Fire Down Below - L'inferno sepolto

I have watched this several times and always find it enjoyable. There is a gallery of good actors in support like Harry Dean Stanton and Kris Kristofferson. Special mention should be made of Stephen Lang who although playing a murderous character does make one feel sorry for him. Also Marg Helgenberger gives a touching portrayal of Sarah Kellogg, ready to bloom after years of repression.

The photography of the landscape is beautiful and contrasts with the story about its despoliation by illegal dumping of chemicals. This film is more about character and story. The fight scenes themselves are quite brief.

Which brings us to Steven Seagal. His bland acting style works strangely enough in complement with the other stronger actors.He does the combat OK. He does preach (like in his more recent films) but hey, what's wrong with looking after the environment? This film is under rated and deserves another look.

Since I haven't seen this since the turn of the 21st century, it would be interesting to see again just to see Marg Helgenberger. I really wasn't that familiar with her when I saw this movie a couple of times in the late '90s, although I had seen her before. However, now she's a very familiar face thanks to the hit CSI television show.

Anyway, the movie was a typical Steven Seagal film in that he's the likable hero, you had despicable villains that were easy to hate, and every action scene is Rambo-like in which Seagal never misses injuring his foes.

One big difference in this film from his earlier efforts: an emphasis an aesthetic cinematography. This had some beautiful rural scenes of Kentucky and in particular, a church on a top of a hill, in which a number of scenes take place. Not only is the country scenery nice but there are some good country songs in here and better yet - blues guitar music in the background throughout the movie. All of this was different for a Seagal film. Of course, the nice scenery was probably due to the fact Seagal played an Environmental Protection Agent ("Jack Taggart").

Also different was the fact that Helgenberger ("Sarah Kellogg") was not the typical gorgeous young sexpot normally paraded out in these martial arts films, but was rather plain with no makeup. She wore conservative clothing and showed no skin. (Contrast that to her CSI roles the past six years) Then again, Appalachia being the setting for this story, her dress and manner was appropriate and realistic.

Language-wise, most of the hard profanity comes from Kris Kristofferson's villain character, "Orrin Hammer, Sr.," in the first hour.

How they treated "religion" in this film was bizarre. Good, bad, good, bad - like watching a tennis match. The country reverend was the typical Hollywood wishy-washy minister: the kind would NOT see in this area in real life. The screenwriters are so clueless Seagal called him - a Protestant minister - "father" - as if he was a Catholic. Anyway, the wimpy reverend does "come around" at the end.

More examples: good-guy Seagal bows his head in prayer at church but also tells Helgenberger that "I don't hand out bibles." He also mentions UFOs and Zen to a sick little boy but also mentions "God's work" other times. He covers all the bases, I guess, from occult to the real thing. The bad guys attend church, but then they burn it down! Harry Dean Stanton tells someone that "church people talk down the others," but the next scene something positive is shown. I'm telling you: the theology in here would make your head swim.

Seagal plays a smug kind of guy but his smugness doesn't translate into an offensive jerk, perhaps because his character is so soft-spoken and he is, after all, the good guy. Every action scene in here is a Rambo imitation in which Segal beats up his opponents no matter how many of them are against him. It's ludicrous. Yet, most of the time it's enjoyable enough to watch and the sound-effects on those fights are actually entertaining, almost humorous.

About the film, I still like the blues guitar and the Kentucky scenery the best. The rest of it is pure Seagal nonsense....but entertaining.

I don't know if it's the amount of Seagal I was given or the mood I was in but this movie delivered me an entertaining time and a glimpse at one of his last better films. Steven portrays an EPA agent that comes into a small town to investigate chemical spills and the bad guys who are in on it. Fire Down Below basically ends up being Steven Seagal chit chatting with all the locals (and a shy girl he is falling for) along with beating the snot out of the evil polluters. It's fun to watch Steven do his thing and the movie lets him do just that. There have been past Seagal films that felt like he was only featured in half the flick, in this it plays almost solely to him. It ended up being enjoyable enough to recommend to an action junkie or someone who wants to watch Steven Seagal's watchable movies.

It is interesting how a previous comment on this movie was unflattering. In my opinion, this was one of his best. True, it's not as good as Out For Justice or either Under Siege flicks, but I still liked the action and the storyline. The fight scenes were great too (let's be careful to compare any Seagal fight scene to the great pool room scene from Out For Justice). I didn't think the country music was that bad (good grief, it was set in Kentucky). What else do you expect??? I'm a country music lover, so I am biased. Also, I think the country music singers (Mark Collin, Randy Travis, etc.) who had parts in the movie did an excellent job. Overall, it's worth the purchase price, and a fine addition to your collection.

Steven Seagal is one of those actors with a totally winning personality… He is simply an authority figure, a killing machine with a heart of purest gold… I can't help it; I like the guy.

In 'Fire Down Below,' he is an outsider posing as a church sponsored carpenter while he works for the Environmental Protection Agency to stop a greedy coal baron from dumping extremely large quantities of toxic wastes in abandoned coal mines… Those dangerous chemicals could destroy the drinking water for thousands of miles and kill a bunch of people around the hills… Seagal gallantly promised not to leave the small town until the poison from the air, the streams and the earth is taken out…

Many thugs (with snakes, sticks, guns, and big trucks) are hired by the uncaring mining magnate to get rid of our action hero but Seagal remains virtually untouched…

'Fire Down Below' highlights new environmental message but fails to come up with the expectations… First, Seagal's amorous interest with the sad country woman seems artificial, used in the film to grant the 'new visitor' easy access to statements he might need… Second, the motion picture lacks the best villain whose prowess could equals Seagal's... Steven's character never really faces much of a challenge… In fact, the fight scenes are too short and extremely fast and easy…

If you are a fan of country music and you want to see Seagal playing guitar and singing, and you like to explore sweeping vistas with glorious sunsets, don't miss this movie!