Big Lee's BELLY OF THE BEAST review
Well it's took a while to post this review, but here goes:
THE PLOT:
Steven Seagal plays JAKE HOPPER (working for the CIA), when we first see him, he's with his partner SUNTI (another martial-arts expert!), and they are in the middle of a (NARC type) shootout in Thailand. In the insuring carnage, SUNTI accidently shoots an innocent mother, and therefore takes his vows as a budhist to attone for his sins. The story jumps ten years on, and we find HOPPER (now borderline CIA) breaking into some mafioso type hideout, stealing infomation. The story then concerns HOPPERS realationship with his daughter, who is vacationing with a (girl) friend in (yep, you guessed it?)...THAILAND.
She is subsequently kidnapped by a local terrorist group.
When HOPPER is told this, he immediatley rushes to THAILAND, to settle things, and reclaim his daughter.
Without wanting to give away the plot too much, the CIA are useless, and various agents (from both sides) are dispatched to stop hopper (who is now working renegade, with the recently monk-aquited, SUNTI) but more deadly than terrorist/CIA counter-agents, are the mystical thai forces, that are using the power of the spirits, in a battle to stop HOPPER.
The pros:
The movie certainly looks like it cost $20+m, to make (unlike OFAK, which liiked like it cost $1m-ish!) and the action is first rate. Seagal has gone back to his roots, and that certain air of letharic-ism has gone out his quests, he seems focused in his search for his daughter. The movie is shot better, due to a director that understands the genre better. And let's face it.........SEAGAL is still (and always will be)...the man! The movie was also similar to MARKED FOR DEATH, in which, that, voodoo elements are used by it's villians. All in all, better than THE FOREIGNER and OUT FOR A KILL (but then again, so was MY GIANT!)
The cons:
Although, in terms of overall quality, the movie does contain too-much MATRIX-like martial arts scenes, for which, as slick and exciting as they are, they're just not SEAGAL. Also, his fight scenes are excellent, so the need for roundhouse kicking stunt-doubles are not needed. We all know that SEAGAL (even in younger days) is not about ninja-style martial arts. So no more fight doubles, please! Considering these films come straight to dvd, and solely rely on his fan base, there's no point in resorting to unrealistic fight scenes
FINAL THOUGHTS:
BELLY OF THE BEAST is above average SEAGAL (though i just wish he'd get back with WARNER BROS) with SEAGAL balancing his spiritual and kick-ass side. The fight scenes are plenty, though heavily stylized, maybe too stylish for SEAGAL (we ALL know his natural style is far more spectacular then wire-foo!) But in terms of inprovement of material, it's a natural sequel to EXIT WOUNDS. But as previously stated (and not just by myself) please MR SEAGAL, no more movies with MICHAEL OBLOWITZ!!!!!!!!!!!! and oh, yeah...how about making movies in AMERICA again... UNDER SIEGE 3 anybody?
Big lee gives this triumphant comeback, for the baddest man on the planet 9 out of 10
peace
.Only Seagal knows why he likes working with him.Strange to say the least.
