On Deadly Ground (1994)

A mystical martial artist/environmental Agent takes on a ruthless oil corporation.

Director:

Steven Seagal

Writers:

Ed Horowitz, Robin U. Russin

Stars:

Steven Seagal, Michael Caine, Joan Chen

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steven Seagal	...	Forrest Taft
Michael Caine	...	Michael Jennings
Joan Chen	...	Masu
John C. McGinley	...	MacGruder
R. Lee Ermey	...	Stone
Shari Shattuck	...	Liles
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Homer Carlton
Richard Hamilton	...	Hugh Palmer
Chief Irvin Brink	...	Silook
Apanguluk Charlie Kairaiuak	...	Tunrak
Elsie Pistolhead	...	Takanapsaluk
John Trudell	...	Johnny Redfeather
Mike Starr	...	Big Mike
Sven-Ole Thorsen	...	Otto (as Swen-Ole Thorsen)
Jules Desjarlais	...	Drunken Eskimo

Storyline

Forrest Taft (Steven Seagal) is an environmental Agent who works for the Aegis Oil Company in Alaska. Aegis Oil's corrupt C.E.O., Michael Jennings (Sir Michael Caine), is the kind of person who doesn't care whether or not oil spills into the ocean or onto the land, just as long as it's making money for him. He even makes commercials that make him look like he cares about the environment. Jennings is almost finished with building his new state-of-the art oil rig: AEGIS-1. The problem is that if he doesn't finish building the rig in thirteen days, the land rights will be returned to the Eskimos and the Alaskan Government. When Jennings finds out that Taft's best friend Hugh Palmer (Richard Hamilton) has a computer disk that contains information about defective equipment on AEGIS-1, he sends out his goons to murder Palmer. When Taft tries to interfere, Jennings tries to kill Taft. But an Eskimo woman named Masu (Joan Chen), who introduces Taft to her father Silook (Chief Irvin Brink), ...

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Plot Keywords:

oil | environmental | murder | tribe | oil spill | 

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Taglines:

His Battle To Save The Alaskan Wilderness And Protect Its People Can Only Be Won...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Inuktitut

Release Date:

18 February 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rainbow Warrior

Filming Locations:

Carson, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,679,573, 21 February 1994, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$38,590,500

Company Credits

Production Co:

Seagal/Nasso Productions, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steven Seagal's only directorial effort, as of April 2019.

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Goofs

Shortly after blowing up the mercenaries' helicopter, Forrest rummages in a bag while wearing gloves. In the following shot, the gloves are gone.

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Quotes

Michael Jennings: Go ahead! Shoot me, go on! SHOOT ME, you fucking COWARD! You haven't got the fucking GUTS!
Forrest Taft: I wouldn't dirty my bullets.

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Crazy Credits

The first half of the end credits run over images of Alaska and its various wildlife, until we see Forrest Taft & Masu in a canoe, with Taft pointing out to Masu, a crow in front of them circling over the water (supposedly meant to be Silook in another form)

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Alternate Versions

All UK film and video releases are cut by 1 minute and 9 seconds to remove violence and get a "15" rating.

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Connections

Referenced in Penn & Teller: Bullshit!: Holier Than Thou (2005)

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Soundtracks

HOUSE OF MY FRIENDS
Written by Robert Vaughn
Performed by Robert Vaughn & The Dead River Angels
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Better than its critics suggest

Well, as the IMdB reviews show, not everyone is a fan of this film. It's true that the philosophising and Eskimo mystique in the mid-section of the film do slow it down. It is also true that the closing environmental speech may be a tad heavy-handed. Yet I find it refreshing to see a large-budget action movie that actually tries to be about something. To his credit, Seagal's films have generally struck an anti-Establishment tone, in contrast to the complacent Republicanism of Schwarzenegger. Of course, having said all this, the tactics of Seagal's hero Forrest Taft, in blowing up large quantities of Alaska, are not perhaps what Greenpeace would recommend! As to the qualities of the film, there are some strong, savage action scenes, a stylish if over-the-top villain in Michael Caine, and wonderful photography. After all those "Die Hard"/"Under Siege" efforts, with characters running around claustrophobic buildings in semi-darkness, the panoramic views of Alaska make a nice change. Another good score by Basil Poledouris.