Out for a Kill (2003) (V)

Director:

Michael Oblowitz

Writers:

Danny Lerner (story)
Dennis Dimster (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

14 August 2003 (Italy)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Out for revenge. Out for payback.

Plot:

An unsuspecting university professor is an unwitting accomplice in a foiled Chinese cocaine deal. Wrongly imprisoned, he escapes to take his revenge and prove his innocence.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Professor | Revenge | China | Chinatown

Cast

Michelle Goh	...	Tommie Ling
Steven Seagal	...	Prof. Robert Burns
Corey Johnson	...	Ed Grey
Tom Wu	...	Li Bo
Ozzie Yue	...	Fang Lee, 'The Barber'
Bruce Wang	...	Tang Zhili, 'The Bird'
Chike Chan	...	Mr. Chang
Hon Ping Tang	...	Sai Lo
Dave Wong	...	Yin Quinshi
Chooye Bay	...	Wong Dai (as Chooi Kheng Beh)
Elaine Tan	...	Luo Yi
Michael J. Reynolds	...	Dean
Kata Dobó	...	Maya Burns (as Kata Dobo)
Vincent Wong	...	Luo Dazhong
Ray Charleson	...	Harry 'Crash' Kupper
MC Harvey	...	King (as Michael Junior Harvey)
Edward Cox	...	D.E.A. Agent
Kim-Fai Che	...	First Monk
Li Hou Kai	...	Second Monk
Zhang Wei Guo	...	Third Monk
Mashbat Uchroel	...	Young Boy
Gyo Shao Heng	...	Monkey Barber
Sang Lui	...	Mahjong Parlor Thug #1
David Tan	...	Mahjong Parlor Thug #2
Ganbator	...	Mr. Tan
Giselle Tcherniak	...	Tattoo Artist #1 (as Giselle Cherniak)
Eloise Anderson	...	Tattoo Artist #2
Jia Ji Yu	...	Tattoo Master
Raicho Vasilev	...	Bulgarian Thug
Chris Pavlo	...	Lt. Luc Breton
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gizelle D'Cole	...	Tatoo artist Dianna
DTeflon	...	DEA Agent
Anelia Nikolova	...	Woman in the Chinese Casino
Shero Rauf	...	Prisoner (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Oblowitz

Writing credits
Danny Lerner		(story)
Dennis Dimster		(screenplay) (as Dennis Dimster-Denk)
Sam Hayes		uncredited

Produced by
Boaz Davidson	....	executive producer
Danny Dimbort	....	executive producer
Randall Emmett	....	producer
George Furla	....	producer
Phillip B. Goldfine	....	co-executive producer (as Phil Goldfine)
Yennie Hao	....	associate producer
Avi Lerner	....	executive producer
Danny Lerner	....	producer
Steven Seagal	....	producer
Trevor Short	....	executive producer
John Thompson	....	producer
David Varod	....	producer

Original Music by
Roy Hay

Cinematography by
Mark Vargo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert A. Ferretti

Casting by
Jeremy Zimmermann

Production Design by
Michael Seymour

Art Direction by
Valentina Mladenova
Carlos Silva Da Silva		(as Carlos Da Silva)

Set Decoration by
Bryony Foster
Dimiter Petkov		(key set decorator)

Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton

Makeup Department
David Atherton	....	makeup artist: Steven Seagal
Sofi Hvarleva	....	makeup artist
Ivon Ivanova	....	makeup artist
Dimitrina Stoyanova	....	hair stylist
Rositsa Tsanovska	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Todd Gilbert	....	post-production supervisor
Bobby Ranghelov	....	production manager
Iliya Sotirov	....	production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vessela Bannzurkova	....	additional second assistant director
Petya Evtimova	....	second assistant director
Peter Mechkoff	....	second second assistant director
Franklin A. Vallette	....	assistant director

Art Department
Petko Angelov	....	set dresser
Bogdan Bogdanov	....	carpenter
Rumen Bojinov	....	set dresser
Dirk Buchmann	....	property master
Yasen Denev	....	scenic artist
Ivan Dimitrov	....	stand-by set dresser
Borislav Golev	....	set dresser
Anna Hadzhieva	....	art department coordinator
Gergana Hristova	....	scenic artist
Petko Ivanov	....	construction buyer
Alexander Kotsev	....	set dresser buyer
Jasen Kovachev	....	stand-by props
Buddy MacKett	....	construction manager
Boriana Mintcheva	....	assistant art director
Ivanka Nenova	....	scenic artist
Irena Nikolich	....	painter
Nikolai Nikolov	....	graphic designer
Krassimir Pashkulev	....	lead man
Vladimir Petkov	....	carpenter
Ivan Petrov	....	props buyer
Vlado Popov	....	scenic artist
Peter Rakovski	....	stand-by props
Nina Ruseva	....	assistant set decorator
Bilyana Sapareva	....	assistant props
Iva Sasheva	....	storyboard artist
Sonya Savova	....	draftsperson
Emil Shmidt	....	scenic artist
Eleonora Slavkova	....	painter
Kalin Stefanov	....	set dresser
Rosen Stefanov	....	set dresser
Kristian Stoyanov	....	set dresser
Bob Toms	....	stand-by props
Keith Van Der Vent	....	construction manager
Konstantin Vladimirov	....	stand-by set dresser
Evgeni Yordanov	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jeremy Balko	....	foley recordist
Denise Brady	....	sound effects editor
Evan T. Chen	....	sound editor
Ezra Dweck	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jake Eberle	....	sound effects editor
Russell Farmarco	....	adr supervisor
Jerry Gilbert	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Jackson	....	sound effects editor (as Robert C. Jackson)
Vladimir Kaloyanov	....	sound recordist
Mark Lanza	....	sound effects editor
Jonathan Miller	....	supervising sound editor
Susan Pusateri	....	foley artist
Krasimir Shtabekov	....	boom operator
Angie Stanghetti	....	adr recordist
Steven Thompson	....	foley artist
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer
Trevor Ward	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby

Special Effects by
Lena Bogdanova	....	special effects
Willie Botha	....	special effects supervisor
Roald Bratkov	....	special effects
Pavel Dimitrov	....	special effects buyer
Kolio Guneshki	....	special effects
Krasimir Ilievski	....	special effects
Plamen Kirchev	....	special effects
Peter Kolev	....	special effects
Vasili Malev	....	special effects
Manol Manolov	....	special effects (as Emanuil Manolov)
Simeon Nikolov	....	special effects
Atanas Peikov	....	special effects
Nikolai Rafailov	....	special effects assistant
Marten Ruskov	....	special effects crew
Kamen Sabev	....	special effects
Nikola Simeonov	....	special effects
Veronika Sitih	....	special effects
Tzvetan Vasilev	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Michael Adkisson	....	visual effects supervisor (as Mike 'Mookie' Adkisson)
Brian Allan	....	optical compositor
Anton Andreev	....	visual effects compositor
Simeon Asenov	....	digital artist
Martin Avitia	....	optical lineup
Andrej Certov	....	visual effects camera operator (as Andre Chertov)
Scott Coulter	....	visual effects producer
Tinko Dimov	....	visual effects compositor
Anton Donchev	....	visual effects compositor
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging supervisor: iO FILM (as Christopher Dusendschön)
Elton Garcia	....	lead composite artist
Veselina Georgieva	....	visual effects compositor (as Veselina Haralanova)
Ludmilla Gospodinova	....	visual effects compositor
Danail Hadzhiyski	....	visual effects animator
David Hayes	....	optical lineup (as Dave Hayes)
Milosav Hugasian	....	visual effects coordinator
Jivko Ivanov	....	digital artist
Jivko Ivanov	....	visual effects animator
Velichko Ivanov	....	visual effects
Milen Jiliazkov	....	visual effects compositor
Georgi Karantilski	....	visual effects colorist
Ekaterina 'Kuki' Korabelnikova	....	visual effects compositor
Alex Kravets	....	optical lineup
Julie Landholt	....	title graphics (as J. Kathryn Landholt)
Ajoy Mani	....	visual effects
Ivailo Marinov	....	digital artist
Ivalio Marinov	....	visual effects compositor
Jordan Markov	....	visual effects editor
David Fred Masselink	....	I/O coordinator (as Fred Masselink)
Maria Mavrova	....	visual effects animator
Kevin McVey	....	I/O manager
Andrew Midgley	....	visual effects producer
Gary Miller	....	animation camera operator
Peter Nikolov	....	visual effects support staff
Michael Oblowitz	....	visual designer
Vladimir P. Petrov	....	visual effects coordinator
Dave Piedra	....	digital artist
Iasen Pisarov	....	visual effects animator
Brian Portenberry	....	optical lineup
Dragomir Sarachev	....	visual effects compositor
Ivan Sarov	....	visual effects animator
Evgeni Shoh	....	visual effects compositor
Iliya Sotirov	....	visual effects line producer
Adam Stern	....	digital artist
Stefan Tchakarov	....	visual effects supervisor
Arto Tchividjian	....	digital effects artist
Arto Thividjian	....	visual effects animator
Ralica Todorova	....	visual effects compositor
Peter Tomov	....	visual effects animator
Aleksander Valev	....	visual effects compositor
Alexander Valev	....	digital compositor
Tania Vasileva	....	digital compositor
Valia Zaharinova	....	visual effects compositor

Stunts
Asen Asenov	....	stunts
Ted Barba	....	stunt driver (as Theodore Barba)
Dimiter Doichinov	....	stunts (as Dimitar Doichinov)
Steve Hart	....	utility stunts
Dian Hristov	....	stunt double: lead
Borislav Iliev	....	stunts
George Karlukovski	....	stunt double (as Georgi Karlukovski)
Ivo Kehayov	....	stunts (as Ivo Kehajov)
Todor Lazarov	....	stunts
Krassimir Manov	....	stunts (as Krasimir Pashov)
David Ott	....	utility stunts
Radoslav Parvanov	....	stunts
Velizar Peev	....	stunts
Rumen Petrov	....	stunts (as Roumen Petrov)
Elitsa Rajeva	....	stunts
Krasimir Simeonov	....	stunts
Svilen Skerlev	....	stunts
Stanimir Stamatov	....	stunts
Georgi Stanislavov	....	stunts
Vencislav Stojanov	....	stunts
Arto Thividjian	....	stunts
Teodor Tsolov	....	stunts
Raicho Vasilev	....	stunts
Kaloian Vodenicharov	....	stunt coordinator: Bulgaria
Yordan Zahariev	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Hristo Aleksandrov	....	focus puller: second unit
Mihail Apostolov	....	grip
Dimiter Asenov	....	grip
Mitko Bonev	....	focus puller: second camera
Miroslav Borisov	....	grip
Andrej Certov	....	camera operator: second unit (as Andrei Chertov)
Ross W. Clarkson	....	cinematographer: second unit
Spiro Dichev	....	grip
Lyubomir Dimitrov	....	video assistant
Stoyan Georgiev	....	grip
Lyubomir Hristoskov	....	grip
Rumen Idakiev	....	electrician
Toshko Kamenov	....	camera loader: second unit
Nikolai Kerezov	....	assistant camera: second unit
Ivailo Kostov	....	electrician
Nikolai Kostov	....	best boy grip
Mihail Kotev	....	assistant focus puller
Borislav Krastanov	....	electrician
Lazar Lazarov	....	focus puller: second unit
Lazar Lazarov	....	focus puller: third camera
Manol Manolov	....	grip
Joro Mihailov	....	chief lighting technician
Neven Mihailova	....	assistant camera
Stoyan Milanov	....	assistant camera: second unit
Boryana Papazova	....	camera assistant: second camera
Philip Philipov	....	grip
Shimon Sabach	....	key grip (as Shimon Sabbah)
Plamen Soklev	....	electrician
Lyubomir Somov	....	video assist operator
Plamen Somov	....	camera operator: third camera
Georgi Stanishev	....	grip
Venelin Stepanov	....	grip
Yuda Tatarko	....	gaffer
Emil Topuzov	....	camera operator: second camera
Dimiter Tsvetkov	....	electrician
Fyodor Tzanovski	....	electrician (as Fyodor Tsanovski)
Mark Vargo	....	camera operator
Iliya Yonev	....	grip
Teodor Yordanov	....	electrician
Borislav Zlatinov	....	camera loader

Casting Department
Lora Danova	....	casting assistant: Bulgaria
Angelina Marinova	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Atanas Ivanov	....	wardrobe assistant
Katya Ivanova	....	wardrobe supervisor
Vladimir Kovachev	....	wardrobe assistant
Tsvetana Pekanova	....	wardrobe assistant
Atanas Stoichkov	....	wardrobe assistant
Jasmina Vasileva	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Marie Hélène Desbiens	....	negative cutter (as Marie Helene Desbiens)
Bob Fredrickson	....	color timer
Harvey Greenberg	....	executive in charge of post-production
Brian Kibbie	....	negative cutter
George Koran	....	colorist
Vicki McIsaac	....	post-production coordinator
Yoon Sin Park	....	negative cutter
Philip Steinman	....	additional editor
Charlie Variyski	....	assistant editor
Todor G. Todorov	....	telecine colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Shawn Pierce	....	music editor
Ashley Waldron	....	music supervisor (as Ashley Miller)

Transportation Department
Veselin Karadjov	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Tsila Adler	....	post-production accountant
Amy Agzarian	....	accountant supervisor
Vessela Bannzurkova	....	production assistant
Marcin Borkowski	....	executive assistant: Steven Seagal
Maya Brankova	....	assistant: Michael Oblowitz
Donald Bruce	....	production controller
Karen M. Cockrell	....	post-production accounting manager (as Karen Cockrell)
Hristina Dotova	....	production assistant
Asya Ivanova	....	production accountant
Veselin Karadjov	....	location manager
Kalina Kokanova	....	production assistant
Ralitsa Koprinska	....	production assistant
Chi-Ho Lau	....	fight choreographer
Jonathan Messias	....	production assistant
Kristina Mileva	....	production accountant
Mira Mileva	....	production accountant
Bogomil Petrov	....	location manager
Stasi Petrova	....	production coordinator
Lonnie Ramati	....	production business affairs
Kim Robinson	....	script supervisor
Veselin Stankov	....	production accountant
Maggie Stoyanova	....	assistant production coordinator
Shelly Stoyanova	....	script supervisor: second unit
Perry Suppa	....	film scheduler
Valentin Valkov	....	location manager
Roman Viaris-de-Lesegno	....	production financing
M. Dal Walton III	....	production executive: Emmett Furla Films

Production Companies

• Millennium Films (presents)
• Luminocity Productions (in association with) (presents)
• Emmett/Furla Films (as A Randall Emmett/George Furla Production)
• Harbor Productions
• Nu Image Films

Distributors

• Nu Image Films (2003-2004) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Eagle Films (2003) (Lebanon) (all media) (middle east)
• Filmax Group (2004) (Spain) (all media)
• Harbor Productions A.V.V.
• Metropolitan Film & Video (2004) (France) (VHS)
• SBS6 (2005) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Starmedia Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (VHS)
• TriStar Pictures

Special Effects

• Worldwide FX

Other Companies

• Comerica Bank of California  financing
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative conforming
• Sonic Magic  audio post facility
• Title House Digital  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language, nudity and some drug content

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Aruba | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Sofia, Bulgaria

Company:

Millennium Films

Goofs:

Continuity: When in the Chinese Barber Shop, the barber pulls the blind down over the door, a few seconds later, he closes it again.

Quotes:

Prof. Robert Burns:Stay out of my life. Stay out of my way!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Direct Contact (2009)

Soundtrack:

Unlikely (Stay With Me)

Steven Seagal is out to kill his career...

Seagal is back, more monotonous than ever and with even less personality than usual. Unfortunately, that's only the beginning of all the problems with this so called 'movie'. Now, I'm a big fan of cheap, mindless action, but even I have limits. 'Out for a Kill' is beyond all hope.

Seagal plays Robert Burns, a Professor of Chinese History, and Killing People. Naturally, he has a secret past that he keeps hidden when he is framed by a Triad family. He is obviously innocent, but for the sake of keeping the movie going, and thereby torturing the mind of anyone watching , the lead cop decides he must be guilty, and he is thrown into a Chinese prison. Naturally, the DEA decides that if they release Burns, he'll do their job for them and take out the Triads, and so Burns is free to on a global stroll of death.

Sometimes laughably bad, but generally very cringe-worthy, 'Out for a Kill' is easily one of the worst movies I've seen. Right from the start when we are treated to poorly done CGI bullet-time, followed by a massive break from action clichés when bullets actually penetrate a car and kill a good guy. Some clichés we can do without, but action movies need the bullet-proof cars. Bullet-proof cars are an essential part of action movies, and one element you just don't mess with.

I still haven't scratched the surface, because after Oblowitz (the director) spits in the face of action-movie values, we get treated to a plot, a very poor plot. Now, I don't think anyone anywhere has ever watched a Seagal movie expecting a good story, but when there is not enough action to distract us, we will start paying attention to such things. In this case, Seagal swears he will get vengeance, but to do so, he must follow a series of clues which are - get this - conveniently tattooed on the arms of every bad guy Seagal kills. Bravo. It would have been much easier for everyone if the Triad boss just invited Seagal over for a game of mahjong. Throw in a pair of useless and annoying cops who follow Seagal everywhere and many pointless scenes, and you may start to get an idea of how bad this movie really is.

There are a few action sequences in the movie, but maybe only two that are of any real worth. Sadly, the best bit of this movie is a scene in which Seagal takes on a monkey-boxer who can defy gravity. Well, there goes Seagal's unique style of using Aikido in action movies. A few more movies like this, and Seagal flicks are going to be nothing more than 3rd rate clones of Hong Kong action movies, mark my word. Most of the fights are poorly choreographed and poorly edited, all based around trying to make Seagal look like an action hero while trying to hide the fact that he is still out of shape. It worked in 'Half Past Dead', but not here.

Onto even more bad news: Here Seagal tries to act a lot, and his character is just boring. I never thought a boring action hero could exist, but here you are. He is more monotonous than usual, his character rarely says or does anything amusing (there is only one scene where his character does or says something cool) and just lacks personality. As for the bad guy, the movie returns to his office every few minute just so he can repeat what he has been saying for the whole movie, which is something like: "The professor is giving us trouble, we must get rid of him". I actually felt tempted to barrack for the bad guy, had he not been so repetitive and annoying.

Some final complaints: The special effects are pretty bad. Apart from the once-off terrible use of bullet-time, the fake backgrounds stand off as being laughable. Would filming in daylight have been that hard? As for Seagal speaking Chinese: it sounds worse than his use of Italian in 'Out for Justice'.

'Out for a Kill' is a terrible movie. Well deserving of its place in IMDb's worst 100 movies (it could probably take a higher spot...). I would not recommend it to fans of Seagal, but anyone willing to see something so bad it offends that it will offend good conscience should have a quick look - 1/10