Steven Seagal Movies
A master of several Japanese martial arts, Steven Seagal is a popular action movie hero whose films combine spiritual concepts and social/environmental consciousness with high-voltage violence. Born in Lansing, MI, on April 10, 1951, Seagal traveled to Japan at the age of 17. There, he taught English, studied Zen, and perfected his martial arts, earning black belts in Aikido, karate, judo, and kendo. Afterwards, he became the first Westerner to open a martial arts school in Japan.During this time, Seagal occasionally choreographed fight scenes in movies and coached such stars as Sean Connery and Toshiro Mifune. He also became interested in Eastern religion: in a November 1997 interview for the Shambala Sun, he stated that his relationship with Tibetan Buddhism resulted from his study of acupuncture. According to Seagal, several ailing Tibetan lamas, suffering from malnutrition, exhaustion, and the effects of Chinese torture, were sent to him for treatment, which led him to become a director of secret security operations and setting up special safe houses. Regarding other incidents from his past, Seagal has remained secretive, though he was allegedly a bounty hunter and occasionally has hinted about involvement with the CIA. Further speculation has surrounded the work he did on behalf of Tibetan freedom fighters, and it was not until 1997 that he mentioned the large amounts of money he claimed to have donated to various religious organizations.
Seagal spent about 15 years in Asia before returning to the States, where he opened a new martial arts academy and also worked as a celebrity bodyguard. His clients included his future (now ex-) wife Kelly LeBrock and Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz. With help from Ovitz, Seagal contracted to make martial arts films for Warner Bros. For his first film, he and cinematographer-turned-director Andrew Davis carefully refashioned an average police drama into Above the Law (1988), which stressed characterization and plot as well as high-energy action scenes. It was well received and Seagal found himself an instant star among action aficionados. His next film, Hard to Kill (1989), overflowed with chop-socky violence, casting him as a cop who wakens from a coma and sets out for revenge against those who sent him to the hospital. Seagal attracted mainstream appeal in 1992 when he starred in the Davis-directed hit Under Siege, his most popular movie. In 1994, he made his directorial debut with the environmentally conscious but critically panned On Deadly Ground, in which he single-handedly attempts to save Alaska and the Eskimos from an avaricious oil tycoon. Subsequent action attempts included 1996's Executive Decision and 1998's The Patriot. In 1999, Seagal turned to producing with Prince of Central Park, an uncharacteristically gentle film about a young boy living in the titular park. Following a rollicking time in the corrupt cop thriller Exit Wounds (2001), Segal shook things up behind bars in Half Past Dead (2002).
In 1997, Seagal publicly announced that one of his prime Buddhist teachers, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, had proclaimed him a tulku, the reincarnation of a Buddhist lama. Seagal's announcement met with some cynicism, but Penor Rinpoche backed him up with a formal statement at Colorado's Naropa Institute. In subsequent interviews, Seagal has presented himself as a serious student of Buddhism who spends many hours meditating, studying, and practicing the tenets to help him become a teacher and healer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A former Russian mobster named Ruslan (Steven Seagal) sets out to avenge his daughter's death by taking on the entire Eastern underworld. Back in the day, the mere mention of the name Ruslan was enough to make mob bosses tremble with fear. But these days Ruslan has put down his gun and picked up a pen; he's a best-selling author, and he's given up his violent ways. That all changes the day that Ruslan returns home for his daughter's wedding, only to discover that she has been murdered in a violent home invasion. Now, in order to ensure that justice is served, the grieving father will return to the world he thought he had left behind forever. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
An elite former cop with a serious drinking problem and a sizable gambling debt is offered an opportunity for a fresh start when a wealthy stranger buys up his debts and proposes a deadly partnership. There was a time when Matt (Steven Seagal) was a happily married husband and father, but these days his only companions are an empty bottle and a handful of casino chips. His luck has run out, and now his wife is married to another man and his daughter has a new father. Just when it seems as if things couldn't get any worse for Matt, a mysterious old man appears to offer him the opportunity of a lifetime: Should Matt agree to assassinate one of the city's most feared gangsters, his astronomical debt will be paid in full. But Matt isn't used to being a hired gun, and in order to successfully execute his dangerous mission he will first have to familiarize himself with the complicated system of underworld politics. As clarity takes hold and the prospect of redemption comes within his grasp, this once honest cop realizes there is much more to his assignment than meets the eye as he prepares to make the decision that will change his life forever. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
The human population of planet Earth has been decimated by bloodthirsty vampires, and now the only hope for the few remaining survivors lies in the skills of one man who always lived by the sword. Tao (Steven Seagal) is a katana master who never met a vampire he didn't want to slay. When roving packs of vampires force the few uninfected survivors to seek refuge in an abandoned hospital, the only hope for the human race lies with Tao's special squad of ex-military vigilantes. The only cure for these creatures is execution, and that's Tao's specialty. As the hunt gets underway, Tao and his team make it their mission to ensure that the creatures of the night don't inherit the Earth. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
A decorated homicide detective faces off against a perverse serial killer against the backdrop of the depraved Memphis underworld in this action thriller starring Steven Seagal. Detective Jacob Stillwell (Seagal)'s reputation for exacting street justice has made him something of an icon among his colleagues in law enforcement, but with a cunning psychopath named Lazarus roaming the streets Stillwell can't lie back on his laurels. Lazarus has the residents of Memphis locking their doors at night and sleeping with one eye open, peering into the shadows in a panicked state of total fear. Now, as the killer becomes increasingly emboldened, Detective Stillwell dives headlong into the sordid underbelly of the city on a mission to hunt the hunter so that the citizens of Memphis can rest easy without having to fear for their lives. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Chris Thomas King, (more)
America's most popular satirical newspaper makes the leap from the printed page to the silver screen in this political comedy that explores what happens when journalistic integrity is compromised by corporate sensibility. Onion News anchorman Norm Archer (Len Cariou) is s principled journalist, so when he's asked to bend to the will of his corporate overlords he decides to strike back with a fury unheard of in the world of network news. Nothing is sacred as the creative force behind The Onion unleash an unrelenting barrage of satire on such subjects as pop stars, prisoners, peace talks, and blockbuster action films. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Len Cariou
When an honest cop is senselessly gunned down on the means streets of a poverty-stricken city, his fearless father moves into the neighborhood on a deadly mission of vengeance in this gritty urban action thriller starring Steven Seagal and Eddie Griffin. Max Ballester was a good cop who made the unfortunate mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now Max is dead, the victim of a senseless and seemingly random act of violence. When the murder goes unsolved and the police fail to single out a suspect, Max's father, former government special ops agent Simon Ballester (Seagal), decides to take the law into his own hands. After moving in to the very neighborhood where his son was recently gunned down, Simon embarks on a relentless mission to find his son's killer - constantly probing everyone who crosses his path and never hesitating to crack a skull or two when things get tough. Of course the local gangs don't take kindly to such bold inquiries, especially when they are being conducted by an ex-government agent. Fortunately Simon is more than capable of fending for himself in such dangerous situations, and as the local thugs come out to play he unleashes a fury the likes of which have never been seen even on these treacherous streets. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Eddie Griffin, (more)
A United States Air Force special ops agent betrayed by his own agency is forced back into active duty when a top secret stealth bomber is hijacked by a dangerous terrorist group in this action-packed tale of international intrigue starring Steven Seagal. John Sands (Seagal) is the kind of soldier that the military turns to when they need a man who can execute clandestine missions that are too sensitive for standard intelligence services. Now, despite the fact that Sands has continually risked his life in service to his country, the Agency begins to view him as a liability due to his sensitive knowledge he has gained during his many exploits. After being detained by the Agency and scheduled for a chemical procedure in which his entire memory will be erased, Sands escapes the top secret detention center and attempts to reintegrate himself into society. Sands' plan is soon foiled, however, when he defends himself during a liquor store robbery and is subsequently arrested by the local police. As a result of his arrest Sands is quickly located by the Agency, who present him with an opportunity to win his freedom back by locating a highly classified stealth bomber equipped with the latest cloaking technology. It seems that the powerful new weapon has fallen into the hands of violent terrorists who could prove to be a formidable threat to world peace. If Sands can find the jet and bring it safely back to the United States Air Force, the Agency will finally allow him to walk away a free man. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
An ex-intelligence officer tricked by rogue CIA operatives into smuggling a deadly virus out of the U.S. unleashes a firestorm of fury on the agents who kidnap his daughter once the mission has been fulfilled in an action-packed tale of international intrigue starring martial arts icon Steven Seagal. Jack Foster (Seagal) is an ex-CIA operative traveling to Europe with his young daughter for what they thought would be a relaxing getaway. When his daughter is kidnapped upon arrival in Europe and Jack realizes that he has become little more than a small pawn in a much larger game, he vows to bring his young girl back home safe and rain vengeance upon those who thought they could use Jack to fulfill their nefarious plot to hijack the planet. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
When the leader of a fallen strike team sets out to uncover the source of the attack that decimated his crew, he soon finds himself facing off against a psychotic drug dealer who appears to have been covertly funded by a renegade arm of the United States military in this guns and glory bullet ballet starring action icon Steven Seagal. Marshall Lawson (Seagal)'s team has been viciously cut down in a seemingly-random attack, and now Marshall is looking for answers. The deeper he delves into the case, however, the more suspicious circumstances become. After discovering evidence of a covert operation named "CTX Majestic," Marshall's own military comes gunning for him. Never one to back down from a fight, Marshall soon becomes locked in a life-or-death battle with a trigger happy drug runner whose impressive array of weaponry points to a much larger conspiracy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
When a fierce new breed of criminal emerges from the dreaded yakuza, the CIA must resort to a crime-fighting powerhouse whose penchant for mayhem rivals that of even the most hardened gangster in this effort from action icon Steven Seagal and Full Clip director mink. The yakuza's stronghold on Japan is legendary, but when the governor of Tokyo is assassinated and his wife's sister is kidnapped, ex-CIA agent Travis Hunter (Seagal) vows to find the men responsible for murdering his brother-in-law and rescue the girl before it's too late. The stakes are raised when Hunter learns of a deadly plot to detonate a nuclear device on U.S. soil, leaving the fate of a nation in the hands of the lethal but determined crime fighter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Takao Osawa, (more)
A skilled soldier of fortune discovers a force more dangerous than any he's encountered in this action thriller. Chris Cody (Steven Seagal) is a top-ranked mercenary who took part in an undercover operation to scuttle a major terrorist strike on U.S. soil. However, Cody had to break a number of laws in order to do the job, and he's residing in a military prison when he's given an offer by the United States government. Cody and his crew will have their sentenced commuted and receive 100,000 dollars each if they can capture a notorious terrorist who has kidnapped five American soldiers and bring them home. Cody agrees, but he soon learns that there's more to the five soldiers than he's been led to believe -- they're actually the products of a secret C.I.A. experiment in mind control, and have been programmed to become ruthless killing machines with the right commands. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Nick Brimble, (more)
A crook with a conscience takes on the men who turned on him in this action thriller. Harlan Banks (Steven Seagal) is a world-class thief who has always picked his own jobs and tried to pull heists that would leave him room to help out others; he also has powerful psychic abilities and can punish a man simply with the powers of his mind. But the work keeps getting riskier, and at the urging of his girlfriend, Banks has decided to pull one final job, going in with some men who are planning a 20-million-dollar casino robbery in Las Vegas. Banks is double-crossed by his new partners, and while he gets away with the money, Banks also ends up behind bars. Now his fellow crooks want the cash and will do anything to get it, but Banks isn't eager to part with a hard-earned dollar, and with the help of Ice Cool (Anthony Criss, aka hip-hop star Treach), he busts out of prison to claim what's his. Along the way, Banks uses both his hands and his mind to even the score with the men who betrayed him. Today You Die's spectacular chase footage was shot on location in Las Vegas. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Treach, (more)
A wandering mercenary sets out on a bullet-riddled path of revenge after being blackmailed into staging a daring prison break and subsequently being double-crossed in this explosive action entry starring American martial arts icon Steven Seagal. John Seeger (Seagal) is a soldier of fortune with a reputation for getting the job done. When the son of a billionaire arms dealer is locked away in a South African prison with little hope for freedom, the enraged father uses his far-reaching power and influence to force Seeger into a daring rescue mission. There's much more to this adventure than Seeger knows, though, and upon discovering that he has been hung out to dry by the manipulative extortionist, Seeger sets out to prove that when it comes to the matters of honor, you simply don't mess with the best in the business. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Sammo Hung, Michael Biehn, Maggie Q, and Shawn Yue star in this action-packed thriller concerning a disappeared crime lord and the elite team of Interpol agents who set out to recapture him at all costs. A notorious Triad crime boss has disappeared just as his case was about to go before the judge, and now he could be anywhere. Now, on the bustling streets of Hong Kong, a highly skilled team of Interpol agents wage all out war against the underworld in an apocalyptic bid to capture the heavily armed foe and ensure that justice is properly served. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
An undercover CIA agent must fight for his life when his cover is blown during a heated assignment in this action entry starring martial arts mainstay Steven Seagal. CIA agent Jonathan Cold (Seagal) is attempting to infiltrate a group of well-known arms dealers when his former student is captured and his cover is blown. Now, with little time to spare before the wrathful weapons dealers sell a powerful nuclear bomb to an Eastern European terrorist cell, Agent Cold must race to save his former student while simultaneously stopping the bomb from falling into the wrong hands. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Tamara Davies, (more)
Amoral men who traffic in human beings pick the wrong girl to exploit when they discover her best friend is an fighting machine bent on revenge in this thriller. Billy Ray Lancing (Steven Seagal) is a former American intelligence agent who has retired to seek peace of mind by living alone with nature. Lancing, however, has developed a close relationship through the mail with Irena (Ida Nowakowska), an orphaned teenager living in Poland; they correspond frequently, and Lancing uses his letters to help teach her how to read code. When Irena's letters stop arriving, and Lancing receives a terse message saying she won't be contacting him again, he becomes suspicious and travels to Poland. There, Lancing makes the shocking discovery that the charitable organization for orphaned children Lancing had been helping to support is actually a front for a worldwide network of sexual slavery. Working with Polish law enforcement, Lancing sets out to find Irena and her fellow orphans before it's too late, using his years of experience to ferret out the men responsible and his talent for codes to stay in touch with Irena. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
- 2004
Prepare for the fight of a lifetime as a former Tae Kwon Do champion takes on a feared cage fighter in a desperate bid to rescue his kidnapped daughter in this action opus from South Korean director Kim Du-yeong. His legacy is legend, but following the birth of his daughter, Sa Rang, Tae Kwon Do champion Kim Seung Hyoun (Jun Lee) decides to walk away from the violent life and raise his little girl in peace. His plans are shattered, however, when an evil gambling kingpin kidnaps Sa Rang in order to force the former champion back into the ring. If there is any hope of ever seeing his daughter alive again, Kim must agree to fight in a series of rigged boxing matches that will culminate in a battle against "King of the Cage" Jack Miller (Steven Seagal) -- a brutal fighter who has yet to lose a match. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jun Lee, Steven Seagal, (more)
Ching Siu Tung directs the straight-to-video action thriller Belly of the Beast. Steven Seagal stars as ex-CIA agent Jake Hopper. He wants to retire peacefully, but is pulled back into the action when his daughter Jessica (Sarah Malakul Lane) is kidnapped by a terrorist group called Abu Karaf. While the rest of the CIA starts a routine investigation, Jake goes out on his own to find her. Seagal also co-wrote and co-produced. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
Action star Steven Seagal re-teams with filmmaker Michael Oblowitz, director of Seagal's recent film The Foreigner, for this international thriller. Seagal plays an archeologist who suddenly finds himself out of favor with the Chinese mafia after he uncovers a drug smuggling scheme. Framed by the gangsters for a crime he didn't commit, Seagal emerges from prison with vengeance in mind. Out for a Kill co-stars Michelle Goh and Corey Johnson. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
Michael Oblowitz directs Steven Seagal in this action film. Seagal portrays a secret agent named Cold who is hired to transport something from France to America. As he continues his travels, he finds he can trust no one, and that many people are out to do him harm in order to secure the contents of his package. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal
Action hero Steven Seagal goes behind bars -- though don't worry, he isn't really a bad guy -- in this action thriller. Sascha Petrosevitch (Seagal) is an FBI agent working undercover to infiltrate a gangland kingpin's operations. While Petrosevitch is able to gain the trust of one of the gangster's lieutenants, Nick Frazier (Ja Rule), things go haywire during an FBI raid, and Petrosevitch takes several slugs in the back as he struggles to maintain his cover. Eight months later, Petrosevitch and Frazier are serving time together in the newly refurbished Alcatraz Penitentiary, as Petrosevitch secretly continues his investigation. Prison warden Hubbard (Stephen J. Cannell) is arranging for the execution of convicted killer and thief Lester (Bruce Weitz), and U.S. Supreme Court justice Jane McPherson (Linda Thorson) has announced she will attend as a witness. But Hubbard's assistant Donny (Morris Chestnut) has devised a secret plan -- it seems Lester stole and stashed away 200 million dollars in gold before he was arrested, and Donny, along with an underground SWAT team, takes control of the prison and takes Hubbard, McPherson, and the other assembled dignitaries hostage, demanding to be told where Lester has hidden his fortune. Now Petrosevitch must drop his cover and persuade his allies within the prison -- including Frazier and Little Joe (Michael "Bear" Taliferro) -- to join him in a desperate bid to foil Donny and free the hostages. Half Past Dead also features Nia Peeples, Kurupt, Tony Plana, and Claudia Christian. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Morris Chestnut, (more)
A cop on the edge, Nettles (Tom Sizemore), must team up with the cool-headed leader of the bomb squad, Glass (Steven Seagal), to stop the terrorist Swann (Dennis Hopper) from continuing his series of deadly bombings. Jaime Pressly co-stars as the woman who could finger the mad bomber. Singing stars Chilli (from TLC) and Nas co-star in this action drama. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Tom Sizemore, (more)
Returning to his action feature terrain after a short hiatus, Steven Seagal plays Orin Boyd, a maverick Detroit detective with an unconventional way of taking down foes. After a failed intervention in a terrorist kidnapping case that humiliates his superiors, Boyd -- who is hailed as a top-drawer investigator but frowned upon for his tactics -- is forced to do time in a tough downtown precinct. After discovering the covert drug operation performed by several corrupt cops at his new assignment, he decides to break the rules yet again. While the cops are planning a massive heroin deal with big-time gangster Latrell Walker (DMX), Boyd finds that Latrell is not who he once was, and Boyd persuades him to assist in bringing an end to the amoral police influence that helped ruin him. Exit Wounds is the second film from cinematographer-turned-director Andrzej Bartkowiak (Romeo Must Die) and also features Tom Arnold, Isaiah Washington, and Jill Hennessy. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, DMX, (more)
