Movies Belly Of The Beast

Belly Of The Beast

This is Steven Seagal's latest motion picture. This movie is released on region 1 dvd on 31st December 2003 and region 2 dvd on 16th February 2003. This thread contains important information on the release.

Budget: $14 million

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Plot: Ex-CIA Agent JAKE HOPPER has run a successful private security business since leaving the agency when his wife died, leaving him alone with daughter, JESSICA.

While hiking in Thailand, Jessica and her friend SARAH are kidnapped by an organization that calls itself the ABU KARAF. Sarah is a US Senator's daughter. For ransom the Abu Karaf demand the release of 20 prisoners from American custody. The US Secretary of State urges restraint - he won't negotiate. An ex-colleague of Jake's recognizes Jessica on the ransom tape and tips him off. Jake knows he must rescue the girls himself.

An old CIA buddy puts Jake in contact with 'LEON WASHINGTON' an active CIA agent working in Thailand. Jake goes to Bangkok and escapes an assassination attempt by unknown forces. Leon arranges a meeting with SOKU Ð the internal security chief for JANTAPAN. Jantapan is an eccentric and scary character, a rebel military general that is making a play to be one of the most powerful men in Thailand. Secretly Jantapan is messing with some dangerous spiritual forces.

Soku provides Jake with a cover story, but the CIA wants Jake out of it - they are planning to take out the Abu Karaf with the aid of the Thai army and don't want a civilian in the middle.

Jake is a spiritual man so he contacts his spiritual master PAITOON. As Jake is in trouble, Paitoon offers to arrange a divination from the oracle of the order.

Jake enlists the help of his old friend and partner SUNTI. Together they con LULU, the girlfriend of WU an arms dealer, to steal information leading to the Abu Karaf. Jake & Sunti follow the leads to a warehouse where they discover evidence of highly sophisticated weaponry. With the dangerous drug dealer Wu now after Lulu, Jake takes her under his wing.

Jake shares some of his info with Leon - still testing the waters. Can he trust the CIA agent? Another attempt is made on Jake's life - this time Jake is sure that Leon was involved. Finally, the Abu Karaf contact Jake to arrange a meeting - the pieces are coming together.

Jake gets his reading from the old oracle. The cryptic message confirm his fears - evil and demonic spiritual forces are working against him. Jantapan tries to send the spirit of an ancient warrior demon to kill Jake but the ceremony goes wrong and the spirit enters Jantapan himself giving him amazing physical and spiritual powers.

Jake and Sunti go to meet the leader of the Abu Karaf SUNGRIT - he confirms what Jake suspects - since 9/11 Jantapan has worked to corner the narcotics and arms market. It was Jantapan who kidnapped the girls, blaming the Abu Karaf so the army would wipe out his competition. Sungrit knows where the girls are and gives Jake plans and intelligence. They both need the girls alive. With more betrayal and action on the horizon, Jake must engage in a battle that will put both his physical and spiritual powers to the ultimate test as he takes on the demon Jantapan in a wild battle that can only end in death.

Purchase Region 1 DVD / Purchase Region 2 DVD

Official Site

Download Trailer

Enjoy the movie.
Craig

 

[TDWoj]

I should point out that while that was him doing the Tai Chi moves/poses, he did none of the actual fighting in the market scene - it was all stunt doubles.

 

[suziwong]

Wow i really like that exclusive story of Seagal in Thailand. I hope Seagal gets on the big screens again and teams up with good directors. What ever happend to JR Nasso?

ahhh this jerk !! I guess he went to hell !! Directly !!

 

[Lotussan]

The sneaky little weasel....

 

[ZenLateralus]

I should point out that while that was him doing the Tai Chi moves/poses, he did none of the actual fighting in the market scene - it was all stunt doubles.

*sigh* My faith in Steven Seagal is failing due to the fact that he uses stunt doubles for all the action scenes. What a bummer. I'd rather pretend that he could really do that stuff.

 

[Lotussan]

He could, and he most certainly has done them himself, only he has suffered injuries from such things, such as the knee thing from the car jump scene in Exit Wounds, so it's a safety issue...
All the stars use them, I don't see what the big deal is...
He's never dissapointing to me...
I couldn't believe the things he actually did in Exit Wounds, really...
I had assumed that he used doubles in both those scenes, (car jump) and (pickup stunt) so I'm like wowed...
oooooooooh, Steven you are soooooo awesome!

 

[ORANGATUANG]

I was going not to comment but stuff it ....Look buddy if you have lost faith in stevens movies DONT WATCH THEM..Sheesh...I would like to see you do all the hard work that he does and not come out with a few aches and pains..And how dare you say that he cant do it anymore..He does it for me and thats all that matters and queit frankly you dont know jack....Heather.....

 

[Flashgalaxy]

Steven Seagal simply rocks...

 

[Lotussan]

You got that right, flashy....

 

[ZenLateralus]

Hmmmm, I think my problem is more with this forum and the people who use it than Steven Seagal or his movies (for I idolize Steven Seagal for many years and think highly of him). I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep coming here everyday writing posts and stuff if this is how I'll be talked to. I do know what I'm talking about.

 

[tora]

Foolish,childish,etc...Are you people grown-ups or 6 feet under or what?

 

[ZenLateralus]

Foolish,childish,etc...Are you people grown-ups or 6 feet under or what?

I'm not sure if you're defending me or futher insulting me. Quite frankly I'm tired of Steven Seagal fans arguing with other Steven Seagal fans. I'm not quite sure if I think that this forum is worth my time too much longer. I guess we'll see. I may keep visiting for updates on movies, music, etc. but other than that what's the point if things continue this way?

 

[tora]

No arguing?Argh!!!Where are you coming from?If there's no arguing then what else is there?Haven't you ever heard the truth is being born out of an argument?
Geez...I just can't imagine what it would be like reading loads of "yes" posts... If you need a little controversy,come with me,honey,come with me...
Wait,did I insult you?Well,I can't guarantee I won't insult anyone saying what I say as well as a bunch of people can take it in a bunch of different ways...but to a point,I wasn't a slightest bit insulting you...Do I have to excuse myself for what I haven't done? But don't you agree all this hassle looks childish..."I'm leaving...If you want me to stay come beg me please...and I'll think on the offer considering what is offered in exchange..." Am I still insulting you?

 

[Reservoir Dog]

I dont think any less of Seagal, zen, maybe you just stated it that way and seem offensive to some people. I too, would enjoy seeing him doing his own fighting in his movies.I understand if he needs a stuntman for weird stuff, like the car jump in exit wounds and all, but why for martial arts? He is so skilled at martial arts, why does he need someone else to do them? I think he needs to go back to the fighting style he used in his early films, that way he wont look so out of place using fighting styles he never used to do.

 

[ZenLateralus]

No arguing?Argh!!!Where are you coming from?If there's no arguing then what else is there?Haven't you ever heard the truth is being born out of an argument?
Geez...I just can't imagine what it would be like reading loads of "yes" posts... If you need a little controversy,come with me,honey,come with me...
Wait,did I insult you?Well,I can't guarantee I won't insult anyone saying what I say as well as a bunch of people can take it in a bunch of different ways...but to a point,I wasn't a slightest bit insulting you...Do I have to excuse myself for what I haven't done? But don't you agree all this hassle looks childish..."I'm leaving...If you want me to stay come beg me please...and I'll think on the offer considering what is offered in exchange..." Am I still insulting you?

I do think much of the hassle is silly though I don't recall making those comments...

 

[steve]

Stunt doubles

I hate to jump on the bandwagon Zen but it is a little silly saying you're losing faith in his movies just because of the stunt doubles. If you didn't watch action movies just because they had stunt doubles all you'd be left with is Jackie Chan films and they suck compared to The Master's films. Action heroes have always used stunt doubles, producers often make stars use them as they don't want their star getting hurt, if the star gets hurt it means he takes time off and it can ruin a shoot. The accident in Exit Wounds delayed production for around two weeks. When Van Damme was allowed to do all his stunts on Cyborg he accidentally gouged out an extra's eye. At least the doubles Seagal uses are usually well masked, which is more than I can say for Sly Stallone's double in Tango and Cash and Arnie's double in True Lies which is so obvious sometimes you think they did it on purpose.

 

[tora]

You contradict yourself.First you say your faith in Seagal is failing.Then you say you idolize him.Do you ever watch what your hands and your thoughts are doing?Not simultaneously...and not coincidencially...And then someone says a word in Seagal's defence...then you say you have problems with people here... I think I got lost...
Well,you can't recall yourself making those comments...But I was reading between the lines... I could be wrong of course and I won't deny that...

 

[tora]

I do think much of the hassle is silly though I don't recall making those comments...

You contradict yourself.First you say your faith in Seagal is failing.Then you say you idolize him.Do you ever watch what your hands and your thoughts are doing?Not simultaneously...and not coincidencially...And then someone says a word in Seagal's defence...then you say you have problems with people here... I think I got lost...
Well,you can't recall yourself making those comments...But I was reading between the lines... I could be wrong of course and I won't deny that...

 

[Reservoir Dog]

Stunt doubles for fighting and stunt doubles for stunts are different. I think there should be a stunt double, if there is a dangerous scene, like hanging off a train or cliff like in "Under Siege 2". Even jumping over a car or something like that calls for a stuntman, but martial arts, thats different. Seagal not doing his own martial arts would be like "The Beatles" having someone else sing their songs for them in a concert.

 

[steve]

Fighting Doubles

Well to be honest I'd rather Belly of the Beast was made than not made just for this reason, it was a great film and I didn't mind the doubles are they were skillfully masked and well done. If high-kicking kung-fu is in the script then not many action heroes would have been up for it and I don't blame Seagal for not being up for them either. Most action heroes do it in some way - Jet Li is perfectly competent but he gets around them by using wires instead of doubles. Steven is nowhere near as bad as Arnie has been in the past, in True Lies he was doubled for everything from riding on a horse to running down a small snowy hill. I think compared to the track record of many action stars he hasn't been doubled too much, in his early days he used to do everything but credit where it's due I think he's doing very well for a post-50 year old guy in the movies. There aren't many guys out there still as up for doing action movies as Steven and I think it's just nit-picking to be complaining about stunt and fight doubles. I wouldn't mind how much he was doubled, I'd still love his movies.

 

[ZenLateralus]

I guess the introduction of Steven Seagal having doubles do many of the action scenes that I thought he did kinda got to me but I do everyones point. It's not that I have a problem with Steven Seagal. It's just that I would prefer to see his martial arts skills. I don't contradict myself, I've always idolized Steven Seagal, even before this forum. It just kinda upset me that some of the neat stuff I attributed to him isn't him. I still idolize him and think he's a great man. Heck, I like everything about him, his religious beliefs, martial arts, music, etc. I still like his movies very much. I kinda think some how I gave off the wrong impression of myself here and I may be left without redemption?

 

[Reservoir Dog]

Don't worry zen, i understand.