Hard to Kill (1990)

Left for dead with his wife killed in their house, L.A. Detective Mason Storm will have to make a quick recovery, expose those behind the murder and take revenge.

Director:

Bruce Malmuth

Writer:

Steven McKay

Stars:

Steven Seagal, Kelly LeBrock, William Sadler

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steven Seagal	...	Mason Storm
Kelly LeBrock	...	Andy Stewart (as Kelly Le Brock)
William Sadler	...	Senator Vernon Trent (as Bill Sadler)
Frederick Coffin	...	Lt. Kevin O'Malley
Bonnie Burroughs	...	Felicia Storm
Andrew Bloch	...	Capt. Dan Hulland
Branscombe Richmond	...	Max Quentero
Charles Boswell	...	Jack Axel
Zachary Rosencrantz	...	Sonny Storm
Lou Beatty Jr.	...	Carl Becker
Nick DeMauro	...	Calabrese
Nick Corello	...	James Valero
Justin De Rosa	...	Mikey
Stanley Brock	...	Counterman
Evan James	...	Danny

Storyline

Following up on a lead, L.A. Detective Mason Storm gathers evidence against the Mob and its political supporters but unfortunately, he is being monitored secretly, and when his cover gets blown, he will be home invaded and left for dead. Seven years later, Storm unexpectedly recovers from his deep coma only to realise that he needs to finish what he started and finally get even. In the end, now that Storm is unstoppable, no one will deny him of his rightful and devastatingly violent retribution. Who can be a match for a dead man's fury?

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Plot Keywords:

coma | hospital | revenge | nurse | presumed dead | 

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Taglines:

The star of Above the Law is back. Now...Steven Seagal is hard to kill.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on several references to the Academy Awards being broadcast on the same night, the events in the first part of the film would've taken place on April 11, 1983.

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Goofs

The poker that the bad guy swings at Mason is a fake. The top of it flies off after the first swing.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mason Storm: Come on. Let's go, guys. I'm missin' the Oscars.

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Alternate Versions

The UK cinema version was cut by 12 seconds to gain an '18' rating. The shotgun-in-the-mouth wardrobe scene was cut, as was the kick Seagal delivers to the face of the man with the snooker cue in his neck. The cut cinema version was submitted for the pan-and-scan video release in 1990. The previous cuts made to HARD TO KILL were restored for the 1999 video release (which came in a box set with cut versions of NICO (ABOVE THE LAW) and OUT FOR JUSTICE) and all DVD versions are also uncut.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Master Ninja I (1992)

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Soundtracks

The Star-Spangled Banner
(uncredited)
Written by John Stafford Smith and Francis Scott Key

User Reviews

Steven Seagal truly is "hard to kill"

Steven Seagal, whether you love him or loathe him, he's the martial arts action hero that just won't go away. That's partially the premise of "Hard to Kill," the 1990 vehicle obviously meant to throw the pony-tailed, then-sixth-degree Aikido black belt into the action foray with Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Norris, but missed a few steps along the way and it would be another two years after when Seagal would find success in 1992's "Under Siege."

It's true that Seagal has yet to make a perfect film in his thoroughly uneven and distinguished career, but "Hard to Kill" certainly ranks as one of his best and one of my personal favorite pictures of the actor. Two years after breaking and busting the heads of corrupt CIA agents as Nico Toscani in his electrifying 1988 debut "Above the Law," Seagal returns not as the pony-tailed Toscani but as Mason Storm, the most unstoppable cop SOB that ever lived.

After getting home movie footage of an aspiring political candidate (Bill Sadler) conspiring with shadowy underworld types on tape, Storm is tracked down by corrupt cops and nameless and faceless goons and they shotgun the unstoppable SOB into a seven-year coma while also wiping out his wife and young son. O'Malley (Frederick Coffin), Storm's dedicated Internal Affairs friend, whisks him away into a coma-care unit under the assumed name of "John Doe."

Seven years later, Storm awakens and with the help of gorgeous nurse Andy Stewart (Seagal's then real-life, lovestruck wife Kelly Le Brock, who manages to catch peaks at our hero's anatomy), he trains intensely to regain his strength using the Oriental healing arts, renews his Aikido skills, and sharpens his eyes with that good ol' police-issue. All this culminating in some very nasty, neck-breaking, arm-twisting action.

As somewhat mis-directed by Bruce Malmuth and written by Steven McKay, "Hard to Kill" is undoubtedly one of the actor's most competently skilled performances because he's able to rise above the average material and make it his own. The problem may be with Seagal though. He snaps a few wrists and what's this? - he throws out one-liners - most of which are quite corny and fall flat on their face and simply put aren't Seagal's strong points. His strengths are in the arm-snapping and finger-breaking.

But still, Seagal's fists of fury are at their best (because that's what he does best) because this time around, he's mad and it's wise to not get characters played by Steven Seagal mad. Pretty soon after Storm has regained his skills and strength, the corrupt cops and goons that put him into his coma come back to finish the job. And this time, he's ready.

The action begins to pick up about half-way through and from there on in it's non-stop, which is true Seagal fashion, if you get my drift. But with "Hard to Kill," it's the seven-year Storm, and there's no letting up.

6/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 February 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seven Year Storm

Filming Locations:

Saddlerock Ranch - 32111 Mulholland Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,213,631, 11 February 1990

Gross USA:

$47,410,827

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$47,410,827

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Lee Rich Productions, Adelson / Todman / Simon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (4 channels)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1