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IMDbPro

Above the Law

  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
33K
YOUR RATING
Above the Law (1988)
Home Video Trailer from Warner Home Video
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
99+ Photos
ActionCrimeDrama

A former Special Operations Vietnam vet works as a Chicago cop, and uncovers C.I.A. wrongdoing.A former Special Operations Vietnam vet works as a Chicago cop, and uncovers C.I.A. wrongdoing.A former Special Operations Vietnam vet works as a Chicago cop, and uncovers C.I.A. wrongdoing.

  • Director
    • Andrew Davis
  • Writers
    • Andrew Davis
    • Steven Seagal
    • Steven Pressfield
  • Stars
    • Steven Seagal
    • Pam Grier
    • Henry Silva
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    33K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Andrew Davis
    • Writers
      • Andrew Davis
      • Steven Seagal
      • Steven Pressfield
    • Stars
      • Steven Seagal
      • Pam Grier
      • Henry Silva
    • 122User reviews
    • 55Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Above the Law
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Above the Law

    Photos110

    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)
    Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Steven Seagal
    Steven Seagal
    • Nico Toscani
    Pam Grier
    Pam Grier
    • Delores Jackson
    Henry Silva
    Henry Silva
    • Zagon
    Ron Dean
    Ron Dean
    • Lukich
    Daniel Faraldo
    Daniel Faraldo
    • Salvano
    Sharon Stone
    Sharon Stone
    • Sara Toscani
    Miguel Nino
    • Chi Chi
    Nicholas Kusenko
    • Agent Neeley
    Joe Greco
    • Father Gennaro
    • (as Joe V. Greco)
    Chelcie Ross
    Chelcie Ross
    • Nelson Fox
    Gregory Alan Williams
    Gregory Alan Williams
    • Agent Halloran
    • (as Gregory Alan-Williams)
    Jack Wallace
    Jack Wallace
    • Uncle Branca
    Metta Davis
    • Rosa Toscani
    Joseph F. Kosala
    • Lt. Strozah
    • (as Joseph Kosala)
    Ronnie Barron
    Ronnie Barron
    • CIA Bartender
    Joe D. Lauck
    Joe D. Lauck
    • Senator Harrison
    Henry Godinez
    • Father Tomasino
    Danny Goldring
    Danny Goldring
    • Zagon's Aide
    • Director
      • Andrew Davis
    • Writers
      • Andrew Davis
      • Steven Seagal
      • Steven Pressfield
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Beyond the Law

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Henry Silva broke Steven Seagal's nose in the final fight scene. Seagal was rushed to the hospital. The next day Seagal was back at work. He stayed up all night icing it, so that he wouldn't get a black eye.
    • Goofs
      During the search in Nico's house, an officer calls Steven Seagal "Steve" instead of "Nico."
    • Quotes

      Nico Toscani: You know something Fox. Right now in Europe they're trying some 80 year-old camp guard for Nazi war crimes. And all around our country they got guys on death row for murdering 1, 2, 3 guys. And they probably deserve what they're going to get. But you & I... we know a couple of people that are personally responsible for the death of what, 50,000 non-military personnel? Librarians, teachers, doctors, women, children. All dead! We've wiped-out entire cultures! And for what? Not one C.I.A. agent has ever been tried, much less accused of any crimes. You guys think you're above the law. Well, you ain't above mine.

    • Alternate versions
      German uncut DVD came out in 2006 with all violent scenes intact.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Colors/18 Again!/Above the Law/Bad Dreams (1988)

    User reviews122

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Impressive Steven Seagal debut
    When it comes to action stars, they are at first, calm and collected in some scenes in an action movie. Some of those action stars tend to show off their skills like martial arts. But even though they may have that gift of turning the audience with their screen presence, we can sometimes forget that they are playing an character. A character who is essential and important to the movie.

    In Above the Law, Steven Seagal is the star of the movie. However, this is his first one. Seagal plays a Chicago cop who was recruited by the CIA in 1969 in Japan. In 1973, he was sent to Vietnam and while there, he witnesses a brutal torture of a Cambodian resident under the spell of a vicious man, (Henry Silva). Seagal's friend advises him to leave Vietnam and go home. 15 years later, Seagal is a Chicago policeman, working with a partner, (Pam Grier), who is retiring in a couple of months. When he learns that a major shipment is going down in Chicago, Seagal's character, Nico Toscani, finds out a cache of explosives. Things get worse after that. Toscani father's church is blown up and it's up to him to find out who is responsible for the bombing. This leads Seagal through a change of pace as he breaks the rule and risks his entire police career by trying to rights the wrongs.

    Seagal does an impressive job of playing an main character who is believable. In some scenes, he knows how to act calm and play it straight. When it comes tot he action scenes, Seagal knows how to show off his martial arts skills. Most action actors tend to lost their character by putting too much emphasis on their skills. But not Seagal. He may be different than Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood, but you got to give him credit for what does best. It's a shame that he wouldn't repeat the same thing twice because after he starred in Above the Law, Seagal starred in another film called Hard to Kill and Under Siege. His career then started to take a turn for the worse when he decided to drop out of Hollywood and starred in a number of bad action movies. Those ween't really worthy of his career, but Above the Law certainly shows what Seagal is meant on the big screen.

    The supporting cast is also very good. Pam Grier, who was also a major star in the 1970's is very good and sort of surprising to see her starred along aside Seagal. Grier is very convincing as Seagal's partner. She is noticing just how his behavior is getting in the way of his police appearance.

    The movie was directed by Andrew Davis, who also directed Code of Silence, which is, perhaps, the best Chuck Norris movie ever made. Davis certainly knows how to make a city story interesting. He photographed Chicago very clearly and very skillfully. When it comes the action scenes in this movie, Davis knows how to step back and let Seagal perform his fighting skills, which is pretty impressive. After he made Above the Law, Andrew Davis directed Seagal again in the 1992 action thriller, Under Siege. According to my perspective, I believe that with the teaming of Seagal and Davis being strong, I think that with the tools they have to make a decent action picture, they certainly do know how to make them exciting, not nauseating. It's rare to find a bonding between actor and director, especially in the action genre. Most action directors now don't really work together to make scenes seem exciting.

    With the exception of Seagal's performance, Above the Law has a plot that is sort of complicated if you follow everything very carefully. But as an action movie, it is effective even when Seagal is on the big screen. This movie proves that he can act in character and even, if I dare to say so, out of character. He is that good. ★★★ 3 stars.
    helpful•4
    0
    • blazesnakes9
    • Aug 31, 2014

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    FAQ1

    • What are the differences between the British BBFC 18 Version and the Uncut Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 22, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Italian
      • Japanese
      • Vietnamese
      • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
    • Also known as
      • Nico
    • Filming locations
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA(on location)
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $18,869,631
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,037,938
      • Apr 10, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $18,869,631
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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