Review of On Deadly Ground (1994) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

After finding success in Above The Law (1988), Hard To Kill (1990) and Under Siege (1992), Steven Seagal had become one of Hollywood's biggest action stars, and for his next film, he convinced Warner Bros.

that he should direct it. It was the chance Seagal had been waiting for, and was fully in charge of his own film, but it was a troubled production which went over schedule and over budget, and it alienated audiences too, and despite Seagal's best intentions, it doesn't work.

Aegis Oil, which is run by Michael Jennings (Michael Caine), and it owns several oil rigs and a new oil refinery in Alaska, after a fire delays the opening of the refinery, oil fire expert Forrest Taft (Seagal), arrives and puts it out.

Foreman Hugh Palmer (Richard Hamilton) tells Taft that there's been cutbacks with safety equipment and Taft decides to investigate further, but Jennings gets to find out about his activities, and sets up a trap, setting Taft up.

But Taft, badly wounded, manages to escape with Masu (Joan Chen), who comes from a tribe of Eskimos, who sold their land to Jennings years ago, he recovers with them and plots payback. For a film that promises so much, it's a very maudlin, melancholy affair, even the action seems uninspired, and the environmental message doesn't belong in a film like this, as a result, Seagal has never directed another film again.