Above the Law (also known as
Nico: Above The Law, or simply
Nico) is a
1988-Top grossing films :source: http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1988&p=.htm- Awards :Academy Awards:* Alice * Alien Nation, starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin* Amsterdamned...
action filmAction movies are a film genre wherein the story is largely told through physical action as opposed to dialogue. The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero. While action has long been an element of films, the "Action film" as a genre of its own began to develop in the...
directed by
Andrew DavisAndrew Davis is an American film director, producer and cinematographer, noted for the action films Code of Silence, The Fugitive, Chain Reaction, Collateral Damage and Under Siege....
, probably best-known for being the film debut of
Steven SeagalSteven F. Seagal is an American action movie actor, producer, writer, director, martial artist, philanthropist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter...
. This came about after a successful screen test, financed by
Michael OvitzMichael S. Ovitz is a former talent agent and Hollywood powerhouse who served as the head of the Creative Artists Agency from 1975 to 1995....
, led to Seagal being offered a contract by
Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Warner Bros. Pictures, or simply Warner Bros.—the shortened form of the former official, sometimes still used, formal corporate name: Warner Brothers
It was rated R by the MPAAThe Motion Picture Association of America , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, is a United States non-profit business and trade association to advance the business interests of movie studios. The MPAA administers the voluntary but dominant MPAA film rating system...
.
Nico Toscani (Steven SeagalSteven F. Seagal is an American action movie actor, producer, writer, director, martial artist, philanthropist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter...
) is a cop in ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
's vice squad. Born in PalermoPalermo is a historic city in Southern Italy, the capital of the autonomous region Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, he and his family immigrated to Chicago when he was seven.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Above the Law (film)' Start a new discussion about 'Above the Law (film)' Answer questions from other users |
Above the Law (also known as
Nico: Above The Law, or simply
Nico) is a
1988-Top grossing films :source: http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1988&p=.htm- Awards :Academy Awards:* Alice * Alien Nation, starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin* Amsterdamned...
action filmAction movies are a film genre wherein the story is largely told through physical action as opposed to dialogue. The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero. While action has long been an element of films, the "Action film" as a genre of its own began to develop in the...
directed by
Andrew DavisAndrew Davis is an American film director, producer and cinematographer, noted for the action films Code of Silence, The Fugitive, Chain Reaction, Collateral Damage and Under Siege....
, probably best-known for being the film debut of
Steven SeagalSteven F. Seagal is an American action movie actor, producer, writer, director, martial artist, philanthropist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter...
. This came about after a successful screen test, financed by
Michael OvitzMichael S. Ovitz is a former talent agent and Hollywood powerhouse who served as the head of the Creative Artists Agency from 1975 to 1995....
, led to Seagal being offered a contract by
Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Warner Bros. Pictures, or simply Warner Bros.—the shortened form of the former official, sometimes still used, formal corporate name: Warner Brothers
It was rated R by the MPAAThe Motion Picture Association of America , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, is a United States non-profit business and trade association to advance the business interests of movie studios. The MPAA administers the voluntary but dominant MPAA film rating system...
.
Plot
Nico Toscani (Steven SeagalSteven F. Seagal is an American action movie actor, producer, writer, director, martial artist, philanthropist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter...
) is a cop in ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
's vice squad. Born in PalermoPalermo is a historic city in Southern Italy, the capital of the autonomous region Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, 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 Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. From there, in 1969, he was recruited into the CIA, and after a brief tour in VietnamVietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east...
, he came back to Chicago to assume his current role.
Nico and his partner Jax (Pam GrierPamela Suzette "Pam" Grier is an American actress. She came to fame in the early 1970s, after starring in a string of moderately successful women in prison films and blaxploitation films such as 1974's Foxy Brown. Her career was revitalized in 1997 after her appearance in Quentin Tarantino's film...
) 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 SilvaHenry Silva is an American actor who has played a wide variety of movie roles.Silva was born in Brooklyn, New York of Sicilian and Spanish descent...
), 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.
Principal cast
- Steven Seagal
Steven F. Seagal is an American action movie actor, producer, writer, director, martial artist, philanthropist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter...
.... Det. Sgt. Nico Toscani
- Sharon Stone
Sharon Yvonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She first achieved international recognition for her performance in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
.... Sara Toscani
- Pam Grier
Pamela Suzette "Pam" Grier is an American actress. She came to fame in the early 1970s, after starring in a string of moderately successful women in prison films and blaxploitation films such as 1974's Foxy Brown. Her career was revitalized in 1997 after her appearance in Quentin Tarantino's film...
.... Det. Delores 'Jax' Jackson
- Henry Silva
Henry Silva is an American actor who has played a wide variety of movie roles.Silva was born in Brooklyn, New York of Sicilian and Spanish descent...
.... Kurt Zagon
- Ron Dean.... Det. Lukich
- Daniel Faraldo.... Tony Salvano
- Miguel Nino.... Chi Chi Ramon
- Nicholas Kusenko.... FBI Agent Neely
- Joe Greco.... Father Joseph Gennaro
- Chelcie Ross
Chelcie Ross is an American character actor.-Filmography:*Mad Men as Conrad Hilton*Drag Me to Hell *Horsemen *The Express *Uncle Nino *The Majestic...
.... Nelson Fox
- Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker is an American actor known for playing the title role in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.-Biography:...
.... Bar Patron
Production
It has been reported that Seagal was asked to make the film by his former aikidois a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
pupil, agent Michael OvitzMichael S. Ovitz is a former talent agent and Hollywood powerhouse who served as the head of the Creative Artists Agency from 1975 to 1995....
, who believed he could make anyone a movie star.
Reception
It has generally been given positive reviews, although it did receive some negative reviews dismissing it as "woefully short on originality" (Hal Hinson from the Washington Post). Some others praised "it contains 50 percent more plot than it needs, but that allows it room to grow in areas not ordinarily covered in action thrillers" (Roger EbertRoger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter.He is known for his film review column and for two television programs Sneak Previews and Siskel & Ebert at the Movies, which he co-hosted for a combined 23 years with Gene Siskel...
, Chicago Sun-TimesThe Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by the Sun-Times Media Group, which filed for bankruptcy protection on March 31, 2009.-History:...
). Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films. The name derives from the historical cliché of throwing tomatoes and other produce at stage performers if a performance was particularly bad.- History :...
rates it at 62%, one of few Seagal films with a fresh rating (60% or greater).It was seen as a random hit grossing about $20 millon in the U.S.