OUT FOR JUSTICE
US, 1991, 91 minutes, Colour.
Steven Seagall, William Forsythe, Jerry Orbach, Gina Gershon, Julianne Margulies, John Leguizamo.
Directed by John Flynn.
Out For Justice is the fourth action movie starring Steven Seagal. His previous films were Nico, Above the Law, Hard to Kill, Marked for Death. Seagal is a martial arts expert and teacher more than an actor. However, he has a strong screen presence, especially in films of this kind: police thrillers, drug dealers, mad criminals of the streets and killings. There is a brutal tone about the thrillers, Seagal with his martial arts skills, his literal bone-wrenching and crunching violence in order to uphold the law.
William Forsyth is the villain - after a humorous villainous turn in Dick Tracy and a loathsome villainous turn in Stone Cold. The material is familiar, but is for Seagal fans. Directed by John Flynn who made interesting thrillers in the '70s like The Outfit and Rolling Thunder.
1. Police thriller? Violence in the New York streets? The Mafia, criminals, prostitution?
2. The atmosphere of New York City, of Brooklyn and its streets, the clubs? Apartments, precincts? Musical score?
3. Steven Seagal and his image, his series of films, the crusading violent vigilante or policeman? The title?
4. His portrait of Gino, the policeman, working with his partner, the violent death of his partner and his reaction? The photo and its disappearance? Vengeance/justice?
5. Gino and his work, relationship with Frankie and the bonds from the past? The Mafia chief, the discussions? His wanting vengeance - and not letting the Mafia take vengeance? The raids on the clubs? Patti, her arrest, her father, in jail for protection? Interrogations?
6. Finding the new photo, the mystery woman? Identified as Roxanne? Her relationship with his partner? Richie's girlfriend? Her death? His partner's wife, sending the photo, her vengeance leading to the killing?
7. Gino in his family context, the visit to his ex-wife, his relationship with his father?
8. Richie and his madness, violence? His henchmen? The murder, violent sprees? Insanity? Relationship with Roxanne, her death? With Rica? The confrontation and the violent deaths? Justice/vengeance?
9. Rica, Roxanne, Terry Molloy - the women in Brooklyn, relationship with the men? Used by the men? Violence?
10. Frankie, working for the Mafia, the links of the Mafia with the police? Italian backgrounds? The finale - and Gino letting Frankie take credit for the death?
11. The world of the police, precincts, officials, Gino and his relationship with other officers? The world of criminals, violence, clubs and the Mafia? The mad criminals of the New York streets?
