A pair of cops unravel a conspiracy. A ho-hum plot for a boilerplate film. 1988’s Above the Law, Steven Seagal’s first film, comes to 4k UHD and Blu-ray via Toy Robot this month.
The Film
Above the Law was Steven Seagal’s first film, coming out in 1988. How he got more after this, I don’t know. For a debut, it doesn’t really show the mid-range action hero he’d become in films like On Deadly Grounds and Exit Wounds. His best remains Under Siege, from the same director of Above the Law, Andrew Davis. That one is a blast. Funny thing: in my review of that, I called Above the Law an above-average picture; I must have confused it with another Seagal film (since so many have Generic, Vaguely Tough Action-Movie Titles). Above the Law, written by Steven Pressfield, Ronald Shusett, & Andrew Davis, is merely okay: a boilerplate action thriller that doesn’t do anything special, including showing off the fresh new start (though props to Seagal for getting a lead in his first go).
Steven Seagal brings his stone-faced stoicism, but damn, he thinks he’s acting, as a cop paired with Pam Grier (hell yes!), whose shady CIA history in Vietnam (a voice-over start, featuring real photos of Seagal growing up) comes into play when baddie Henry Silva starts moving drugs and people through Chicago. Standard back-and-forth as they get closer, fight, extract info, and move through secret and overt gun battles. Conspiracy moves around their world; action setups come and go. Seagal gets in trouble with his superiors on the force, including the requestie “You’re suspended! Turn in your badge and gun!” scene. Nothing you’ve not seen before on a lazy USA Channel afternoon.
Andrew Davis’s direction works well enough, and his career seems to be as strong as his scripts and actors. Under Siege’s Die Hard on a Ship is tight and self-aware, a total blast of raucous energy with Busey and Jones feeding off one another (in a way that Seagal and Grier can’t). The Fugitive has an insane drive and two awesome leads. Above the Law hits some moments that briefly show off Seagal’s martial arts pedigree, plus a fun bit riding on top of a car, but it never elevates beyond the standard.
Now I’ve spent plenty of time half-slagging. I’ve been clear in other reviews, such as the Arrow Enter the Video Store: Video Vengeance review the other day, that action isn’t my top genre (heck, I start the Under Siege review with the note), and I push for more of it while letting the lowest horror films pass. That’s on me. If you’re more action-skewed, you may get more out of it. I didn’t find anything special in the action, whether it was Seagal’s fighting or the bigger pieces. Cool to see an early role for Sharon Stone, in the thankless part of Seagal’s wife.
The Packaging and Presentation
Toy Robot offers Above the Law in a two-disc set: one 4k UHD and one Blu-ray. The discs are identical, with the film and features on both, although the 4k has the Above the Law title and the Blu-ray has the alternate: Nico. The discs come in a 4k black case with the original poster art. It includes 2 postcards of film images. A slip has the same art, and the Toy Robot standard OBI strip. The disc opens with trailers for other Toy Robot films.
Above The Law receives a 4k scan from the original negative, approved by director Andrew Davis. It looks good. It’s a dark film and the texture shows, mixing well with the details and depth. Plenty of movement and nothing is lost. Audio is English with English subtitles.
The Features
Previous editions have been barebones, so now we have a handful of features!
Commentary
Director Andrew Davis and star Pam Grier sit down to talk about Above the Law. Sometimes. Sorry, but this was so dull. They talk occasionally and never give any real insight into the film, Seagal, and how it was made. And tell me, why is Pam Grier screaming the whole thing? Honestly, I don’t think she understands the concept of a commentary.
Sounds of Seagal
The film’s composer and a Broadway songwriter, David Michael Frank, talks about his career. It’s a nice little bit. (16m)
Archival interview
Seemingly around the time of release, Seagal sits with Jimmy Carter. No, not the president, but a celebrity interview. The interview, which is 10 minutes shorter than its YouTube counterpart, has the askjimmycarter.com watermark. The video quality is very poor. Seagal isn’t a great interviewee, but he does say some good things about his training, working on the film, and moving into film. (15m)
Trailer
Uses the alternate title Nico on screen, though the Trailer Voice calls it Above the Law. Weird. (2m)
Home video trailer (17s, in VHS quality)
Final Thoughts
I’m sorry. I normally dig Arrow, and it’s sublabel Toy Robot. They do good stuff with niche films. But Above the Law didn’t work for me, either as a movie or as a disc release. But your mileage will vary, as normal.