Movie Type: Action Thriller, Police Detective Film
Themes: Rogue Cops, Drug Trade
Main Cast: Steven Seagal, Pam Grier, Henry Silva, Ron Dean, Daniel Faraldo
Release Year: 1988
Country: US
Run Time: 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Martial arts hero Steven Seagal developed, co-wrote, co-produced, choreographed, and debuted in this thrill ride -- a cop film with more attitude, and more plot, than its star had duties on the set. Seagal is Nico Toscani, an Italian immigrant, American patriot, ex-CIA agent, aikido specialist, and unorthodox Chicago policeman. He is as committed to his job as he is to his personalized brand of justice: expert and thorough bone-crushing. When the FBI orders his squad to ignore the mysterious shipment of military explosives they seized from a notorious narcotics dealer, Nico defiantly pursues his own investigation. With the help of his partner Jax (Pam Grier), he sifts through a tangled web of Catholic priests, illegal immigrants, and trained assassins to uncover a drug cartel run directly out of the CIA by an official named Zagon Henry Silva. Nico remembers the man from his CIA days in Vietnam, when Zagon used the agency (and the war) as a front for smuggling opium. At the time, Nico was too outranked to thwart him, but he will no longer let Zagon abuse his position to remain immune from prosecution -- especially now that the official has plans to murder a U.S. senator. Zagon may be above the law of most men, but he is certainly not above Nico's. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, All Movie Guide
Review
Hollywood heavyweight Michael Ovitz hoped to prove that he could make anyone a star by arranging a meeting between Warner Bros. and his aikido instructor, Steven Seagal. In fact, at 6'4", with a sixth degree black belt and an ego to match, the reasonably handsome Seagal already easily possessed the makings of a bankable action hero. Above the Law is the first movie to result from the actor's contract to make martial arts films for Warner Bros., its success setting the tone for a decade of Seagal flicks. Playing Chicago cop Nico Toscani, Seagal begins his reign as the skilled vigilante -- a man with the competence and the arrogance to defy rules in order to abolish crime. This is the motivation for each quick and impressive fight scene, as the actor swiftly pummels his way through the city's injustice. Above the Law also begins to outline Seagal's political and moral agendas -- exploring Vietnam, drugs, immigration, corruption, and spirituality. Such a broad plot makes the action film even more superficial, but it also allows for a large supporting cast to complement its star. Veteran actors Pam Grier and Henry Silva, along with a younger Sharon Stone, provide support and chemistry for the neophyte Seagal -- letting his heroic persona shine without too many theatrical slip-ups. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, All Movie Guide
Sharon Stone - Sara Toscani; Nick Kusenko - Agent Neeley; Joe V. Greco - Father Gennaro; Chelcie Ross - Nelson Fox; Thalmus Rasulala - Deputy Superintendent Crowder; Gene Barge - Detective Henderson; Ronnie Barron - CIA Bartender; Anthony Cannata - Wiseguy Hitman; Lee de Broux - CIA Interrogator; John Drummond - TV Reporter; Craig Dunn - Aikido Fighter; Zaid Farid - Street Dude; Toni Fleming - Grandma Zingaro; Ralph Foody - Federal Clerk; Gene Hartline - Man in Bar; Joseph Kosala - Lt. Strozah; Rom Milanovich - Man in Bar; Tom Muzila - Aikido Fighter; Mario Nieves - Man with Gun; Miguel Nino - Chi Chi; Dennis Phun - Asian Prisoner; Juan Ramirez - Machete Man; Michael Rooker - Men in Bar; Nydia Rodriguez Terracina - Bomb Woman; Le Tuan - Interpreter; Jack Wallace - Uncle Branca; Gregory Alan Williams - Agent Halloran; Mike Coglianese - Branca's Bodyguard; India Cooper - Sanctuary Nun; Metta Davis - Rosa Toscani; Henry Godinez - Father Tomasino; Danny Goldring - Zagon's Aide; Rafael Gonzalez - Abandano; Patrick Gorman - CIA Interrogator; Cheryl Hamada - Watanabe; Sandy Holt - Hostess; Mike James - Officer O'Hara; Chris Karchmar - Refugee Man; Joe D. Lauck - Senator Harrison; Mike Nakayama - NEC Show Rep; Chantara Nop - Cambodian Irregular; Clare Peck - Judge Alspaugh; Christopher Peditto - Pimp; Al Rasho - Grocery Owner; Alex Ross - Luigi; Terry Stewart - Machete Man's Buddy; Lisa Tejero - Refugee Woman; April Tran - Asian Prisoner; Gary Goldman - CIA Interrogator
Credit
Ned Parsons - Art Director, Billy DaMota - Casting, Andrew Davis - Co-producer, Steven Seagal - Co-producer, John G. Wilson - Co-producer, Andrew Davis - Director, Michael Brown - Editor, Robert Solo - Executive Producer, Steven Seagal - Fights Choreographer, David Michael Frank - Composer (Music Score), Randall Robinson - Camera Operator, Maher Ahmad - Production Designer, Robert Steadman - Cinematographer, Bill Arnold - Set Designer, Ed McDonald - Set Designer, Arthur Brewer - Special Effects, R.J. Hohman - Special Effects, Leonard Solis - Special Effects, Scott D. Smith - Sound Recordist, Andrew Davis - Screen Story, Steven Seagal - Screen Story, Andrew Davis - Screenwriter, John Eskow - Screenwriter, Steven Pressfield - Screenwriter, Steven Seagal - Screenwriter, Ronald Shusett - Screenwriter, Andrew Davis - Second Unit Director Of Photography
Above the Law (also known as Nico: Above The Law, or simply Nico[1]) is a 1988action film directed by Andrew Davis, probably best-known for being the film debut of Steven Seagal. This came about after a successful screen test, financed by Michael Ovitz, led to Seagal being offered a contract by Warner Bros. It was rated R by the MPAA.
Nico Toscani (Steven Seagal) is a cop in Chicago's vice squad. Born in Palermo, he and his family immigrated to Chicago when he was seven. It was also early on that he developed an interest in martial arts, and soon he moved to Japan. From there, in 1969, he was recruited into the CIA, and after a brief tour in Vietnam, he came back to Chicago to assume his current role.
Nico and his partner Jax (Pam Grier) are now investigating a drug ring, and after busting two of the dealers, he discovers plastic explosives. Shortly afterward, in a twist of events, everyone Nico arrested is suddenly let go, and Nico is asked to stand down, not to mention the fact that the priest of Nico's parish is killed in an explosion as a Mass is ending. Then, soon enough, Nico has police searching his house and is asked to turn in his badge. Nico eventually finds out the dealers he busted are linked to a corrupt CIA agent named Kurt Zagon (Henry Silva), who tried to fund an invasion of Nicaragua, and was under heat from Congress to reveal his undercover operations. When he finds out the priest's death was of Zagon's making, and with one particular senator who is trying to bring him down as his next target, Nico seeks to bring down Zagon and all involved with him at any cost. Nico eventually kills Zagon when he breaks his neck.
It has been reported that Seagal was asked to make the film by his former aikido pupil, agent Michael Ovitz, who believed he could make anyone a movie star.[2]
Reception
It generally got positive reviews. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times stated "it contains 50 percent more plot than it needs, but that allows it room to grow in areas not ordinarily covered in action thrillers". Rotten Tomatoes rates it at 62%, one of the few Seagal films with a fresh rating (60% or greater). However, Hal Hinson of the Washington Post criticized it as "woefully short on originality".
