Marked for Death (1990)

Starring: Steven Seagal, Basil Wallace, 

Keith David, Joanna Pacula

Directed by: Dwight H. Little

Written by: Michael Grais, Mark Victor

Duration: 1hr 33mins

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Every action hero needs at least one movie where he plays someone called John.  With Marked for Death, Steven Seagal adds his name to a roster that includes Arnie (Matrix, Kimble, Kruger), Sly (Rambo, Spartan), Bruce Willis (McClane, Smith), Wesley Snipes (Cutter), Harrison Ford (Ryan, Book) and Keanu Reeves (Utah, Mnemonic, Constantine). 

Yes, here our man plays John Hatcher, DEA agent extraordinaire, introduced bounding through the streets of a Colombian slum chasing a Danny Trejo lookalike.

HOLD ON A SEC...  THAT IS DANNY TREJO!

Hatcher and his partner’s undercover operation in South America then leads them to a strip club (of course) where “the deal’s going down in the back”.  Unfortunately they’re made as American cops, so *crack* *slam* *smack* later and… Seagal’s gone and sliced a guy’s hand clean off!  Perhaps with this movie he’s moving away from breaking limbs and more towards cutting them off altogether, a shift that I would wholeheartedly support. 

INSERT "LEND HIM A HAND " JOKE HERE  

But it’s not all fun and body-mutilation games.  Hatcher’s partner is gunned down by a pistol-wielding prostitute, prompting Hatcher to return to the US and declare to his boss (played by John Carpenter favourite Peter Jason, another random and welcome cameo) that he’s quitting the cop game, then swiftly head to his family home back in the sleepy Chicago suburb he grew up in to reassess his life.

SOME KIDS HAVE SPORTS TROPHIES ON THEIR WALLS.  OTHERS...

That’s right, this is one of those action movies where the leading man vows to put aside his violent ways, and the pony-tailed one duly (and dully) spends most of the first act actively avoiding conflict.  Happily, we are reminded that a retraction of this uncharacteristic pacifist attitude is never far away, not least by the impressive gun collection Hatcher keeps on the wall of his boyhood bedroom.  Holy moly.

Hatcher takes a stroll around the pitch with school football coach buddy Keith David, wherein his old pal brings him up to speed on the town’s escalating drug problem.  Indeed, we intercut with Jamaican dealers trying to peddle crack to the WASP-y student body – including one who looks like a young Hilary Swank.

HOLD ON A SEC...  OH, NEVER MIND

For a while it seems like this is going to be a preachy Just Say No movie, with Steve as Chief Enforcement Officer – sticking his nose in (to wit: “You want some blow?"  “Yeah, I want some blow – put your hands up or I’ll blow your head off.”) but keeping his fists more or less to himself.  That is, until the event that seems to be a Seagal movie staple turns up: the Jamaicans target his family.  This is the line for John Hatcher!

"YOU FUCK WITH MY FAMILY, YOU DIE!"
(WHICH IS ALSO THE FILM'S PLOT IN ONE LINE) 

So he and his equally-vexed mate (no one does pissed-off quite like Keith David) react accordingly:

DAMN...  IF I WAS THOSE JAMAICANS, I'D BE JUMPING
ON THE FIRST PLANE BACK TO KINGSTON 

From this point on, Marked for Death is a succession of action set-pieces, hand-to-hand combat (Steve still breaks plenty of bones, and even graduates to a decapitation!), and quips (“Give me what I need and I'll leave here a nice guy.  If you don't, I'm gonna fuck you up.”). One particularly effective car chase climaxes with the baddies’ car jumping the curb and smashing into a damn jewellers. 

ONE SOLUTION TO INADEQUATE URBAN PARKING FACILITIES

It’s a shame that the plot is essentially the same as in Hard to Kill – and, come to think of it, Above the Law: Steven’s loved ones are threatened, he retaliates, job done.  But the vengeance is executed in a satisfyingly ruthless manner, especially during a climatic trip to Jamaica, where the tropical scenery makes a welcome change and our hero ultimately atones for any fanciful notion that he would no longer get his hands dirty.  It lacks the humour of HTK, but makes up for it with some top-drawer violence and is an entertaining enough time waster, Mr Seagal delivering exactly what's required of him.  ***1/2

JAMAICAN ME ANGRY... (SORRY, REALLY SORRY)

Coming soon: the final part of my look at early Seagal, Out for Justice!






*UPDATE* 24 January 2012 


Here is as comprehensive a list of action movie Johns as you are ever likely to find:  http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000122/nest/193240342.
(And I've also since been reminded about Johnny Rico in Starship Troopers.)


See also: 
Above the Law (1988)
Hard to Kill (1990)
Out for Justice (1991)