Half Past Dead Starring Steven Seagal, Ja Rule Directed by Don Michael Paul Rated PG-13 for pervasive action violence, language and some sexual content *** out of 4 Stars, Movie Grade: B

Theatrical Release: November 15, 2002
Running time: 99 minutes

by Kevin Lang

Starring Steven Seagal ("Exit Wounds," 2001), Morris Chestnut ("Two Can Play at that Game," 2001), and rapper, Ja Rule, "Half Past Dead" was a well-scripted, entertaining action movie that, although not perfect, had the right doses of humor and excitement to hold my interest for most of its ninety-nine minutes.

Again we found Steven Seagal under siege, only this time he was in a prison as opposed to on a train or a cruise ship, as in two of his previous films. As FBI agent, Sascha Petrosevitch, he went in undercover as an inmate to stop a group of criminals planning to break-in to obtain the location of hidden gold bars, only known by an inmate who was about to be executed. We found out later that Sascha took the assignment to catch the madman, Donny (Morris Chestnut), who was responsible for the murder of Sascha's wife. With a well-written screenplay by Don Michael Paul, who also directed the movie, the filmmakers kept us interested with a handful of enjoyable characters, and a plethora of explosions, gunfire, and several well-done fight scenes.

In order to be imprisoned, Sascha, posing as a car thief, set up a sting on himself and the unknowing Nick Frazier (Ja Rule), who had connections to high-powered criminals. This scene was the only one that seemed a little unbalanced as the comical Nick, who had become somewhat of a hero at the end, almost caused Sascha to lose his life. Not to mention that this scene followed an enjoyable but pointless opening high-speed driving scene that ended with Sascha sending Nick flying out of the car, through the air, and into the windshield of another parked vehicle all as a joke. Nick, who should have been pretty badly injured, got up, brushed himself off, and briefly expressed to Sascha that he was tired of jokes like that. Maybe it's just me, but if my friend purposely ejected me from his car and into the windshield of another, I might hold a little more of a grudge.

Steven Seagal again played an officer of the law (FBI) who didn't quite abide by the standard rules and regulations. This was similar to the characters he has played in almost all of his other films, starting with 1988's aptly titled "Above the Law." In one scene during "Half Past Dead," we watched as he knowingly encouraged a curious inmate to fire a rocket launcher at a locked weapons room door, and the recoil launched the inmate through the air and sent him crashing through a window behind him, after which he rose to his feet, humorously shaken from his fall and excited from the rush. I didn't mind these types of scenes in "Half Past Dead." It was a film that was aware of its comedic relief throughout, and it never tried to be too serious.

With its lighter tone, "Half Past Dead" was a fun film that saved itself from mediocrity with well-written dialogue and enjoyable action. The villains, led by Donny, included 49er Six, played by Nia Peeples, whose bright blue eye-shadow helped to set her apart as one high kicking, gun toting female, who perhaps offered the most enjoyable fight scene of the film.

Even with a still overweight Steven Seagal, whose limited fight scenes were hardly comparable to those from his earlier films ("Hard to Kill," "Marked for Death"), I enjoyed "Half Past Dead," as it offered a better than expected script, shot well, with a conscious awareness of just how the audience would perceive it.

"Half Past Dead" Review written November 12, 2002, CTF.

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