Urban Justice (2007) (V)

Director:

Don E. FauntLeRoy

Writer:

Gilmar Fortis II (written by)

Release Date:

13 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

When revenge is personal, justice can be brutal.

Plot:

Seagal plays a man with a dark and violent past, who seeks revenge for the murder of his son. |

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Revenge | Husband Wife Relationship | Gun Battle | Kiss

Cast

Steven Seagal	...	Simon Ballister
Eddie Griffin	...	Armand Tucker
Carmen Serano	...	Alice Park
Cory Hart	...	Max Ballister
Liezl Carstens	...	Linda
Kirk B.R. Woller	...	Det. Frank Shaw
Mary Evans	...	Irene
Al Staggs	...	Priest
Jade Yorker	...	Gary Morrison
Jermaine Washington	...	Rasheed
Brian Neal Lucero	...	Benny (as Brian Lucero)
Danny Trejo	...	El Chivo
Diego Joaquin Lopez	...	Winston (as Diego Lopez)
Grady McCardell	...	Dwight Morris
Brett Brock	...	Watch Sergeant
Mike Seal	...	Jack
Trantario Jones	...	Isaiah Morrison (as Trantario 'TJ' Jones)
Suzanne Michaels	...	News Person
John P. Gulino	...	Police Chief (as John Gulino)
Josh Berry	...	Detective Brown
Mikki Padilla	...	Chivo's Girlfriend
Sam Pleasant	...	Reggie B (as Samson Pleasant)
Janet Cho	...	Chivo's Girlfriend #1
David F. Hughes	...	J.D.
Jesus Jr.	...	Jesus (as Jesus Payan)
Norm Compton	...	Guero (as Norman Compton)
Thomas Wilson Brown	...	Marcos
Binh Dang	...	Delivery Man
Mark Garcia	...	Policeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Evan Adrian	...	Basketball player (uncredited)
Dave Colon	...	Police Detective (uncredited)
Diego Deane	...	LAPD Officer (uncredited)
Chaz Grundy	...	Funeral Attendee (uncredited)
Ronald Robert Hamilton	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Cynthia Marie Hruschka	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Kirby Kleeberg	...	DEA Agent (uncredited)
Daniel Knight	...	Detective (uncredited)
Paul Daniel McGowen	...	Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Daniel Thomas Murphy	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Cherlyn Schaefer	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Larnell Stovall	...	Gang Member #1 (uncredited)
Kim Thrasher	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Barry Tolli	...	Detective Van Pelt (uncredited)

Directed by
Don E. FauntLeRoy

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gilmar Fortis II		written by

Produced by
Binh Dang	....	co-producer
Phillip B. Goldfine	....	executive producer
Joe Halpin	....	co-producer
Steven Seagal	....	producer
Tracee Stanley	....	executive producer (as Tracee Stanley-Newell)
William B. Steakley	....	line producer

Original Music by
Peter Meisner

Cinematography by
Don E. FauntLeRoy

Film Editing by
Scott Conrad

Casting by
Toni Cobb Brock
Shari Rhodes

Production Design by
Carmi Gallo

Art Direction by
Peter Lane

Set Decoration by
Amy Marsh

Costume Design by
Lahly Poore		(as Priscilla Poore)

Makeup Department
Gretchen Bright	....	makeup department head
Julie Delaney	....	hair department head
Sheila Trujillo	....	key assistant makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dickey Beer	....	second unit director
Tim Brown	....	first assistant director
James Currier	....	second assistant director
Bill Delaney	....	first assistant director: second unit
Amy Giedraitis	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Ben Lowney	....	insert unit director
Carlos A. Montoya	....	second second assistant director
Marcus Taylor	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Mark Bankins	....	property master: second unit
Steve Brown	....	prop builder
Ryan Cowles	....	art department
Michael Flowers	....	on-set dresser
Joel Goodell	....	set dresser
Ben Lowney	....	property master
Steven Maes	....	graphic designer
Orlando R. Montoya	....	crane operator
Jodi Nichols	....	art department production assistant
Juan Souter	....	set dresser
Asa-Luke Twocrow	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Darryl L. Frank	....	production sound mixer
Chris Julian Irwin	....	foley mixer
Chris Julian	....	post-production sound
Roy Machado	....	adr mixer
Tor McAfee Kingdon	....	additional adr mixer
Tara Paul	....	sound re-recording mixer
Edwardo Santiago	....	boom operator
Harry E. Snodgrass	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Scott Hastings	....	special effects technician
Dick Hogle	....	special effects technician
Daniel Holt	....	special effects foreman
Margaret Johnson	....	special effects coordinator
Randy E. Moore	....	pyrotechnician

Visual Effects by
Bennique Blasini	....	visual effects supervisor
Steven M. Blasini	....	visual effects supervisor
Jean-Paul DeMars	....	colorist
Jean-Paul DeMars	....	online editor

Stunts
Robert Alonzo	....	stunt performer
Clayton J. Barber	....	stunts
Dickey Beer	....	stunt coordinator
Erik Betts	....	stunt double
Ben Bray	....	stunt performer
Stacey Carino	....	stunt double
Norm Compton	....	stunt performer
Lateef Crowder	....	stunts
Dino Dos Santos	....	stunt performer
Edward A. Duran	....	stunt performer
Tom Harper	....	stunt performer
Tom Harper	....	technical advisor: stunts
Daniel Hernandez	....	stunt performer
Hollis Hill	....	stunts
David Hugghins	....	stunt performer
Collin Hymes	....	stunt driver
Gary Hymes	....	stunt driver
Dennis Keiffer	....	stunts
Henry Kingi Jr.	....	stunt performer
Hiro Koda	....	stunts
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunt double
Derek Mears	....	stunts
J.J. Perry	....	stunts (as Jordan Perry)
Jeff Podgurski	....	stunt double: Steven Seagal
Damion Poitier	....	stunt performer
Tanoai Reed	....	stunt performer
Tomas Sanchez	....	stunts
Mike Seal	....	stunt performer
Mike Smith	....	stunt coordinator
Larnell Stovall	....	utility stunts
Marcus Taylor	....	stunt double
Vladimir Tevlovski	....	stunt double
Vladimir Tevlovski	....	stunts
Barry Tolli	....	stunt performer
David Wald	....	stunts
Kofi Yiadom	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Arnold	....	grip
Joe Bacharka	....	electrician
Steve Banister	....	first assistant "b" camera
Nick Barros	....	grip
Beau Chaput	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael Chavez	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Shane Duckworth	....	key camera loader
Christopher Flurry	....	assistant camera
Aubrey Husar	....	key grip
Tom Hutchinson	....	assistant camera
Neil Jacobs	....	unit still photographer
Alan Keffer	....	assistant camera (as Allen Keffer)
Bret Latter	....	camera production assistant
Steven Litecky	....	chief lighting technician
Steven Litecky	....	gaffer
Sean Mallon	....	rigging gaffer
Michael Manzanares	....	best boy grip
Mark Mims	....	set best boy electric
David Jaxx Nagro	....	dolly grip
Georgia Packard	....	camera operator: second unit
Philip C. Pfeiffer	....	camera operator
Ronald Romero	....	best boy grip: second unit
Nick Shuster	....	assistant camera
Mark Steinig	....	grip
George Stephenson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Lisbeth Storandt	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Sally Allen	....	casting associate
Sheila Berkheimer	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Emily Egge	....	key set costumer
Elizabeth Lancaster	....	costume production assistant
Carla Shivener	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Tim Board	....	assistant editor
Ryan Noto	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Jim Ervin	....	music consultant
Michael Lloyd	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Greg Bronner	....	transportation coordinator: picture cars
Rita Lundin	....	transportation

Other crew
Alan Abrams	....	legal & business affairs
David E. Augustson	....	weapons master
Jeffrey G. Baca	....	medic/nurse
Michael Charske	....	location manager
Michael Chochol	....	production assistant
Carrigan Compton	....	assistant production coordinator
Jason Doutree	....	security officer
Amy Eldridge	....	first assistant accountant
Michael Feldman	....	assistant to producers
Kyndall Holstead	....	additional assistant production office coordinator
Joanna Kennedy	....	script supervisor
Melanie Kirk	....	production coordinator
Cherron Kofford	....	production assistant
Leigh Maney	....	set production assistant
Allison Mella Strina	....	business and legal affairs (as Allison J. Mella)
Mamie Mitchell	....	script supervisor: second unit
Dennis Muscari	....	location scout
Arty Nichols	....	stand-in
Nathan Ross	....	executive assistant to producer
Tomas Sanchez	....	key craft service
Hunter Standen	....	production assistant
Philip J. Strina	....	business & legal affairs: Costa, Abrams & Coate
Philip J. Strina	....	business & legal affairs: Costa, Abrams & Coate, LLP
Wade Whitman	....	location manager: second unit
Lewie Wickham	....	stand-in
Justin T. Williams	....	key location production assistant
Paul Zepeda	....	production assistant
Joe Freeman	....	gunsmith (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• XIT Financial Group
• Steamroller Productions (in association with)
• Hood to Hood Productions

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2007) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• RTL Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL7)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Great FX

Other Companies

• Digital Post Services  post-production digital facility (picture & sound)
• Act One Script Clearance  script clearance
• Digital Post Services  closed captioning
• Digital Post Services  international servicing
• Digital Post Services  quality control and deliverables
• Digital Post Services  title design
• Digital Post Services  transcription services
• Digital Post  titles
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Hear Kitty  additional adr: New Mexico
• Imagine Post  post-production
• No Stone Unturned Security & Investigative Services  set security (as Angel Security)
• Serious Grippage & Light  dolly

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language and some drug content

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:MA | UK:18 | Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 | Japan:PG-12 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Sweden:15 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

8521 Central Ave NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Trivia:

At one point, Screen Gems was considering this film for a theatrical release.

Goofs:

Continuity: Seagal's Chrysler 300C in the movie has three sets of wheels. All of them appear to be OEM Chrysler, but are obviously three different sets. The first set have a chrome machined face and seven spokes. The second set have a cast appearance with six spokes. The third set are of a monobloc design, and in fact may actually be hubcaps.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Linda:Can't you call in sick or say you have doctor's appointment?
Max Ballister:No.
Linda:[lays on top of Max in bed, moaning and kissing him] You know I can make it worth while.
Max Ballister:[scene skips ahead to Max walking outside with Linda riding piggy-back] You're Gonna make me late.
[puts her down]
Linda:I don't want you to leave!
Max Ballister:Got to.
Linda:No.
Max Ballister:Got to.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

Tonight Is Murder

Seagal is almost back.

Steven Seagal's career post Under Siege has been one in constant need of resurgence. On Deadly Ground was greeted with acid tongued derision from critics, thus followed up by Under Siege 2, an upturn, though still unfavourable in comparison to the first. Exit Wounds followed another string of poorly received outings. Then the downward spiral hit high gear with the odd (and only slight) upturn in films like Belly Of The Beast and Into The Sun. In 2007 it's seemingly a crunch moment. Seagal needs an upturn. His fan base is in danger of decimating, perhaps jumping ship to Jean Claude, Wesley or Dolph, heck maybe even Don Wilson when you consider how bad Attack Force was. Urban Justice needed to be decent, needed to hit the high notes. But did it? Well overall…it kinda did. Not to say it's a great film by any means, but it's an upturn in fortune for Seagal, and most importantly, the man himself really comes out of his corner throwing some big shots again. He's not been out for the count quite yet, and with a few rounds left in him, maybe he can still turn this fight in his favour (nice analogy huh?).

Urban Justice firstly steers clear of the trend of Seagal's post Exit Wounds flicks, and that is CIA/FBI conspiracy subplots that eat away at the pacing and clarity of his recent flicks. This plot line is simple, straight and laid out. Seagal's son gets killed, and he wants the killer, nothing more. There's nothing too much on the side that gets in the way of Seagal getting from A to B. Secondly the film features Seagal as prominently as a leading man actually should feature, both in screen time (some of his recent flicks have him disappear for sometimes 15 minutes at a time!) and ADR participation (no dubbing this time folks). Above all Seagal manages to bring back some of his charisma that had seemingly been left behind in the early 90's somewhere along with Kelly Le Brocks hotness. Seagal's cool again, he's badass! Sure a little chunky and sweaty still, but he kicks ass! The action in this film is pretty good too. There's a plethora of hand to hand fights, which believe it or not, actually feature Seagal himself! Yes amazing given recent history. His stand in, stunt double and ADR double sat around twiddling there thumbs in this picture, and that's good. Seagal fans don't want those guys too busy. The fights are pretty decent though and Seagal unleashes some pretty savage beat-downs. We get vintage moves here. He breaks every conceivable bone in the human body during this flick, a femur on one guy, and a couple of ribs on another and so on. Best and coolest of all is the fact that Seagal once again looks like he could kick most guys assess! He's quick in this film I'm telling you. It's that old school Seagal who can virtually stand on the spot, but a few lightening moves of the arms and hands, and big ol' size 16 boots from no where, and the bad guys are floored. The fights are well edited and though tightly shot, they pack a punch, and the sound design is top notch. As for the rest of the action, we have disappointingly lame car chase. Not so much down to budget, but down to a complete lack of any kinetic energy and imaginative stunt work. The shoot outs are almost Hard Target insane! Meaning entire clips are unloaded on each individual bad guy, and blood shoots out all over the damn place! In fact the blood impacts in this film are the most insane I've ever seen and totally illogical, but I love it. It's the kind of super-violence Seagal used to produce. Seagal also gives his best performance in a few years. He seems interested, engaged and as I said shows off his charisma here.

The director Don E Fauntleroy was previously responsible for two of Seagal's shoddiest works. His inclusion in this was a worry, but while those first two collaborations with Big Pappa lacked any real autuership of any kind, here it's different. Fauntleroy manages to project some vision here, some style. We're not talking Scorsese, but for these sorts of flicks he's serviceable. Elsewhere the co-stars are not too bad. In particular there's a decent cameo from Danny Trejo, while Eddie Griffin makes for a somewhat cartoony but well suited villain.

On the negative side, though the plot is very simple, it's simplicity should have lent itself to a quicker pace of movie. The mid section suffers some lag, with too many gangster based dialogue scenes. That might not have been so bad if anything important was being said, and also the script is problematic in that the hip hop dialogue isn't very realistic. It's as if the writer knew only a couple of hood words and decided to repeat them endlessly. "Aaaaaaariiiiggghhht", "Mother-f**ker" and in particular "n***er" are words that are overused to levels of almost annoyance. The relationship between Seagal and his snitch and also landlady could have been developed but instead feel needless and pasted in. Above all it would have been a few more scenes with Seagal. Elsewhere the score is pretty bad. It's a rush job without question and one that jars against the competent direction, editing, and an in form Seagal.

Overall this isn't exactly a great film, but in Seagal's recent canon, it's top notch. Importantly, the man himself is back to his old self again. If a better film can be put around him, he'll surely be able to deliver a film to rival his best ones. As it is, Urban Justice is a welcome filler and good solid Saturday night home entertainment. Coming from one of Seagal's harshest (though I maintain, realist) fans, that's saying something. **1/2