On Deadly Ground (1994)

Too much of everything

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Great Film overall

Expected more

I just can't understand why this film was given a low score of 4.4 out of 10. This film was excellent and I also loved it. On Deadly Ground is an excellent Martial Arts Thriller about an environmental agent skilled in Martial Arts who has take on a ruthless and Malicious Oil Corporation. On Deadly Ground has some excellent acting by Steven Seagal, Michael Caine, Joan Chen, John C. McGinley and R. Lee Ermy. Michael Caines acting as the greedy and malicious villain Jennings was excellent and he really was great. The acting by the other actors was also excellent and On Deadly Ground was a tense film that I enjoyed watching. On Deadly Ground had some really tense action and also had some excellent Martial Arts fight scenes in it. This film might have been different to Above The Law and might have taken a long time for the fight scenes to come but the main thing was that they were in the film and they were also awesome.

I tend to actively avoid Steven Seagal films like the plague, and realize intermittently that I do in fact enjoy certain ones from back in the day. He's made a ton of trash, no doubt, but the clouds part every now and again, for select occasions like Under Siege, The Glimmer Man, Above The Law, Fire Down Below and the snowbound On Deadly Ground. The main marvel in this one is an incredibly hammy Michael Caine as the mustache twirling villain, a Big Oil maniac who has his amoral sights set on sacred land belonging to Inuit tribesman. Seagal plays yet another martial arts trained badass who takes it upon himself to bring down Caine, his nefarious capitalist plans and the violent mercenaries he has hired to wipe the land of indigenous natives. It's as silly as silly can be, right down to him falling in love with a beautiful Inuit girl (Joan Chen, actually Chinese), but enjoyable on its own terms when you look at the solid choreography, stunts and impressive location work. Also, the roster of villains is too good to pass up, starting with Caine's outright, wanton psychopath. We're also treated to the Sergeant himself, R. Lee Ermey as a merc with a particularly salty attitude, John C. McGinley over-playing one of his patented schoolyard bullies, and even Billy Bob Thornton shows up, adding to the sleaze factor. Watch for cameos from Mike Starr, Michael Jai White and an unbilled Louise Fletcher as well. Seagal directed this himself, so it's essentially one big vanity piece where he gets to play Dances With Wolves for a couple hours, but the trick is to see the unintentional comedy in that and enjoy it. Seagal is one of those goofs who I am not a ashamed to say I am laughing at, not with. Caine is the real prize here, and his merry band of assholes. An action flick is only as good as it's antagonist, and this guy is bad to the bone in hilariously over the top ways. A big dumb flick, nothing more, nothing le- well maybe a little less in places, but fun in other spots nonetheless.

This is an outstanding adventure movie, with an ethic that apparently far exceeds that of the rank-and-file movie-goer. I can see why it evokes a sense of anger and fear in those individuals who unreservedly support the polluting corporations of this world. As well it should. To wit: Maybe it is your own, submerged conscience that is being stirred by On Deadly Ground? Forrest Taft: "What does it take? What does it take to change the essence of a man?"Many of us complain about the government politicians being the ones ruining this world. By the reviews of On Deadly Ground, I see clearly that politicians (and energy companies) are merely figureheads, just mannequins for the ignorant, indulgent, wasteful, spoiled individuals that comprise our neighborhoods, towns and counties.People like you.One of my favorite parts of the movie is in the saloon when one "oil worker" says to Taft, "Don't mess with oil workers, buddy." He takes a swing at Taft and Taft gets him into an aikido arm lock and throws him head-first into the glass-front juke box. In On Deadly Ground, Forrest Taft strikes a blow for all of us who are willing to show some restraint and to make efforts to change our lifestyle of uncontrolled consumption.The scenes of Taft's initiation into the inuit medicine council is a thing of great beauty.Taft was lying severely injured in the Inuit hut when the inuit woman played by Joan Chen said to him: "My grandfather thinks you are a bear.". Taft replies groggily: "Tell him I am not a bear. I am just a rabbit running scared." Joan Chen's character then says, "My grandfather says that is just what a bear would say." For courage to stand alone and soul-searching, there are few movies that compare with the depth and beauty of On Deadly Ground. Again, I am glad that this movie gives nightmares to those who rape Mother Earth with impunity, hiding behind each other, thinking they are powerful. I hope it is before the end of their lives that they learn the lesson of responsible use of personal energy, because I would hate to be them when the balance needs to be paid.On Deadly Ground is a gift and an offering of power to those who protect the Earth, in ways large and small. Find your totem. Be fearless."What do you say to a man without a conscience?"

I'll be frank. This isn't a favorite SS film with me. We can see this is a very passionate effort, and we long for the moment, Seagal breaks a few chops, and crack some skulls. Having to compete again in the acting stakes with heavy weights including Caine as a evil, greedy, and ruthless developer, and some great character actors as his henchmen, he plays EPA agent Forest Taft, with of course, a mysterious background and deadly and handy martial arts skills who takes on this group. Caine who really shines believably in bad guy roles, wants to blow half of Alaska: the environment, so he can do his thing. We all know that attempts on Seagal's life always fail, with most of his killers ending up on the morgue. He's one tough guy you can't kill, and we know what happens when someone draws first blood, before Seagal asks them ever so nicely nicely. Joan Chen, wasted, also an environmentalist, teams up with him, where the scene is set for explosive action, and a body count. What I got off the movie, was the simple message, had bogged it down, or too it may of got lost in what all of it inferred. It was the bogged part I definitely got off of it. Check out even the end credits. Fire Down Below, ran similar paths, but the points were more clearly explained here. I don't hate the movie. I might of just been expecting more action or a more brutal display of violence. This one, I just didn't favor as much as his early or after cinematic ones. It's great though to see Caine and Seagal square off, but in respect for Seagal, it's good to see him express his voice in his directional debut, for which he feels very passionately about, as I said earlier. I hope he's proud of this project and I mean that genuinely. Fun too, with this movie was watching John Mcginley's character and Thornton's as some of Caine's bad asses.