Saturday, 18 September 2021 18:53

Out of Reach






OUT OF REACH

US/Poland, 2004, 88 minutes, Colour.
Steven Seagal, Ida Nowakowska, Agnieszka Wagner, Matt Schulze.
Directed by Po- Chih Leong.

Out of Reach is a 21st century Steven Seagal action film. Since he is much older, the action is limited, though he can still break bones and do a bit of fencing and sword-fighting.

In the 1980s his films were concerned with drug problems. In the 1990s he moved to such broader issues as the environment. This time he is interested in the current problem of human traffic.

He plays a former covert agent who discovers that the girl with whom he is in correspondence in Poland has been abducted. He then goes to Poland, collaborates with the local authorities, to find the girl, shut down the operation and confront the villain.

The film is standard material – a bit quiet for Seagal fans as he grows older. It was directed by British-born director Po- Chih Leong who went in the 70s to Hong Kong to set up television channels and who worked for several decades in the industry there.

1.The popularity of Steven Seagal? Character, action? Social issues? Straightforward solutions?

2.The Polish settings, the orphanage, the offices, government, the streets? Authentic? Musical score?

3.The title, William Lansing and his correspondence with Irena? Her being abducted and out of reach? His decision to find her?

4.The character of William Lansing, a Seagal character, his past, government officials wanting to bring him back in? His correspondence with Irena? His interest in the orphans? The foster program? Her abduction, his going to Poland, his using his wits, contacts? The violent tactics? The meeting with Kasia, working with her? Information from her uncle? The clues that Irena left, the code that he taught her? His tracking down the company, getting more information, the death of the director of the orphanage? His meeting the little boy, working with him, the clues? Kasia and the information, the boy, staying in Warsaw? The office, the death of the manager? Going to the dance, the prostitutes, leading Faisal astray,confronting him? The build-up to the final fights, the shootout? The African American agent? The fencing, the swordfight? The happy ending?

5.Irena, the foster program, Faisal and the abductors? Her being captured, fed, to be sold? Her leaving clues? Faisal using her to lure Lansing to him? The rescue? The little boy, the foster home, the information, friendship with Irena, information to Lansing?

6.Kasia, local authorities, strong? Information? Questioning, the shooting? The final confrontation?

7.Faisal, ruthless, the international connections? The murder and his being reprimanded by authority? His henchmen, the shooting of Kasia? The international leads, Turkish connections? The ceremony, the dance? His trying to track down William, miscalculations, the final confrontation and his death?

8.An entertaining action film – and the emphasis on social concern and social conscience about human traffic?
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