EXIT WOUNDS
US, 2001, 102 minutes, Colour.
Steven Seagal, DMX, Isaiah Washington, Anthony Anderson, Michael Jai White, Bill Duke, Jill Hennessy, Tom Arnold, Bruce Mc Gill, Eva Mendes.
Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak.
During the 1980s and especially the 1990s, Steven Seagal had a strong career in martial arts-type thrillers. By the beginning of the 21st century, he was getting older and heavier, nevertheless he continued for many years making a great number of action movies. The stunt work was necessary to show him fighting younger people than himself.
This is a police story set in Michigan. It is a focus on corrupt police. However, it has a very strong supporting cast around Seagal including many African Americans including DMX, Isaiah Washington as his partner, Anthony Anderson, Michael Jai White and Bill Duke. Tom Arnold also appears as a talk radio host.
The film looks good, the chases and action quite exciting. The film was directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak who was a cinematographer on many New York dramas. As a director he did Romeo is Dead with Jet Li as well as Cradle to the Grave.
Even though Steven Seagal is something of an encumbrance with his stolid performance and delivery, this is quite an exciting police and drugs corruption action film.
1.The popularity of Steven Seagal? In his heyday? In latter years? This film as an example of his latter years?
2.A police drama? Detroit? The city? The slums? The drug world? Police corruption? Police bravery?
3.Detroit the city, the police precincts, the cityscapes, the slums? The action sequences, the car chases, the fights? Editing and pace? The musical score, the hip-hop atmosphere?
4.Orin Boyd, the citations for bravery? His being independent, the criticisms from authority? The background of his saving the vice-president, the right-wing militia, Michigan? The irony of his not being commended? The authorities criticising him, punishing him for interfering with the Secret Service? The transfer, the tough neighbourhood?
5.His partnership with George Clark, Clark as a sympathetic character? Their work together? Henry Wayne, the talk show, the host? The anger counselling sessions? The effect on Boyd? The effect on Wayne? Their working together?
6.Latrell Walker? Drug deals? His reputation? The network? The arrest of Montini? The irony that Montini was undercover? The effect on Boyd, his being further demoted? Working traffic?
7.Montini, his personality, undercover, investigating Walker? The truth, the confiscation of the drugs, police storage, the corrupt police collaborating? Selling the drugs?
8.The irony of Walker being an internet millionaire, his real name, Leon Rollins, the background of his brother, the framing on the heroin charge? The role of the police?
9.Rollins and what he was really doing? His surveillance? Tracking the corrupt police? The mission to free his brother?
10.Montini and the clash with Boyd, taking him, the attempts to kill him? The elaborate building in which he was imprisoned? The escape? Boyd and the collaboration with Rollins?
11.Boyd, Clark and Rollins? The fight with the corrupt police, Strutt and his attack, his work with Montini? The impaling deaths of Strutt and Montini?
12.Rollins’ brother, being freed?
13.Boyd, his being recognised? The offer of his job? His decision to work with Clark in the neighbourhood?
14.The background characters? T.K. and his comic style? Strutt and his John violence? Hinges? Annette Mulcahy and her being in charge? Flirtatious attitude towards Boyd? Daniels? Trish?
15.The salacious but humorous talk between Wayne and T.K. during the final credits? The talk show discussion?
