OUT OF REACH review!(Contain Spoilers)
- Thread starter Mason
- Start date
Reservoir Dog
MRKD4DTH
Unbelievable
I would like to hear a good reason for the doubles. Frankly, there isnt one. There isnt really a way to defend him on this. He HAS gotten lazy, and even if he hasnt, 99% of movie audiences think he has, which is just as bad. He isnt doing much to change his image, or satisfy his long term fans. The movies he are putting out pure garbage. If someone recommened "The Foreigner" to a person who is not usually a Seagal fan, telling them it is a good film, you would probably lose them as a friend. Same probably goes for OFAK and possibly OOR, although I liked that one. There is absolutely no excuse, there is no "deeper meaning" to his slacking off, he just doesnt care about anything but the dollar.
There are single parents who go to work everyday, sometimes 2 or more jobs, to support their kids and their family while living in an apartment in a bad neighborhood with poor schools with bad education for their children barely making ends meet and having enough food. And you feel sorry for Steven Seagal? The guy is a millionaire, who goes to Thailand and flirts with women as he chooses to, disregarding his wife and his kids, and traveling the word. I see what you mean, if I was Steven Seagal, I would probably rather be in welfare too. Because his life really is, "stressful".
I would like to hear a good reason for the doubles. Frankly, there isnt one. There isnt really a way to defend him on this. He HAS gotten lazy, and even if he hasnt, 99% of movie audiences think he has, which is just as bad. He isnt doing much to change his image, or satisfy his long term fans. The movies he are putting out pure garbage. If someone recommened "The Foreigner" to a person who is not usually a Seagal fan, telling them it is a good film, you would probably lose them as a friend. Same probably goes for OFAK and possibly OOR, although I liked that one. There is absolutely no excuse, there is no "deeper meaning" to his slacking off, he just doesnt care about anything but the dollar.
There are single parents who go to work everyday, sometimes 2 or more jobs, to support their kids and their family while living in an apartment in a bad neighborhood with poor schools with bad education for their children barely making ends meet and having enough food. And you feel sorry for Steven Seagal? The guy is a millionaire, who goes to Thailand and flirts with women as he chooses to, disregarding his wife and his kids, and traveling the word. I see what you mean, if I was Steven Seagal, I would probably rather be in welfare too. Because his life really is, "stressful".
Reservoir Dog
MRKD4DTH
Lotussan said:
But I bet you will tell me anyway, right?
Lotussan
I Belong To Steven
Well actually, there's no way...I just can't bear to gossip about him this way, I just can't...There must be so many issues and reasons, I am certain, that's all I can say...And the worst thing is, that we are powerless to do anything about it, that sucks...
I will say that I do think he made some of these films where he did because he was in fear, and felt that he could not safely work in this country because of the Mob issues...
Can you imagine how tough it would be to work with those thoughts weighing so heavily on your mind?
With the thoughts that your children and family could be harmed or worse?
I am sure it took it's toll on him, and made it very hard on him to concentrate on his work...
I feel so bad for him having to be on the run like that, the thought that he distanced himself from his family to protect them...
I think it must have been/or must be so lonely for him, and that thought just kills me...
I will say that I do think he made some of these films where he did because he was in fear, and felt that he could not safely work in this country because of the Mob issues...
Can you imagine how tough it would be to work with those thoughts weighing so heavily on your mind?
With the thoughts that your children and family could be harmed or worse?
I am sure it took it's toll on him, and made it very hard on him to concentrate on his work...
I feel so bad for him having to be on the run like that, the thought that he distanced himself from his family to protect them...
I think it must have been/or must be so lonely for him, and that thought just kills me...
Clement3000
aka The Phoenix
Another Review for Out of Reach
Reviews » DVD Video Reviews » Out of Reach
Out of Reach Columbia/Tri-Star // R // $24.96 // July 20, 2004
Review by Carl Davis | posted August 3, 2004 | E-mail the Author | Start a Discussion
function popUp(URL,NAME) N T
It's a split second between hit or miss.
What that tantalizing tagline has to do with Steven Seagal’s latest Direct-to-Video opus, Out of Reach, I have yet to figure out. Clocking in at a brief 86 minutes, it should probably read “a split second from Start to Finish”, except for the fact that Seagal really knows how to slow things down, way down, for added Drama, I guess. He’s the only person that could make a gripping, action-drama about the vile, underground, human trafficking crisis in Europe as funny as his tongue-in-cheek Mountain Dew commercial… unintentionally, of course. Sadly, it was this very same commercial that kind of renewed my interest in Seagal’s work. The man is literally responsible for about twenty-five percent of the wall space at Blockbuster these days, with titles such as Half Past Dead, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner and Belly of the Beast. After watching , I see why these are never rented out.
Seagal plays Billy Ray Lancing, a former CSA(?) agent living as a survivalist, deep in the woods. He is presented to us as a kind man and nature lover, as he frees a trapped falcon and nurses the bird back to health. We find out that his compassion isn’t limited to animals, as he is also the sponsor of an orphaned girl, Irena (Ida Nowakowska), in Poland. They write letters back and forth to one another, and he sends her secret codes to try and decipher. Gee, I wonder if that will play a role later in the movie? To show the bond between these two, their correspondence to each other are often read aloud in voiceover. Hilariously, Seagal, the actor PLAYING Lancing, doesn’t even do the readings of the character’s letters!
When he gets a letter from the orphanage saying that Irena can't write to him anymore, he becomes suspicious and travels to Poland where he stumbles upon a human trafficking network, run under the cover of the United Allied Nations. Faisal (Matt Schultze), the leader of this underground organization, has kidnapped all the girls from the orphanage and intends to sell them into a life of (implied) sexual slavery. He seems to share a secret past with Seagal, whom he often refers to as “The American.” It’s amazing what is implied in this movie, since it’s all so despicable, like when Faisal and Irena play chess and then he drugs her juice. Nothing is shown or said after that, but there has to be some depravity going on here, people.
Prepare to suspend your disbelief, as Seagal continues to search for Irena, even though he’s not even sure she’s in trouble and amazingly, Irena leaves him a trail of secret messages even though she doesn’t know he’s looking for her. He eventually goes to the police, where he is partnered with a female cop, without even disclosing that he is a retired espionage agent. The Aikido fights are all shown in slow-mo and the action scenes are generally unimpressive. The final fight with Faisal is probably the best in the movie, as it’s a sword duel, a la Lone Wolf and Cub, where both warriors run past one another, then stand with their backs turned until someone falls over dead. Speaking of Lone Wolf and Cub, Seagal is so big at this point that he could probably play a decent Ogami Itto, so Aronofsky, if you’re listening… why not tap the big guy for your new Lone Wolf and Cub project?
Seagal is definitely at a crossroads in his career right now, having several big budget, studio pictures under his belt (Hard to Kill, Under Siege, Exit Wounds), but currently being relegated to Direct-to-Video Hell (Ticker, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner). I just don’t get it, since we all know that Seagal is the real deal, receiving his first Aikido dan accreditation in 1974 under the instruction of Harry Ishisaka, and reaching 7th level dan in the years thereafter. Even with Out of Reach’s $20 million budget, exotic Polish locations and Po Chih Leong’s adequate directing, there is very little that makes you sit up and notice anything but the lame-brained plot devices and ham-fisted acting, throughout. Thankfully the movie is short, unresolved plotlines and all, at just 86 minutes.
The DVD:
Picture: The movie is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The colors are crisp and clear, except darker scenes where the black looks a little murky.
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby digital. There are no other language and no subtitle tracks. This DVD features a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, which sounds fine.
Extras: There are preview trailers for 4 other Steven Seagal Direct-to-Video pictures: Half Past Dead, The Foreigner, Out For a Kill and Belly of the Beast. There is also a trailer for a Direct-to-Video Thriller, titled 3 Way.
Conclusion: Out of Reach isn’t a bad waste of time, but it is a bad waste of talent. Steven Seagal really needs to start reaching deep and delivering more than just these slap-dash action flicks. I would say that Out of Reach is a definite rental for Steven Seagal fans or those anti-fans out there that just love to see the man stumble and fall through another role like this one. Personally, I’m going to see if I can catch that Mountain Dew commercial again.
M O V I E
V I D E O
A U D I O
E X T R A S
R E P L A Y
A D V I C E Rent It
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=11792
Reviews » DVD Video Reviews » Out of Reach
function popUp(URL,NAME) N TIt's a split second between hit or miss.
What that tantalizing tagline has to do with Steven Seagal’s latest Direct-to-Video opus, Out of Reach, I have yet to figure out. Clocking in at a brief 86 minutes, it should probably read “a split second from Start to Finish”, except for the fact that Seagal really knows how to slow things down, way down, for added Drama, I guess. He’s the only person that could make a gripping, action-drama about the vile, underground, human trafficking crisis in Europe as funny as his tongue-in-cheek Mountain Dew commercial… unintentionally, of course. Sadly, it was this very same commercial that kind of renewed my interest in Seagal’s work. The man is literally responsible for about twenty-five percent of the wall space at Blockbuster these days, with titles such as Half Past Dead, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner and Belly of the Beast. After watching , I see why these are never rented out.
Seagal plays Billy Ray Lancing, a former CSA(?) agent living as a survivalist, deep in the woods. He is presented to us as a kind man and nature lover, as he frees a trapped falcon and nurses the bird back to health. We find out that his compassion isn’t limited to animals, as he is also the sponsor of an orphaned girl, Irena (Ida Nowakowska), in Poland. They write letters back and forth to one another, and he sends her secret codes to try and decipher. Gee, I wonder if that will play a role later in the movie? To show the bond between these two, their correspondence to each other are often read aloud in voiceover. Hilariously, Seagal, the actor PLAYING Lancing, doesn’t even do the readings of the character’s letters!
When he gets a letter from the orphanage saying that Irena can't write to him anymore, he becomes suspicious and travels to Poland where he stumbles upon a human trafficking network, run under the cover of the United Allied Nations. Faisal (Matt Schultze), the leader of this underground organization, has kidnapped all the girls from the orphanage and intends to sell them into a life of (implied) sexual slavery. He seems to share a secret past with Seagal, whom he often refers to as “The American.” It’s amazing what is implied in this movie, since it’s all so despicable, like when Faisal and Irena play chess and then he drugs her juice. Nothing is shown or said after that, but there has to be some depravity going on here, people.
Prepare to suspend your disbelief, as Seagal continues to search for Irena, even though he’s not even sure she’s in trouble and amazingly, Irena leaves him a trail of secret messages even though she doesn’t know he’s looking for her. He eventually goes to the police, where he is partnered with a female cop, without even disclosing that he is a retired espionage agent. The Aikido fights are all shown in slow-mo and the action scenes are generally unimpressive. The final fight with Faisal is probably the best in the movie, as it’s a sword duel, a la Lone Wolf and Cub, where both warriors run past one another, then stand with their backs turned until someone falls over dead. Speaking of Lone Wolf and Cub, Seagal is so big at this point that he could probably play a decent Ogami Itto, so Aronofsky, if you’re listening… why not tap the big guy for your new Lone Wolf and Cub project?
Seagal is definitely at a crossroads in his career right now, having several big budget, studio pictures under his belt (Hard to Kill, Under Siege, Exit Wounds), but currently being relegated to Direct-to-Video Hell (Ticker, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner). I just don’t get it, since we all know that Seagal is the real deal, receiving his first Aikido dan accreditation in 1974 under the instruction of Harry Ishisaka, and reaching 7th level dan in the years thereafter. Even with Out of Reach’s $20 million budget, exotic Polish locations and Po Chih Leong’s adequate directing, there is very little that makes you sit up and notice anything but the lame-brained plot devices and ham-fisted acting, throughout. Thankfully the movie is short, unresolved plotlines and all, at just 86 minutes.
The DVD:
Picture: The movie is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The colors are crisp and clear, except darker scenes where the black looks a little murky.
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby digital. There are no other language and no subtitle tracks. This DVD features a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, which sounds fine.
Extras: There are preview trailers for 4 other Steven Seagal Direct-to-Video pictures: Half Past Dead, The Foreigner, Out For a Kill and Belly of the Beast. There is also a trailer for a Direct-to-Video Thriller, titled 3 Way.
Conclusion: Out of Reach isn’t a bad waste of time, but it is a bad waste of talent. Steven Seagal really needs to start reaching deep and delivering more than just these slap-dash action flicks. I would say that Out of Reach is a definite rental for Steven Seagal fans or those anti-fans out there that just love to see the man stumble and fall through another role like this one. Personally, I’m going to see if I can catch that Mountain Dew commercial again.
M O V I E
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=11792
Reservoir Dog
MRKD4DTH
Thanks, Clement
Funny how the "Mountain Dew Commercial" actually helped restore interest in Seagal from disgruntled fans. Sadly, the commercial aired too son, before his DTV movies, but not close enough to the release of "Into the Sun". The guy is right, and the review was done well, he is apparently a fan of Seagal's earlier work. I dont know how many more movies Seagal is planning on putting out, but if the fans are starting to lose interest in his films, I dont think there will be very many.
Funny how the "Mountain Dew Commercial" actually helped restore interest in Seagal from disgruntled fans. Sadly, the commercial aired too son, before his DTV movies, but not close enough to the release of "Into the Sun". The guy is right, and the review was done well, he is apparently a fan of Seagal's earlier work. I dont know how many more movies Seagal is planning on putting out, but if the fans are starting to lose interest in his films, I dont think there will be very many.
Okay, done working, seen the film, and....
Well, there's 86 minutes of my life I'll never get back again.
I honestly don't know how to review this film. It wasn't bad enough to give it a bad review, and it wasn't good enough to give it a good review.
The story was okay; this should have been an action thriller, or at the very least a suspense film with some action in it, but it was neither. There wasn't enough action in it to call it an action film, and there wasn't enough suspense in it to keep me, well, engaged in the suspense.
Best thing I can say about it was that at least Steven wasn't sleepwalking through this film the way he was in Out for a Kill; and he was on his feet more minutes than he was in Belly of the Beast.
Seeing Steven have his hair done up in a bun was also a bit distracting. Normally, I don't comment on his appearance when I review his films, but I have to say that 'do was really unattractive, and made a boring movie even harder to watch because I kept staring at the hair in fascinated horror instead of paying attention to what was going on, which was usually not much of anything.
Oh, yes. I said boring.
I kept thinking I'd heard some of the dialogue before, and I had - in The Patriot. (Well, I suppose one way of getting around the dubbing is to use dialogue from his other movies, and borrow the tracks from that. Hey, there's an idea....). It was hopelessly banal and very much maid-and-butler - characters telling each other things they already knew so that the audience has some idea of what's going on. I noticed it particularly in the very beginning when we have the voice-over of the little girl reading her letter. I mean, really - not a snowball's chance in hell a twelve-year-old girl would write something like that.
(I know one has to suspend one's disbelief when watching such films, but it doesn't have to be hung by the neck until it strangles, either.)
One thing I noticed was that while there wasn't necessarily anything wrong with each scene individually (other than the fact that the dialogue was nearly inaudible besides being banal), the way they were stitched together made me think of a patchwork quilt where all the pieces are supposed to fit together, but each piece is just slightly "off", ending up with something that should have had straight seams and square corners and instead ended up crookedly sewn and lopsided.
One of the things I have noticed in these dtv efforts that I miss terribly from his earlier films is intensity. Steven's performances used to be really, really intense. He was so into the roles he played he just exuded magnetism and screen presence. He was so "there", that there almost wasn't any room for anyone else on the screen. Fight scenes were filmed with the camera backed up enough so you could see all of him rain destruction on everything around him, from the poor *******s who thought they could take him out to the furniture and fixtures in the room where the fight took place. Scenes in between had him doing more things than just sitting in the back of a car, or walking into an empty white room and stealing an envelope (gee, that was exciting. He stole an envelope. Wow.)
The fight scenes were done either in very close so you couldn't really see what was going on; or backed up so far in order to conceal the fact that it was a stunt man and not Steven.
And while I said Steven wasn't sleepwalking through this film, he didn't look like he was terribly interested in what was going on, either. It's hard to define, exactly; it was almost as if his mind was on something else. (Frankly, he looked hungover throughout the entire film, so that might have been it.)
(There's a brief glimpse of the Asian girlfriend in the ball scene, coming in behind him on the right of the screen. I notice these things, I can't help it. Back in the day, Arissa, besides having actual lines in On Deadly Ground, was also in The Glimmerman and The Patriot, though both times seen from behind-the hair was unmistakable. Looks like he's doing it again with the current companion.)
The elements in Steven's dtv films are becoming predictable. A couple of hand-to-hand fights, usually short and unremarkable; a sword fight; a gun battle or two, filmed static and dull. The only thing this film didn't have was a car chase.
As I said, taken as a whole, it wasn't bad enough to be a bad film; but it wasn't good, either. And if this is the sort of thing we can go on expecting from him, I really, honestly think he should quit. I can't take any more rubbishy unenjoyable time-wasters like this.
...actually, better yet: if he doesn't want to do strictly action films anymore, let me know, and I'll write something for him. I'm just itching to do it....
Rating: 2.5 out of 5. How's that for sitting on the fence? (Ow...)
-TD, underwhelmed
Well, there's 86 minutes of my life I'll never get back again.
I honestly don't know how to review this film. It wasn't bad enough to give it a bad review, and it wasn't good enough to give it a good review.
The story was okay; this should have been an action thriller, or at the very least a suspense film with some action in it, but it was neither. There wasn't enough action in it to call it an action film, and there wasn't enough suspense in it to keep me, well, engaged in the suspense.
Best thing I can say about it was that at least Steven wasn't sleepwalking through this film the way he was in Out for a Kill; and he was on his feet more minutes than he was in Belly of the Beast.
Seeing Steven have his hair done up in a bun was also a bit distracting. Normally, I don't comment on his appearance when I review his films, but I have to say that 'do was really unattractive, and made a boring movie even harder to watch because I kept staring at the hair in fascinated horror instead of paying attention to what was going on, which was usually not much of anything.
Oh, yes. I said boring.
I kept thinking I'd heard some of the dialogue before, and I had - in The Patriot. (Well, I suppose one way of getting around the dubbing is to use dialogue from his other movies, and borrow the tracks from that. Hey, there's an idea....). It was hopelessly banal and very much maid-and-butler - characters telling each other things they already knew so that the audience has some idea of what's going on. I noticed it particularly in the very beginning when we have the voice-over of the little girl reading her letter. I mean, really - not a snowball's chance in hell a twelve-year-old girl would write something like that.
(I know one has to suspend one's disbelief when watching such films, but it doesn't have to be hung by the neck until it strangles, either.)
One thing I noticed was that while there wasn't necessarily anything wrong with each scene individually (other than the fact that the dialogue was nearly inaudible besides being banal), the way they were stitched together made me think of a patchwork quilt where all the pieces are supposed to fit together, but each piece is just slightly "off", ending up with something that should have had straight seams and square corners and instead ended up crookedly sewn and lopsided.
One of the things I have noticed in these dtv efforts that I miss terribly from his earlier films is intensity. Steven's performances used to be really, really intense. He was so into the roles he played he just exuded magnetism and screen presence. He was so "there", that there almost wasn't any room for anyone else on the screen. Fight scenes were filmed with the camera backed up enough so you could see all of him rain destruction on everything around him, from the poor *******s who thought they could take him out to the furniture and fixtures in the room where the fight took place. Scenes in between had him doing more things than just sitting in the back of a car, or walking into an empty white room and stealing an envelope (gee, that was exciting. He stole an envelope. Wow.)
The fight scenes were done either in very close so you couldn't really see what was going on; or backed up so far in order to conceal the fact that it was a stunt man and not Steven.
And while I said Steven wasn't sleepwalking through this film, he didn't look like he was terribly interested in what was going on, either. It's hard to define, exactly; it was almost as if his mind was on something else. (Frankly, he looked hungover throughout the entire film, so that might have been it.)
(There's a brief glimpse of the Asian girlfriend in the ball scene, coming in behind him on the right of the screen. I notice these things, I can't help it. Back in the day, Arissa, besides having actual lines in On Deadly Ground, was also in The Glimmerman and The Patriot, though both times seen from behind-the hair was unmistakable. Looks like he's doing it again with the current companion.)
The elements in Steven's dtv films are becoming predictable. A couple of hand-to-hand fights, usually short and unremarkable; a sword fight; a gun battle or two, filmed static and dull. The only thing this film didn't have was a car chase.
As I said, taken as a whole, it wasn't bad enough to be a bad film; but it wasn't good, either. And if this is the sort of thing we can go on expecting from him, I really, honestly think he should quit. I can't take any more rubbishy unenjoyable time-wasters like this.
...actually, better yet: if he doesn't want to do strictly action films anymore, let me know, and I'll write something for him. I'm just itching to do it....
Rating: 2.5 out of 5. How's that for sitting on the fence? (Ow...)
-TD, underwhelmed
Thank you very much TD. Objectively !!
(There's a brief glimpse of the Asian girlfriend in the ball scene, coming in behind him on the right of the screen. I notice these things, I can't help it. Back in the day, Arissa,)
wowww right !! how did you see this !! You are GREAT !!!
Finally big love is over huh ??
suzi
(There's a brief glimpse of the Asian girlfriend in the ball scene, coming in behind him on the right of the screen. I notice these things, I can't help it. Back in the day, Arissa,)
wowww right !! how did you see this !! You are GREAT !!!
Finally big love is over huh ??
suzi
You are "Super-Spy" Suzi, but I'm "Eagle-Eyes" TD!suziwong said:Thank you very much TD. Objectively !!
(There's a brief glimpse of the Asian girlfriend in the ball scene, coming in behind him on the right of the screen. I notice these things, I can't help it. Back in the day, Arissa,)
wowww right !! how did you see this !! You are GREAT !!!
Finally big love is over huh ??
suzi
(I wonder who's got custody of Savannah?)
About the movie, though - he's adopted the same weird accent he had in The Patriot, and I think that put me off the film as much as the dubbing. Oh, and did you catch that the address the letters were going to was an address in Toronto (not Montreal - that was misleading). At least they used the right logo for Canada Post... I must remember to go over to Bay Street and see what's there at number 52.
The building they used as the Turkish embassy was in fact a cultural centre, or a museum. Its name is carved just above the door!
(I hope I get to go to Poland some day. Hopefully, my great-grandmother's portrait is still in the national art gallery so I can see it as an original instead of the black and white photo that I have of it.)
Littledragon
Above The Law
TDWoj said:
I agree.. I enjoyed the no wire fight scenes but was not too pleased because I thought they could have been better. The plot was not that great and it moved to fast for me. However in my opinion this movie is better than Belly Of The BeAST. The thing I enjoyed most in this movie was the little girl LOL.
I score this movie a low 3 out of 5.
TDWoj said:You are "Super-Spy" Suzi, but I'm "Eagle-Eyes" TD!
(I wonder who's got custody of Savannah?)
About the movie, though - he's adopted the same weird accent he had in The Patriot, and I think that put me off the film as much as the dubbing. Oh, and did you catch that the address the letters were going to was an address in Toronto (not Montreal - that was misleading). At least they used the right logo for Canada Post... I must remember to go over to Bay Street and see what's there at number 52.
The building they used as the Turkish embassy was in fact a cultural centre, or a museum. Its name is carved just above the door!
(I hope I get to go to Poland some day. Hopefully, my great-grandmother's portrait is still in the national art gallery so I can see it as an original instead of the black and white photo that I have of it.)
" I'm "Eagle-Eyes" TD! "
EXACTLY !!!! NO DOUBT !!
Really Cong. to you !!I didn't go to Poland but I want to go !! Yes Turkish embassy is a Center of Exhibition or cultural center like you say !! I want to go to Poland. But in these days I am thinking to go to Sofia !! I don't know why ???
You and I will go together, I think - I'll find him, you follow him with your camera!suziwong said:" I'm "Eagle-Eyes" TD! "
EXACTLY !!!! NO DOUBT !!
I didn't go to Poland but I want to go !! Yes Turkish embassy is a Center of Exhibition or cultural center like you say !! I want to go to Poland. But in these days I am thinking to go to Sofia !! I don't know why ???
Littledragon
Above The Law
DVD TALK:Out Of Reach Review
It's a split second between hit or miss.
What that tantalizing tagline has to do with Steven Seagal’s latest Direct-to-Video opus, Out of Reach, I have yet to figure out. Clocking in at a brief 86 minutes, it should probably read “a split second from Start to Finish”, except for the fact that Seagal really knows how to slow things down, way down, for added Drama, I guess. He’s the only person that could make a gripping, action-drama about the vile, underground, human trafficking crisis in Europe as funny as his tongue-in-cheek Mountain Dew commercial… unintentionally, of course. Sadly, it was this very same commercial that kind of renewed my interest in Seagal’s work. The man is literally responsible for about twenty-five percent of the wall space at Blockbuster these days, with titles such as Half Past Dead, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner and Belly of the Beast. After watching , I see why these are never rented out.
Seagal plays Billy Ray Lancing, a former CSA(?) agent living as a survivalist, deep in the woods. He is presented to us as a kind man and nature lover, as he frees a trapped falcon and nurses the bird back to health. We find out that his compassion isn’t limited to animals, as he is also the sponsor of an orphaned girl, Irena (Ida Nowakowska), in Poland. They write letters back and forth to one another, and he sends her secret codes to try and decipher. Gee, I wonder if that will play a role later in the movie? To show the bond between these two, their correspondence to each other are often read aloud in voiceover. Hilariously, Seagal, the actor PLAYING Lancing, doesn’t even do the readings of the character’s letters!
When he gets a letter from the orphanage saying that Irena can't write to him anymore, he becomes suspicious and travels to Poland where he stumbles upon a human trafficking network, run under the cover of the United Allied Nations. Faisal (Matt Schultze), the leader of this underground organization, has kidnapped all the girls from the orphanage and intends to sell them into a life of (implied) sexual slavery. He seems to share a secret past with Seagal, whom he often refers to as “The American.” It’s amazing what is implied in this movie, since it’s all so despicable, like when Faisal and Irena play chess and then he drugs her juice. Nothing is shown or said after that, but there has to be some depravity going on here, people.
Prepare to suspend your disbelief, as Seagal continues to search for Irena, even though he’s not even sure she’s in trouble and amazingly, Irena leaves him a trail of secret messages even though she doesn’t know he’s looking for her. He eventually goes to the police, where he is partnered with a female cop, without even disclosing that he is a retired espionage agent. The Aikido fights are all shown in slow-mo and the action scenes are generally unimpressive. The final fight with Faisal is probably the best in the movie, as it’s a sword duel, a la Lone Wolf and Cub, where both warriors run past one another, then stand with their backs turned until someone falls over dead. Speaking of Lone Wolf and Cub, Seagal is so big at this point that he could probably play a decent Ogami Itto, so Aronofsky, if you’re listening… why not tap the big guy for your new Lone Wolf and Cub project?
Seagal is definitely at a crossroads in his career right now, having several big budget, studio pictures under his belt (Hard to Kill, Under Siege, Exit Wounds), but currently being relegated to Direct-to-Video Hell (Ticker, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner). I just don’t get it, since we all know that Seagal is the real deal, receiving his first Aikido dan accreditation in 1974 under the instruction of Harry Ishisaka, and reaching 7th level dan in the years thereafter. Even with Out of Reach’s $20 million budget, exotic Polish locations and Po Chih Leong’s adequate directing, there is very little that makes you sit up and notice anything but the lame-brained plot devices and ham-fisted acting, throughout. Thankfully the movie is short, unresolved plotlines and all, at just 86 minutes.
The DVD:
Picture: The movie is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The colors are crisp and clear, except darker scenes where the black looks a little murky.
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby digital. There are no other language and no subtitle tracks. This DVD features a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, which sounds fine.
Extras: There are preview trailers for 4 other Steven Seagal Direct-to-Video pictures: Half Past Dead, The Foreigner, Out For a Kill and Belly of the Beast. There is also a trailer for a Direct-to-Video Thriller, titled 3 Way.
Conclusion: Out of Reach isn’t a bad waste of time, but it is a bad waste of talent. Steven Seagal really needs to start reaching deep and delivering more than just these slap-dash action flicks. I would say that Out of Reach is a definite rental for Steven Seagal fans or those anti-fans out there that just love to see the man stumble and fall through another role like this one. Personally, I’m going to see if I can catch that Mountain Dew commercial again.
It's a split second between hit or miss.
What that tantalizing tagline has to do with Steven Seagal’s latest Direct-to-Video opus, Out of Reach, I have yet to figure out. Clocking in at a brief 86 minutes, it should probably read “a split second from Start to Finish”, except for the fact that Seagal really knows how to slow things down, way down, for added Drama, I guess. He’s the only person that could make a gripping, action-drama about the vile, underground, human trafficking crisis in Europe as funny as his tongue-in-cheek Mountain Dew commercial… unintentionally, of course. Sadly, it was this very same commercial that kind of renewed my interest in Seagal’s work. The man is literally responsible for about twenty-five percent of the wall space at Blockbuster these days, with titles such as Half Past Dead, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner and Belly of the Beast. After watching , I see why these are never rented out.
Seagal plays Billy Ray Lancing, a former CSA(?) agent living as a survivalist, deep in the woods. He is presented to us as a kind man and nature lover, as he frees a trapped falcon and nurses the bird back to health. We find out that his compassion isn’t limited to animals, as he is also the sponsor of an orphaned girl, Irena (Ida Nowakowska), in Poland. They write letters back and forth to one another, and he sends her secret codes to try and decipher. Gee, I wonder if that will play a role later in the movie? To show the bond between these two, their correspondence to each other are often read aloud in voiceover. Hilariously, Seagal, the actor PLAYING Lancing, doesn’t even do the readings of the character’s letters!
When he gets a letter from the orphanage saying that Irena can't write to him anymore, he becomes suspicious and travels to Poland where he stumbles upon a human trafficking network, run under the cover of the United Allied Nations. Faisal (Matt Schultze), the leader of this underground organization, has kidnapped all the girls from the orphanage and intends to sell them into a life of (implied) sexual slavery. He seems to share a secret past with Seagal, whom he often refers to as “The American.” It’s amazing what is implied in this movie, since it’s all so despicable, like when Faisal and Irena play chess and then he drugs her juice. Nothing is shown or said after that, but there has to be some depravity going on here, people.
Prepare to suspend your disbelief, as Seagal continues to search for Irena, even though he’s not even sure she’s in trouble and amazingly, Irena leaves him a trail of secret messages even though she doesn’t know he’s looking for her. He eventually goes to the police, where he is partnered with a female cop, without even disclosing that he is a retired espionage agent. The Aikido fights are all shown in slow-mo and the action scenes are generally unimpressive. The final fight with Faisal is probably the best in the movie, as it’s a sword duel, a la Lone Wolf and Cub, where both warriors run past one another, then stand with their backs turned until someone falls over dead. Speaking of Lone Wolf and Cub, Seagal is so big at this point that he could probably play a decent Ogami Itto, so Aronofsky, if you’re listening… why not tap the big guy for your new Lone Wolf and Cub project?
Seagal is definitely at a crossroads in his career right now, having several big budget, studio pictures under his belt (Hard to Kill, Under Siege, Exit Wounds), but currently being relegated to Direct-to-Video Hell (Ticker, Out For a Kill, The Foreigner). I just don’t get it, since we all know that Seagal is the real deal, receiving his first Aikido dan accreditation in 1974 under the instruction of Harry Ishisaka, and reaching 7th level dan in the years thereafter. Even with Out of Reach’s $20 million budget, exotic Polish locations and Po Chih Leong’s adequate directing, there is very little that makes you sit up and notice anything but the lame-brained plot devices and ham-fisted acting, throughout. Thankfully the movie is short, unresolved plotlines and all, at just 86 minutes.
The DVD:
Picture: The movie is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The colors are crisp and clear, except darker scenes where the black looks a little murky.
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby digital. There are no other language and no subtitle tracks. This DVD features a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, which sounds fine.
Extras: There are preview trailers for 4 other Steven Seagal Direct-to-Video pictures: Half Past Dead, The Foreigner, Out For a Kill and Belly of the Beast. There is also a trailer for a Direct-to-Video Thriller, titled 3 Way.
Conclusion: Out of Reach isn’t a bad waste of time, but it is a bad waste of talent. Steven Seagal really needs to start reaching deep and delivering more than just these slap-dash action flicks. I would say that Out of Reach is a definite rental for Steven Seagal fans or those anti-fans out there that just love to see the man stumble and fall through another role like this one. Personally, I’m going to see if I can catch that Mountain Dew commercial again.
Just watched Out of Reach
Just watched Out of Reach for the first time guys and have to say it was a little better than I expected especially considering some of the negative reviews it's been getting.
PROS - Seagal was more charismatic, he had some great lines, the villain was good, a liked the cinematography, it was well edited, there were some touching moments, there were no obvious stunt doubles, it was a decent story well put together.
CONS - not quite enough action, the swordfight was a little brief especially after how much it was built up, there wasn't any really dramatic music (a la Belly of the Beast), the fights weren't quite as thrilling as expected and of course those voice doubles!
I did quite like the film overall and don't want to dog it as it was very watchable and Seagal was very trim and charismatic in it. The voice doubles (I suspect Matt Schultz himself dubbed a lot of Seagal's dialogue as it sounds like his voice) were very noticeable though and that was the major drawback of the movie. Incidentally a lot was made of Seagal saying the 'f' word for the first time in many years - it wasn't him saying it it was his alternate voice at the time.
Otherwise though very nicely shot and put together, Seagal showed a lot of personality in this one and had some great put-downs just like the old days. He always looks very smart and trim in a suit and with his hair cut. Nearly but not quite as good as Belly of the Beast but most assuredly a million times better than anything Michael Oblowitz has or will ever throw at us.
Just watched Out of Reach for the first time guys and have to say it was a little better than I expected especially considering some of the negative reviews it's been getting.
PROS - Seagal was more charismatic, he had some great lines, the villain was good, a liked the cinematography, it was well edited, there were some touching moments, there were no obvious stunt doubles, it was a decent story well put together.
CONS - not quite enough action, the swordfight was a little brief especially after how much it was built up, there wasn't any really dramatic music (a la Belly of the Beast), the fights weren't quite as thrilling as expected and of course those voice doubles!
I did quite like the film overall and don't want to dog it as it was very watchable and Seagal was very trim and charismatic in it. The voice doubles (I suspect Matt Schultz himself dubbed a lot of Seagal's dialogue as it sounds like his voice) were very noticeable though and that was the major drawback of the movie. Incidentally a lot was made of Seagal saying the 'f' word for the first time in many years - it wasn't him saying it it was his alternate voice at the time.
Otherwise though very nicely shot and put together, Seagal showed a lot of personality in this one and had some great put-downs just like the old days. He always looks very smart and trim in a suit and with his hair cut. Nearly but not quite as good as Belly of the Beast but most assuredly a million times better than anything Michael Oblowitz has or will ever throw at us.
steve said:
What an excellent review Steve--exactly what I would expect from you.
It was very well worded, giving both the positive and negative points of the film. I especially enjoyed hearing you say it was nicely shot and put together, and that Steven showed a lot of personality and looked smart and trim! I've always respected your opinions and admired the way you turn a phrase. I hope to be watching it this weekend and am really looking forward to it more than ever. Thanks. Out of Reach
Thanks for your kind words Serena, I must be something of a Seagal-obsessor (if that's a word) now as I've watched Out of Reach three times now - since I received it this morning! I've always found lots of Steven's films are nicely put together action-fests with lots of twists and interesting little scenes so it always helps to watch them a few times to get a full grasp of the movie. Well that's my excuse for watching it so many times already anyway!
Hope I didn't spoil the movie in any way prior to you watching it, I was perhaps a touch harsh on the final fight scene to be honest. Having just watched it again I must say the camerawork and good-looking location during the sword-fight do make it a nice, artistically-shot sequence. Hopefully Seagal will wear suits in a few of his future movies - it reminded me of his Hard to Kill days and did make him look very trim indeed. Maybe he was trimming down during production in preparation for Into the Sun.
But then that's the only drawback of seeing a new Seagal film - you know it's going to be ages before you see the next!
Thanks for your kind words Serena, I must be something of a Seagal-obsessor (if that's a word) now as I've watched Out of Reach three times now - since I received it this morning! I've always found lots of Steven's films are nicely put together action-fests with lots of twists and interesting little scenes so it always helps to watch them a few times to get a full grasp of the movie. Well that's my excuse for watching it so many times already anyway!
Hope I didn't spoil the movie in any way prior to you watching it, I was perhaps a touch harsh on the final fight scene to be honest. Having just watched it again I must say the camerawork and good-looking location during the sword-fight do make it a nice, artistically-shot sequence. Hopefully Seagal will wear suits in a few of his future movies - it reminded me of his Hard to Kill days and did make him look very trim indeed. Maybe he was trimming down during production in preparation for Into the Sun.
But then that's the only drawback of seeing a new Seagal film - you know it's going to be ages before you see the next!