Born to Raise Hell - Zum Töten geboren!

Chapters 80 and 90 are probably the golden age of Seagal, so to speak. This film could almost have been missed in every way.

There were so many things wrong here.

The very first thing that struck me in the eyes was in some places very bad imaging technique and surgery.

Added to this is a very minor aspect.

This time could have been better used. The number of stars shown on this site did tell quite honestly about the level of the movie.

Continuing my plan to watch Steven Seagal movie in order, I just watched Born To Raise Hell (2010)

I have enjoyed some of his recent dtv movies, but this is a step back. It started out ok for the first hour, then just went down hill and by the end I was looking at my phone. It is predictable, ludicrous and often dull. It has few ok action scenes but it's all just the usual Seagal dubbed and doubled nonsense.

The movie also ends with yet another rather anti-climactic fight, which lasts all of 90 seconds and is completely one sided favouring Seagal.

Among B-movie action heroes, Romania has become recently popular. In addition to Seagal, e.g. Van Damme and Lundgren have also found some subject matter there (one of the poorest NATO countries with respective issues, and a cheap place for filming...? Well, Bucharest is an okay and grand capital). Anyway, the plot is unpretentious as usual, although Seagal shows more oral and less fighting skills, but shooting-fighting- chasing scenes are still catchy and clichés used do not become ridiculous or boring (with the exception, perhaps, Seagal's erotic scenes with much younger woman). Scenes towards the ending originate from the principle "enemy of my enemy is my friend" and are not too credible.

In any event, the movie is watchable, if you are not a Seagal's hater; for the others, to grin and mock, you better choose some other movie - Born to Raise Hell is not among Seagal's worst, sooner the opposite.

Steven Seagal plays a member of an international drug task force located in Romania. The movie develops a clear direction when a guy he captures on a routine drug bust makes a deal with him and tells him about a sadistic and somewhat psychotic drug dealer named Costel who finances his buys by breaking and entering the houses of young rich couples whom he has some sort of deep resentment for. As well, he tells him about the gangster Costel is doing business with; a man named Dimitri. Seagal's character tries to bring them to justice as an antagonistic relationship escalates between the two men.

Seagal, with some kind of cowboy accent, I dunno, unnaturally black hair, and barrel-chested, is still frisky; still breaking any body part you're stupid enough to throw at him. I thought the movie was a solid action film and worth watching if you like shoot 'em ups. I've always thought that Seagal (and some other action stars of the like) practiced a kind of "slight-of-hand martial arts" aided by camera angles and editing. You really don't see what happens, just some hand movements and/or foot movements that may or may not have made sense and then the bad guy crashes to the floor. I'm pleased to say that there were some clear exchanges in this movie.

For anybody who cares: In my mind this movie is a "guy film". Seagal wrote in a sweet young thing for himself (And who can fault him? Ahhh, the perks of being both actor and writer) but her role was not that significant. The most time they spent on the screen together was maybe "5 minutes" ---if that. They talked a little about their relationship; how work was coming between them, or something like that. I dunno. I might have nodded off. Then after that "supposedly" they made love. There was some fading in and out of images; a hand here, a hand there. She was partially clothed and he was fully dressed (ready for action, I guess, but not that kind). Then after that we never see her again. The scene seemed almost obligatory.

Now if it were me, and I was both actor and writer, I would have written in a prolonged love scene with this charming girl (life is too short folks, opportunities must be seized). I would have shown that I was not only good with my fists, but also with my----. Well, I'm boring you. Sorry. Boloxxxi out. Love.

The once glorious (well I'm sure some still believe that to be the case) Steven Seagal might be lingering in direct-to-DVD haven, but these enterprises sometimes provide the goods, that's if you're not expecting much. But then again there are some just plain and dull outings and for me this European stint "Born to Raise Hell" fell in to this group. Seagal feels like nothing more than a bit player and a bored one too. Spending more time sitting about, pondering, having a heartfelt chats or if he has to - walking from 'a to b' to shoot someone or casually crack some bones. So when it comes to the explosive bursts, they do lack any sort of punch or adrenaline despite the seedy scene. Here he plays a streetwise American Interpol agent assigned to a drug / weapon trafficking task force in Eastern Europe. This is one rather generic action drama, which thinks it's tough, but comes across as violently spiteful and sluggishly paced with a bogged down script. The director keeps it rather kinetic with the filming techniques, being slickly dressed up with sped up visuals, slow motion and titled camera angles. The performances are nothing to write home about, but the cast do acquit themselves well enough. Not terrible, but a very ho-hum Seagal vehicle.

"I like your style".