Above the Law (1988)
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57% of critics liked it
(14 reviews) -
51% of users liked it
(44,764 ratings)
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… More 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, Rovi
- Directed By
- Andrew Davis, Mickey Gilbert (II)
- Written By
- Andrew Davis, Steven Seagal
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1988 Wide
- Studio
- Warner Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Woefully short on originality, intelligibility and anything resembling taste.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It contains 50 percent more plot than it needs, but that allows it room to grow in areas not ordinarily covered in action thrillers.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...more of a museum piece than a satisfying action flick, a document much like The Great Train Robbery. (Blu-ray Edition)
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...old-fashioned, nonstop violence from beginning to end, with subtlety out the window.
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Mark Robison, Reno Gazette-Journal
Seagal's best.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Steven Seagal
as Nico Toscani
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Pam Grier
as Delores Jackson
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Henry Silva
as Zagon
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Ron Dean
as Lukich
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Daniel Faraldo
as Salvano
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Sharon Stone
as Sara Toscani
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Nick Kusenko
as Agent Neeley
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Joe V. Greco
as Father Gennaro
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Chelcie Ross
as Nelson Fox
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Thalmus Rasulala
as Deputy Superintendent Crowder
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Gene Barge
as Detective Henderson
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Ronnie Barron
as CIA Bartender
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Anthony Cannata
as Wiseguy Hitman
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Lee de Broux
as CIA Interrogator
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John Drummond
as TV Reporter
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Craig Dunn
as Aikido Fighter
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Zaid Farid
as Street Dude
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Toni Fleming
as Grandma Zingaro
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Ralph Foody
as Federal Clerk
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Gene Hartline
as Man in Bar
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Joseph Kosala
as Lt. Strozah
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Rom Milanovich
as Man in Bar
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Tom Muzila
as Aikido Fighter
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Mario Nieves
as Man with Gun
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Miguel Nino
as Chi Chi
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Dennis Phun
as Asian Prisoner
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Juan Ramírez
as Machete Man
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Michael Rooker
as Men in Bar
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Nydia Rodriguez Terracina
as Bomb Woman
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Le Tuan
as Interpreter
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Jack Wallace
as Uncle Branca
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Gregory Alan Williams
as Agent Halloran
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Mike Coglianese
as Branca's Bodyguard
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India Cooper
as Sanctuary Nun
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Metta Davis
as Rosa Toscani
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Henry Godinez
as Father Tomasino
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Danny Goldring
as Zagon's Aide
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Rafael Gonzalez
as Abandano
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Patrick Gorman
as CIA Interrogator
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Cheryl Hamada
as Watanabe
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Sandy Holt
as Hostess
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Mike James
as Officer O'Hara
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Chris Karchmar
as Refugee Man
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Joe D. Lauck
as Senator Harrison
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Mike Nakayama
as NEC Show Rep
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Chantara Nop
as Cambodian Irregular
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Clare Peck
as Judge Alspaugh
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Christopher Peditto
as Pimp
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Al Rasho
as Grocery Owner
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Alex Ross Perry
as Luigi
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Terry Stewart
as Machete Man's Buddy
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Lisa Tejero
as Refugee Woman
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April Tran
as Asian Prisoner
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Gary Goldman
as CIA Interrogator
- Henry de Silva
