen Gems (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2003) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2003) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Cascade Film (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2003) (Brazil) (VHS) (DVD)
• Eagle Films (2002) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL7)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Videoservice (2003) (Russia) (DVD)
• Videoservice (2003) (Russia) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Die Nefzers
• Pixel Magic

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script clearance and research
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Die Nefzers  weapons
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Law Offices of Alan Abrams  production legal
• Outsource Media  special thanks
• Picture Mill, The  titles
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production sound services
• Title House Digital  end credits

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for pervasive action violence, language and some sexual content

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | France:U | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Venezuela:PG-13 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39349) | Australia:M | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Screen Gems

Trivia:

Some aerial shots were taken from Michael Bay's film The Rock (1996) that got cut from that film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When 49er One shoots two of his own men, they are facing him as they fall. When they get up to shoot the agents, their backs are to 49er One.

Quotes:

Nick:You better not be playing me.
Sasha:You know me. I ain't playing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Bad Movie Beatdown: Out of Reach (#3.14)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Grudge

The Rock has become a tourist attraction?!?

Yeah, a long time ago it turned into a tourist attraction. Now it's a prison again. Kind of. Well, it's more like an airport mixed together with a junior high school but there are lots of guys running around wearing orange jumpsuits, so I guess in that way it's like a prison. Not really though. When Sasha, Steven Seagal's character, is being admitted into prison, he's standing shackled in line and wanders over to a different line so he can talk to his friend, like he's in line for the security check at the airport. Then before too long he and his friend are throwing punches, smacking around a couple of security guards.

Let me tell you something. You assault a corrections officer in a federal prison, they'll shoot you on the spot. Ja Rule would have been shot about 30 times before he threw his second punch. Oh, and there are guys wearing beanies and bandanas and whatnot. In prison. Federal prison.

You can't dress like that at most high schools in America.

Speaking of Ja Rule, I have to say that the person who probably enjoyed his performance more than anyone else on earth, including Ja Rule himself, had to have been 50 Cent. Just before I watched this movie I saw one of those shows on TV about the greatest celebrity feuds ever, and like number 7 or 8 was this rivalry between 50 Cent, who had lived the thug life for real, and Ja Rule. Who had not. Every time I saw Ja Rule on screen the only thing I could picture was 50 Cent laughing his ass off. Ja Rule looks like a rowdy 9-year-old every time he appears on screen.

Anyway, getting back to the plot. It's funny. Sasha is an FBI agent working undercover and he agrees to let himself be sentenced to prison so he can get behind the criminal organization. He's sentenced to five years, and that old line between determination and stupidity instantly vanishes. Nothing else in the movie matters after that, it becomes a meaningless string of action sequences, most of which aren't even well choreographed.

Oh, how about this, a helicopter crashes through the roof of "New Alcatraz" at one point, accidentally freeing all of the inmates. And what do they do? They all run out of their cells and play basketball in the middle of the cell block. Without so much as a basket. They had a ball, but it doesn't matter. The scene is so stupid they might as well have been playing hopscotch.

So some guy is being sentenced to be the first person ever to be executed in Alcatraz's state of the art execution chamber, evidently not for stealing $200 million dollars in gold, but for not telling where it was hidden once he was caught.

Hey, good thinking, people. If you can't get information out of someone, kill them. That's a great way to learn the truth! So some gang breaks into the prison planning to stop the execution and get the location of the $200 million for themselves.

Oh and the $200 million is in gold bricks. I doubt they thought ahead to how difficult it would be to turn that into exchangeable currency.

There's also the issue of the warden at the prison. He's some tough-talking vato who thinks he's a hardcore chollo from the barrio, which reminds me of a joke. I saw this comedian once talking about people in California who talk all tough calling each other ese and homes and all kinds of other such nonsense. These people go to Mexico, the comedian says, and they're like, "Oh my god! People LIVE there? That's like, a total shack!"

The best is when the United States Supreme Court Justice arrives and this guy tells her that her men can't carry their guns inside his prison, "I don't care if she IS a United States Supreme Court Justice!"

This woman could squish him like a grape and he thinks he's in charge. Ha.

And by the way, the Supreme Court Justice that gets taken as a hostage in the movie tells the bad guy that she is 53. That's a year younger than Steven Seagal. I just thought that was funny.

The only good scene in the movie is the one in the prison where Ja Rule is getting slapped around the prison like a sack of cotton balls by this little Asian woman. That was the funniest thing I've seen in a movie in a long, long time.

You know, I work for the company that produced this film (which I why I watched it), and I still don't have a single positive thing to say about it, except, of course, for that one scene with Ja Rule getting spanked by that Asian woman.

So read my review of Malena and you will see how strongly I sometimes disagree with professional film critics like Roger Ebert, but in his review of this movie Ebert wrote something that I agreed with as much as anything else he's ever written:

"I imagine the flywheels at the MPAA congratulating each other on a good day's work as they rated 'Half Past Dead' PG-13, after giving the anti-gun movie 'Bowling for Columbine' an R."

Way to go, guys.