He may not be the driving force he once was but Steven Seagal may still be the most prolific action hero in the history of ‘direct-to-disc’ movies…
As a new year begins, there’s a multitude of his projects on the way. We’ve Code of Honour, Cypher, Perfect Weapon, Asian Connection and China Salesman (the latter of which sees him battling Mike Tyson), to look forward to already. And now here’s two more to add to the list;
Sniper: Special Forces
For years people have talked about a Van Damme / Steven Seagal team up, the Sylvester Stallone/Wesley Snipes Demolition Man was originally discussed as a potential vehicle for the two of them, early talks for John Woo’s Face/Off hinted at the possibility, and a few short years ago there was a fantastic comedy script Neighbors (not to be confused with either the John Belushi/Dan Aykroyd movie of the early 80s or the recent Seth Rogen film, but one being planned by the Welcome to the Jungle team and which would have been a winner on every level), but for whatever reasons, that team up never came to be…
Although now Seagal does finally team with a ‘Van Dam’, this time its former pro-wrestler Rob Van Dam (Black Mask 2, Blood Moon) for Sniper: Special Forces, which also stars cult actors and former military men Tim Abell and Dale Dye.
In Sniper: Special Forces, a Special-Ops military Force, led by expert sniper Sergeant Jake Chandler (Steven Seagal), are sent to a remote Afghan village to extract an American congressman being held by the Taliban. The rescue mission is a success, but Jake, separated after a firefight with the enemy, stays behind to help an injured soldier. The film, which despite the title has no connection to the long running Tom Berenger Sniper franchise, is directed by veteran cult director Fred Olen Ray. Ray has arguablyhad a more prolific career than Seagal, helming everything from Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers to Don Wilson’s Inferno, Dinosaur Island, and so much more.
Steven Seagal also stars in Killing Salazar
The tall fellow will also be seen in the upcoming Keoni Waxman (Absolution, Force of Execution) actioner Killing Salazar. It also stars former Bros drummer Luke Goss (Blade 2), MMA legend George St Pierre (Captain America 2, Kickboxer: Vengeance) and Darren E Scott from Man with the Iron Fists and Almost Human.
An elite team of DEA agents are assigned to protect a dangerous drug lord and take refuge in a luxury hotel while they await extraction. They soon find themselves at the center of an ambush as the drug lord’s former associates launch an explosive assault on the hotel.
Steven Seagal is also linked to Four Towers, which would see him battling Rutger Hauer and Vinnie Jones, and has frequently spoken of a potential third chapter in the Under Seige series.
