3/10/08--who doesn't love a good Steven Seagal movie??

So I was watching a Seagal movie today...and it got me thinking....what makes a great Seagal movie...ya know....great?  Here's what I think.

All right, we're all secret Seagal fans--and of course I refer only to the "early" Steve, not the portly-covered-up-by-the-full-length-leather-coat
guy in all those most recent movies.

So what's your choice?

1) Above the Law--big Steve as "Nico Toscani", the former CIA operative who out to catch not only corrupt government officials, but Henry Silva as the crazy Latin guy in a role that he had played previously for Chuck Norris (Code of Silence) and Burt Reynolds (Sharkey's Machine).
Great cast, with Silva, Pam Grier and a young Sharon Stone in the thankless role of Big Steve's wife, who brings out the softer side of Steve.
2) Hard to Kill--big Steve plays "Mason Storm" (does that sound like a porn name or what?), who is an undercover cop who is the victim of an attempted assassination, which kills his wife and sends big Steve to the "Los Angeles Coma Center" for SEVEN YEARS. Big Steve is helped out at the Coma Center by the hot Kelly LeBrock (future Mrs. Big Steve in real life), who somehow manages to keep Steve looking tanned and borderline Christ-like in appearence, all the while pulling his covers down, checking out big Steve's package and remarking "you have so much to live for". (Which might be my personal choice for the ultimate writing asskiss in the history of film). William Sadler is a pretty good co-star, but he ain't no Henry Silva.
3) Marked for Death--big Steve plays John Hatcher (most boring Seagal name...ever), a retired DEA agent who comes home to find his neighborhood rife with members of the Jamaican posse!! Best part of the movie is the over-the-top performance by the actor who plays "Screwface". Biggest name in support of big Steve is Keith David, veteran character actor--that's not a good sign in a Steve movie.
4) Out for Justice--big Steve plays Gino Fellino
(and we're back in good name form!!), a tough Brooklyn cop from "da neighborhood" who walks that fine line between being a tough cop and looking the other way at the local mob guys.
Well, that's until William Forsythe, in perhaps his greatest role ever, kills big Steve's friend "Bobby Lupo". Its a race against time as Steve has to hand out his brand of justice before the mob. Besides Forsythe, big Steve is also ably supported by a young and delightfully trashy looking Gina Gershon--not that there's anything wrong with that. Movie is immortalized by the classic line:
"Anybody seen Richie?? Anybody know why Richie wacked Bobby Lupo?"
5) Under Siege--big Steve is Casy Ryback, former Navy Seal now serving as a cook on a Navy ship.
(Don't ask) Here he goes big budget with a terrific action film set on aboard a Navy destroyer! Our hero is ably supported by Tommy Lee Jones & Gary Busey, playing...here's a surprise, a psycho. What a career stretch for Busey. Terrific action film, and some just-for-the-hell-of-it nudity by Erika Eliniak, former Baywatch babe. Big Steve's immortal line?
"I'm just a cook!"
6) Under Siege 2--big Steve returns as Casey Ryback, this time riding on a train that's hijacked by a group of terrorists//former military guys, lead by veteran character Everett McGill and a wildly over-the-top Eric Bogosian, in his best work since Talk Radio. And, a little bonus for you trivia fans, big Steve's nubile young niece? Katherine Heigel, who became a big star last year in Knocked Up.

Now, after these 6 classics, we entered into the fatter Steve era, complete with either an excuse for his weight gain or some noble cause (See:
On Deadly Ground & Fire Down Below)

Oh, and Executive Decision does not count, because that was really Kurt Russell's movie and let's face it, everyone cheered when big Steve got killed in that movie anyway.

So which one of the big six is your fav...and why?

Jeff