The Glimmer Man (1996)

Must See Movie...

A Disappointing Continuation

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

Jack Cole (Seagal) is a New York cop and snappy dresser who transfers to L.A. when a serial killer begins terrorizing the city. Known as "The Family Man" because he slaughters the whole family, and does so also with a religious subtext, the stakes are high for Cole and his new partner Campbell (Wayans) to crack the case. The heat really ratchets up when Jack's ex-wife becomes a victim, and our two heroes discover that the Russian mafia is involved in all this somehow, as they usually are in these instances. As it turns out, Jack's CIA past comes to light as his former boss and now bad guy Mr. Smith (Cox) has joined forces with another local baddie named Deverell (Gunton). Things may seem complicated for the seemingly-mismatched pair of Cole and Campbell, but the Buddhist monk and the wisecracking cop are the only hope of rescuing the citizens of Los Angeles. Will they succeed despite all the obstacles in their way? Prepare to soak up the awesome power of glimmering men as Seagal eats his way through L.A. like a pudgy Pac-Man. It seems pretty clear that the filmmakers were trying to replicate the magic of The Last Boy Scout (1991), even throwing a Wayans brother into the deal. But without the stellar writing of Shane Black, or a comparative budget, or the charisma of Bruce Willis, you're left with a Seagal on the decline...this is where his laziness started to become really apparent, with face-palmingly obvious stand-ins, other actors overdubbing his voice, his whispering when he does have to talk, and the predominance of his paddy-cake slap-fu during the non-gun-related fight scenes. Oh well, at least this is before he became a sadistic torturer, as he did in his later DTV movies. Keenen Ivory Wayans not only shined with his great comic timing and snappy one-liners, we also appreciated the fact that his character, Campbell, was a classic movie fan. He even got to do some impressive Keenen Ivory-Fu, which was much appreciated. Not only did Wayans pull his own weight in this production, he pulled most of Seagal's as well. Without Wayans adding the brightness, this would have been a total slog. Brian Cox was perfectly fine as the baddie, but it was very reminiscent of Noble Willingham in Boy Scout. When Cox and Seagal are talking in the Italian restaurant, it's a battle of the whispers. You definitely need the subtitles on the DVD. So while we do see the triumph of Seagal's so-called "sissy beads", the movie remains just on the edge of a breakthrough of quality and value. It's entertaining enough, but it's also easy to see why it was one of Seagal's last movies to hit theater screens. Speaking of edges, you haven't seen the proper use of a credit card until you've seen Seagal brandish his plastic. I hear he earns double airline miles for every dead gangster. Once again, Seagal was also heavily involved in the music, teaming up with the prolific Todd Smallwood on two bluesy rockers for Taj Mahal and The Jeff Healey Band. Music aside, the plot is nothing you wouldn't see on an episode of Criminal Minds, and it's plain to see Seagal's torpor setting in. Taking all this into consideration, The Glimmer Man might bring back some fond memories of perusing the shelves at your local video store...but seen from today's perspective you can see the ill omens that would predict the course of Seagal's later career. Despite the best efforts of Wayans and perhaps a few others, The Glimmer Man is pretty middling.

This is the Period in Steven Seagal's Prolific Career that saw the Martial Artist's Star in Descent Straight to Video Land. The One-Time Box-Office Winner now Produces and Stars in as many as Six Movies a Year.With Severe Weight Issues and an Increasingly Mumbling Attitude about His Screen Presence and Declining Abilities that Render His Fight Scenes Unfilmable, Steven Seagal has become a Joke.But there was a Time when it wasn't so. This is one of His Last Films that can be Watched Without Pity and Disappointment from His Fans that Hoped Beyond Hope that Seagal would One Day Return to Form. It was Not to Be.The Fight Scenes and Gun Battles in this Serial Killer/Corrupt Agents Story are Excellent and Buddy Cop Teamed with Keenan Ivory Wayans, Seagal's Only Embarrassment here is the Wardrobe and Prayer Bead Accessories.Much of the Movie is Gritty, Dark, and Entertaining. It's Brutal, Highly Unbelievable, and the Acting is Inconsistent among the Bad Guys with Brian Cox an Exception. Wayans Tried to Forge a Career as an Action Hero/Serious Actor but Lacked the Right Stuff and can be Seen Struggling here. He Manages OK.Overall Worth a Watch to see Segal before things came Unglued. Most of His Movies, before the STV era, were Snappy Action Fun, with a Few Exceptions that were God-Awful, like "On Deadly Ground" (1994) and "Fire Down Below" (1997).

I probably mentioned it in a review of another Stephen Seagal film, but just in case I didn't I'll state it here - his movies are a guilty pleasure that I don't mind admitting. There's just something about the soft spoken persona that explodes into fists and fury when up against the bad guys that appeals to me. That's really about the only reason I need to tune into one of his pictures, seeing Seagal's no-nonsense martial arts style lay them out without prolonging the agony.I guess you could say this is one of those films. Teamed with Keenan Ivory Wayans as a pair of Los Angeles detectives, it didn't strike me that there was a lot of chemistry between the two as partners but they made it work anyway. I liked the way Jack Cole (Seagal) brought Campbell (Wayans) around to his way of thinking - "Young warriors used to like to fight head on. Old warriors like to wait..." That plus the Tibetan prayer beads and powdered deer penis, a keen way to clear the mind and purify one's thoughts.I read a few of the comments of confused viewers here and I didn't think the story was all that complicated if one pays attention. The surprising element in the story for me was when Smith (Bryan Cox) told Deverell (Bob Gunton) that his son would have to be one of three victims to get done away with, and Deverell didn't object. The crucifixion ending for henchman Donald (John M. Jackson) was pretty much telegraphed by the story line, but after all was said and done, did anyone else notice? The Family Man serial killer, who's murders opened the story, was still on the loose.

While "The Glimmer Man" isn't any outstanding action movie, I will say that it is still worth watching if you enjoy Steven Seagal movies. That being said, then it should also be said that it is a fairly average Seagal movie in every sense of the phrase. It is one of those mass produced action movies that most action stars tend to settle into doing, you know finding a formula that works and milking it beyond dry.Story-wise then "The Glimmer Man" is your stereotypical Seagal movie. Yep, he is an ex-something-something now turned law man and taking on the seedy underworld singlehandedly.You know what you get here; the usual Seagal martial arts, wits and punchlines. Yes, it is all here, and the obligatory broken arm as well. And true to most other Seagal movies he is untouchable, except for a single blow that gets through and strikes him. Indeed, business as usual.Having Seagal act opposite Keenen Ivory Wayans, well I had some initial reservation to this, as I thought it would be comedy in the trademark Wayans fashion. But luckily Keenen proved to surprise and did actual acting and no do comedy."The Glimmer Man" is enjoyable enough for what it is, and bear in mind that it is a Seagal movie after all.