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.
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.