Has Seagal changed his acting style?

[aikidoboynj]

Yes acting style all jokes aside...I was wondering what you thought about this. Do you guys notice a more laid back style of acting? Not only acting but everything from talking to a costar to walking past a suspicious "halfway open garage"(or something). I just had noticed that when I was looking at the TYD movies Craig posted. Did you all notice this more laid back style of acting walking fighting..etc? I think now thinking back it was probably happening since Under Siege 2 or FDB...You people see it to or what? Im talking about for example in Marked For Death when he was talking to his friend (coach) and when Seagal talked you could still hear a presense of attitude coming from his voice and his mannerisms, I guess he used to be more animated with how he said his lines and acted them(hand and arm jestures as well)....

Now its more very quiet low speaking barely moving anything but lips type thing- dunno if thats the new buddhist more holy style or what? In one scene in the TYD movie like I mentioned above Seagal tells his black friend something along the lines of, "Why is that garage half open...check it out." & while his friend goes over very stealthy and silently, Seagal just slowly walks right in front of it not seeming to care about what he just said...Stuff like that I don't understand this new acting or lack of acting style?
What do you guys think? See a difference too?

 

[Robert P. Olsson]

Your right!

I think Steven is hooked to some sort of production-deal he really doesn't care about. He just walks in, does his thing and walks away. And as we all know, there's a lot of bad voice over and stunt doubles.
He is surrounded by bad actors and often bad directors and so forth. He must know this and doesn't give all of his heart to the movies he's making right now.
As we all know all the good movies from him is with great cast and good company's, Warner Brothers is a great company and it would make me so happy if they gave Steven one more chance to do a good action movie again. I know he has it in him.

 

[tenshinaikidoka]

He was this way in Exit Wounds as well, not that I didn't like that movie, I did, but on the set I guess he was very uncaring about getting things done!!

 

[Purplelotus1]

I think it is what he has done all along. Just my opinion. don't freak out please

 

[TDWoj]

Not freaking out, but I do notice a difference myself. In his earlier films, there was a kind of angry intensity about him (and I'd also venture to add that his speeches were longer, and delivered with a certain amount of that angry intensity) that made his performance energetic, because he really believed in what he was doing, and that he had something to say.

The last film where he still had that angry intensity was On Deadly Ground.

In USII, he's moving into the laid-back, casual, "it ain't cool for me to be so angry and intense all the time" style, and you'll notice his speeches also start getting shorter. This was partly due to his filming USII while in the process of being dumped by Kelly, which did, in fact, affect his performance.

But in Fire Down Below, again he does not have the angry intensity of his first five films; in Glimmer Man he's even more laid back (even when he's fighting Donald at the end, it's as if he's doing it by distancing his astral self from his physical self, or something).

And so it goes, until Exit Wounds. He's sort of got that angry-ness back, but it's more like he's playing Orin Boyd as if he - Steven - is annoyed he has to do this movie, rather than intense about whatever it is Boyd believes in.

After that, he just gets more distant in the roles he plays, his lines get even shorter, and then there's that dubbing....

Making movies these days is what he does to make a buck. He hasn't got anything left to say, because Hollywood made him understand they didn't want to listen to him. He does these movies for the money, plainly and simply. Guy's gotta make a living somehow, right? I have a sneaking suspicion he knows perfectly well how awful these latest efforts of his are, but, hey: $3 million per pic is nothing to sneeze at, and with that phalanx of bodyguards and personal assistants and psychic astrologer lamas and whoever else he's got trailing around after him, he's got to do something to pay the bills, right?

And, at the end of the day, it's just a job. It isn't who he is.

My opinion, for what it's worth, anyhow.

 

[ORANGATUANG]

His style might have changed but he still has that kick ass attitude...that will never change..

 

[aikidoboynj]

I watched Above The Law last night, and you know the part where the FEDs come in and bring Nico downtown during the early morning hours...Just watch the scene where they go in the room and they are playing there "pussy games" when the fed makes the officer check his coat...All hell pretty much breaks lose, I loved it though. I don't care what anyone says Seagal was not half a bad actor In Above The Law...He was energetic and realistic in how he portrayed Nico. I guess to this day Above The Law is the guys shining day. He was a tenacious mother ****er in that.

What about executive decision...?

 

[Kcs]

I'm sorry to say, but this is just nonsense.

This is the same question like: "Did Bruce Willis change his acting style, because he didn't act the same way in Die Hard and in The Whole Nine Yards?"

Seagal is an actor. In the movies he plays characters, written by writers. Every character is developed by professionals, and Seagal is a professional actor, who plays these characters according to the instruction of the script/director/producer etc.

Harlen Banks is not Nico Toscani, Jon Cold is not Orin Boyd, Casey Ryback is not Prof. Robert Burns.

Why is it so difficult to understand?

 

[Robert P. Olsson]

I'm sorry to say, but this is just nonsense.

This is the same question like: "Did Bruce Willis change his acting style, because he didn't act the same way in Die Hard and in The Whole Nine Yards?"

Seagal is an actor. In the movies he plays characters, written by writers. Every character is developed by professionals, and Seagal is a professional actor, who plays these characters according to the instruction of the script/director/producer etc.

Harlen Banks is not Nico Toscani, Jon Cold is not Orin Boyd, Casey Ryback is not Prof. Robert Burns.

Why is it so difficult to understand?

Haven't you noticed that many of his characters are the same? Not saying this is bad. I love the old -Cop on the edge out for revenge or -Former CIA/FBI out for revenge....
As for his acting I think he brings something different in "Glimmerman", "the Patriot" and of course "Above the law".

 

[TDWoj]

I'm sorry to say, but this is just nonsense.

This is the same question like: "Did Bruce Willis change his acting style, because he didn't act the same way in Die Hard and in The Whole Nine Yards?"

Seagal is an actor. In the movies he plays characters, written by writers. Every character is developed by professionals, and Seagal is a professional actor, who plays these characters according to the instruction of the script/director/producer etc.

Harlen Banks is not Nico Toscani, Jon Cold is not Orin Boyd, Casey Ryback is not Prof. Robert Burns.

Why is it so difficult to understand?

You're missing the point; it's not that he's playing different characters, he's approaching playing his characters differently.

In the early days, he had energy. He took care. He worked hard. He enjoyed himself.

In more recent efforts, he has no energy. He doesn't take care. He doesn't work hard. He isn't enjoying himself.

It may be burn-out; it may simply be disinterest. But it's evident in his execution and delivery that the spark just isn't there any more.

The period between USII and Exit Wounds is different, I agree with Robert on this; he's approaching his roles differently, but he still has spark, interest, enjoyment and care in what he's doing.

Everything after Exit Wounds, the spark, the interest, the care and the enjoyment start waning.

It's what happens when you do a job that you're no longer engaged in; it's no longer fun. It's just a job; it's what you do to pay the bills.

His characters:

Nino Toscani - ex-CIA, now a police officer
Mason Storm - LA police officer
John Hatcher - DEA agent
Gino Felino - NYC police officer
Casey Ryback - Navy Seal (twice)
Forrest Taft - ex-CIA, troubleshooter for an oil company
Austin Travis - Army Lt. Colonel
Jack Cole - ex-CIA, now a police officer
Jack Taggart - EPA agent
Wesley McLaren - Doctor, former something or other in some secret agency
Orin Boyd - police officer
Glass - police officer, bomb squad
Sascha Petrosevich - FBI agent
Jonathan Cold - ex-CIA
Robert Burns - archeologist, ex-antiquities thief and something else never specified
Jake Hopper - ex-CIA
William Lancing - ex-CIA
Travis Hunter - ex-CIA
Chris Cody - independent anti-terrorist agent employed by the CIA
Harlan Banks - ex-con

He does, in fact, pretty much play the same type of character in each film. There might be different ethnicities, there might be different character hooks, but they are essentially the same character.

I'd say that would get pretty boring after a while, wouldn't you?

And the latest crop of scripts are just terrible; very hard to do a good job with substandard material and the substandard production teams attached to them. I'd hardly blame him for putting in the minimum amount of effort for such projects.

 

[tenshinaikidoka]

I think the point is, as TD has stated is that he has a different attitude as opposed to when his first films were released. He was more animated in the early works, now he walks around, fires a gun, talks real low, looks real motionless in his movements. Kinda like his whole demeanor has changed. Dont' get me wrong, I personally like the guy and I have other personal reasons to like him than his movies, he is a very good martial artist, and his influence on me is very great. But, I truly hope he will make a movie that will truly compare to his older movies. I hope!!!

 

[aikidoboynj]

I'm sorry to say, but this is just nonsense.

This is the same question like: "Did Bruce Willis change his acting style, because he didn't act the same way in Die Hard and in The Whole Nine Yards?"

Seagal is an actor. In the movies he plays characters, written by writers. Every character is developed by professionals, and Seagal is a professional actor, who plays these characters according to the instruction of the script/director/producer etc.

Harlen Banks is not Nico Toscani, Jon Cold is not Orin Boyd, Casey Ryback is not Prof. Robert Burns.

Why is it so difficult to understand?

If you ask me your post was the only post of pure nonsense on this whole thread...First Die Hard was a bonafide action movie, Whole Nine Yards was a comedy, how can you even put these two in the same sentence? Did John McClane have anything to laugh about once in that movie?
Your really going to try and tell me that Seagal hasn't practically been playing the same role over and over again since 88? Ok I think he has been a doctor in one and a ex special operative in EVERY other movie... Has Bruce Willis been the same John McLane in every movie..Nope.

Anyways thats like comparing Marked For Death to Seagal's Mountain Dew comedic commercial. If your trying to tell me that the director is giving Mr Seagal specific instructions to sleepwalk through his speaking lines to the point where only his bottom lip seems to be moving, and show no effort at all in his action scenes then you have to really get me into Hollywood because if thats the case I could make a fortune out of a piece of wood on wheels...Or in this case lately an actor purposly trying to act as emotionless and zombielike as possible...Sure man keep dreaming...

The Seagal of the last 5 years makes the Seagal of the first 5 years look like Roberto Deniro! That's saying a lot right there...

And one last thing TD...Isn't it amazing that Jean Claude Van Damme can make the same type of movie, the same type of budget, the same no names behind it and make a movie actually worth watching? People only watch those DTV's because they want to see Van Damme, and honestly this guy has been delivering better performances lately than some of his super expensive flicks from the past...Wish I could say the same for someone else.

 

[TDWoj]

Van Damme obviously has a different approach to what he's been doing lately. If he's making an effort, he may be making a bid for a comeback to the big screen. Good for him.

I'm still of the opinion - and this is an opinion, mind - that there's been an emphasis shift on priorities. I suspect the ambition that drove him in the early days is pretty much gone now. Too much water under the bridge.

I think we should simply accept that Steven will never make another movie that is likely to match his dedication to detail and enthusiasm from the early days. He's tired; he's been there, he's done that. Time to move on. For all of us.

 

[SweetChinMusic]

I don't think he's changed his acting style I just think he doesn't give a crap anymore and it shows on screen. He shows up, says a few lines and goes home. He had more passion for making movies back in the day, that's why his movies were so much better.

 

[Kcs]

You are seeing what you are beliving, what you want to see.
All of you are convinced that Seagal isn't working hard.

But let me ask: did someone from this forum see him work? Or talk with him about his passion for making movies?

 

[hofmae]

I don't think too that his not changing his style. Its just he don't care about these cheap dtv movies. Its only a job for him. (Except Movies where his heart is in it like Into the Sun).

I think he knows that the new movies aren't that good, and so i think he hasn't got any motivation for the movies because he know that at the end the script is not so good, the director is not that good and so on... i really think they should make a big production with him!

But i like it how it is know... All 3 months a new release, thats perfect even when most are crap, its always entertaining to watch a new movie and now im looking forward to "Black Dawn"

 

[ORANGATUANG]

Not me i agree he is working hard ....he cant please everyone...

 

[TDWoj]

You are seeing what you are beliving, what you want to see.
All of you are convinced that Seagal isn't working hard.

But let me ask: did someone from this forum see him work? Or talk with him about his passion for making movies?

Would you believe them if they told you?

 

[Kcs]

All of you know exactly that OFAK for example was 100% Seagal. He chose every person of the crew, he hired an Academy Award winner production designer, his old editor, who was the editor of his classic movies, a famous music video director who has a unique style and thoughts about filmmaking. OFAK was Seagal's business, why would he ruin that with half-hearted attitude?

Maybe some of you don't like that movie. But for example it was the 11th most watched movie this year on Hungarian television - counting every station, and every aired movie (in front of for example Star Wars EpII, and Seagal's old movies!!).

So, please, belive me: most of the Seagal's fans doesn't see him as an old, fat, inmobile, bored ex-star. Of course as his age advances, he gets other types of roles, but a fan who thinks a bit, understands, that for example Jake Hopper - with a 25 year old daughter! - would be a joke with the attitude of Gino Felino.

 

[Littledragon]

Yes acting style all jokes aside...I was wondering what you thought about this. Do you guys notice a more laid back style of acting? Not only acting but everything from talking to a costar to walking past a suspicious "halfway open garage"(or something). I just had noticed that when I was looking at the TYD movies Craig posted. Did you all notice this more laid back style of acting walking fighting..etc? I think now thinking back it was probably happening since Under Siege 2 or FDB...You people see it to or what? Im talking about for example in Marked For Death when he was talking to his friend (coach) and when Seagal talked you could still hear a presense of attitude coming from his voice and his mannerisms, I guess he used to be more animated with how he said his lines and acted them(hand and arm jestures as well)....

Now its more very quiet low speaking barely moving anything but lips type thing- dunno if thats the new buddhist more holy style or what? In one scene in the TYD movie like I mentioned above Seagal tells his black friend something along the lines of, "Why is that garage half open...check it out." & while his friend goes over very stealthy and silently, Seagal just slowly walks right in front of it not seeming to care about what he just said...Stuff like that I don't understand this new acting or lack of acting style?
What do you guys think? See a difference too?

I actually did notice a change in acting style. It is true he is less agressive but I don't believe that is his intentions, it is the script remember he is acting according to how the director and script tells him to do so. It is true he is winded down and not as agressive as he once was due to the fact he is over 50 years old now.

But also his dialogue and tone of speaking voice, it sounds a little cliche most of the time and his accent sounds kind of how a southerner talks, anyone notice his change of tone and accent in his dialogues now?

 

[Littledragon]

You're missing the point; it's not that he's playing different characters, he's approaching playing his characters differently.

In the early days, he had energy. He took care. He worked hard. He enjoyed himself.

In more recent efforts, he has no energy. He doesn't take care. He doesn't work hard. He isn't enjoying himself.
It may be burn-out; it may simply be disinterest. But it's evident in his execution and delivery that the spark just isn't there any more.

The period between USII and Exit Wounds is different, I agree with Robert on this; he's approaching his roles differently, but he still has spark, interest, enjoyment and care in what he's doing.

Everything after Exit Wounds, the spark, the interest, the care and the enjoyment start waning.

It's what happens when you do a job that you're no longer engaged in; it's no longer fun. It's just a job; it's what you do to pay the bills.

His characters:

Nino Toscani - ex-CIA, now a police officer
Mason Storm - LA police officer
John Hatcher - DEA agent
Gino Felino - NYC police officer
Casey Ryback - Navy Seal (twice)
Forrest Taft - ex-CIA, troubleshooter for an oil company
Austin Travis - Army Lt. Colonel
Jack Cole - ex-CIA, now a police officer
Jack Taggart - EPA agent
Wesley McLaren - Doctor, former something or other in some secret agency
Orin Boyd - police officer
Glass - police officer, bomb squad
Sascha Petrosevich - FBI agent
Jonathan Cold - ex-CIA
Robert Burns - archeologist, ex-antiquities thief and something else never specified
Jake Hopper - ex-CIA
William Lancing - ex-CIA
Travis Hunter - ex-CIA
Chris Cody - independent anti-terrorist agent employed by the CIA
Harlan Banks - ex-con

He does, in fact, pretty much play the same type of character in each film. There might be different ethnicities, there might be different character hooks, but they are essentially the same character.

I'd say that would get pretty boring after a while, wouldn't you?

And the latest crop of scripts are just terrible; very hard to do a good job with substandard material and the substandard production teams attached to them. I'd hardly blame him for putting in the minimum amount of effort for such projects.

I agree with you to a certain extent, but if he was not working hard he wouldn't be filming all these films regardless if they are all DTV releases. DTV releases or not, it still takes alot of time, energy, and work ethic to shoot a movie even if they are not a big budget Hollywood film, it still takes alot of work. In addition with all the movies he's shooting and humanitarian work he is doing, it doesn't convince me that he has no more energy.

Just my two cents.

 

[aikidoboynj]

Yeah thats true Little Dragon, in the past he talked like he was from- Brooklyn or Staten Island, now a days its more like a southern kentucky voice or something...I agree...All im saying is that there is no excuse for his lack of drive, if this is all the guy has left he should have retired, or atleast retired after Exit Wounds to show everyone he wasn't a washed up has been, because the DTV's do absolutely nothing for him and he would have to make a DTV that is as good as Above The Law for anyone to even THINK about giving him another run at a big time production. These movies are just digging him deeper into a hole of obscurity. He needs to straighten out and straighten out fast if he still wants to have a career, if not he is doing a good job of becoming a nobody...Can you just imagine a big time hollywood producer watching OFAK...Theres one last willing and able person to give him a shot.