What Was The Appeal Of Steven Seagal?

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Support the channel: / rossp . In recent years, following a string of controversies and regular critical drubbing, Steven Seagal's fame has faded. At one point though, he was an action film icon, and a box office star. So what happened? What was the appeal of Steven Seagal?
This is not an in-depth critical analysis of Seagal's filmography, or even a look at his philosophies or character. It is simply a fan exploring what the appeal of the once-bankable star was.

[@Rossatron]

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[@livinginvancouverbc2247]

"I've just read... the best script... I've ever read... in my life." "Oh yeah, who wrote it?" "I did."

[@mikelykan.9416]

Legendary..lol

[@prunt23]

@TheDucciano pretty sure this comes from an interview with Rob Schneider, I think he was retelling the story of the first time he met Steven Seagal. I could be worn though so don't take that as gospel.

[@prunt23]

@Pappy Tron thank you for that, for some reason I have Jamie Foxx in there in my head too but probably not.

[@nel9357]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@S2Tubes]

How many scripts does he read? Maybe it really was the best script he's ever read.

[@burgundypoint]

His early movies felt down to earth and gritty almost like an action oriented-detective film noir. I remember always being surprised by the raw street brutality.

[@stew6662]

I agree as before him what was dominating the action movues was more fanciful. It was like seeing Daniel Craig for the fist time as 007 after Bronson.

[@cane6074]

I agree, he was basically something of a somewhat overpowered John McClane like figure who had the benefit of knowing martial arts, a kind of blue collar James Bond who would use brutality against truly awful people who had it coming in order to right a wrong. If Steve only just stuck to his old formula and wasn't such a self destructive asshole, his career probably would have been better and lasted longer. He could have a had a career like Michael Jai White or Scott Atkins, or at least be like JCVD or Dolph Lundgren, whose careers did reasonably well despite no longer in Hollywood and in some ways even improved, Steve's career stagnated and got worse as the years went on.

[@dougkuntz968]

The internet caught up with him. He never expected anyone to actually find out his many lies and fabrications.

[@christianc.christian5025]

The funniest thing is that the stuff he wasn't lying about would have been enough. He really is a highly skilled Aikido practitioner, has traveled the world, speaks several languages, has extensive knowledge of ancient artifacts, weaponry, etc., can ride horses and owns a huge ranch. There is nothing about his life that any rational person could laugh at or mock... except for the fact that he so clearly feels the need to compensate for it by making up ridiculous stories about being a soldier and a spy.

[@folkieschannel]

@@christianc.christian5025 My theory is that he was on the cusp of his 'mid-life' crisis just as he hit the big time - he was already losing his hair by the age of 30 - you can sympathise what that would feel like ordinarily, let alone when you've just become a household name. I think overcompensation became a habit, and then a personality trait.

[@christianc.christian5025]

@@folkieschannel It also was just so easy to justify the overcompensation in that time period because so many other people were guilty of it prior to the internet when myth and legend were just what people did. I have relatives who still lie about their arrest records, history, etc. because they're unaware of how the internet applies to things that happened prior to 2010 when they first learned how to use it.

[@reuterss306]

​@@christianc.christian5025 I don't see what's so special about that. Aikido just takes time to learn, not much skill tho. It is just for show, not real martial arts in any way. Take any student from the gym where I used to train and they would kick Seagals butt with ease. :D Also he claimed to speak several languages, but I actually never saw him speak anything else than english and russian since he emigrated to putinland. Those snippets he speaks in other movies doesn't really count. If that counts I can speak 10+ languages. Where I live you learn at least 2 other languages (english/french) in school and if you pay attention you will be abled to communicate fluently at least in one of them after you leave school. So Idk...not that impressed either tbh. :D And I guess Steven knew that himself...he had some skills, but not nearly enough to be that kind of enlightened superhuman being he wanted to be. So he made shit up, probably he is so delusional that he believed it himself at some point. I see no other explanation how he could have the brilliant idea to let Gene LeBell choke him out so he (allegedly) shat himself. :D

[@Dan-di9jd]

@@christianc.christian5025 that's what I don't get about him. I don't think the internet did him in because I remember a lot of people were poking fun of his claims during the 90s. He's fairly accomplished in his own rights but it's like those Navy retirees with excellent careers faking being a Navy SEALs. Just very bizarre behavior overall but once you realize there's money involved you can see why they're doing it.

[@robtierney5653]

Seagal's line delivery, was kind of like a tranquilized William Shatner.

[@brendanforester4601]

😂😂😂 Perfect, I can't un-hear that now!

[@JonSmith-hk1bq]

How much do I have to pay to watch a genuine tranquilized William Shatner? Because that sounds awesome.

[@Jackholiday1025]

I thought he was a good actor but he was just playing the same character every movie

[@ArtofLunatik]

Yeah he had no charisma at all. Just squints his eyes, that guy on mad tv used to do the best impressions of him.

[@joemann7971]

@@Jackholiday1025 news flash: he wasn't acting. He's basically the same guy in real life as in the movies. Or at least he believes that he is.

[@spinningbacksidekick]

He made a movie titled "Belly of the Beast." That is THE perfect title for an out of shape action star.

[@michaelskoomamacher5652]

Butchzzilla does it has a sequel name "under the jacket"?

[@Ezio999Auditore]

The comments here are killing me.

[@harveylee51]

from OUT FOR JUSTICE to OUT OF BREATH!!!

[@B0rnles13]

It's got 666 on the cooling tower near the start!

[@silviosaecios5187]

"Until the heart stop".

[@Ease54]

Seagal spent too much time training in the Fried DoughJo.

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

"Seagal spent too much time training in the Fried DoughJo." Careful. I trained with him!

[@beardedbjorn5520]

This was so bad, I had to like it 😆

[@ShinkuGouki]

He's a pro at "I Eat Doe" 🤣🤣🤣

[@dzonbrodi514]

@@nossasenhoradoo871 Sugar or sprinkles on your doughnuts?

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

@@dzonbrodi514 "Sugar or sprinkles on your doughnuts?" I am your Lady of the O (Orifice). Please treat me with respect!

[@TheAdatto]

Steven Seagal started a workout program. It's called Lost Cause 3.

[@v-trigger6137]

I head his nephew (Rico Seagal) is the lead

[@j.t.thomas1859]

@Raptor It don't get no bigger than that.

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

his shit is still more valuable than your life

[@sneakysnake7695]

@@ArtVandelayOfficial that doesn't hold him above mockery and criticism

[@emilio2647]

I wonder why Vladimir Putin wouldn't encourage his friend Steven Seagal to drop some pounds?🤔😁

[@CraftySouthpaw]

Seagal's decline can be summed up in 2 points: -He had ZERO versatility outside of his "silent but deadly" persona. He went as far as his limited acting talents could carry him, but couldn't branch out beyond that. -His weight gain in recent years cost him any credibility as an action star.

[@tyecook9630]

Coming to a buffet near you soon....hard to fill...

[@Badolo]

From the producers of 'Out for ham'

[@varanid9]

LOL!

[@anthonyg6167]

Hilarious

[@xaagripha7326]

Seagal is squinting to see prices.

[@specialk5952]

Hahaha

[@eduardodiaz9942]

My personal favourite Seagal movie is Under Siege, not so much because of Seagal himself (he performs decently there), but because Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones just devour the scenery whole.

[@squamish4244]

No doubt, also Seagal hadn't become invulnerable yet, the stakes are believably high, and the battleship is the real star of the show.

[@forestpepper3621]

Let's not forget the highlight of "Under Siege": the beautiful Erika Eleniak!!! She's really the only reason I'll watch that movie on occasion. I guess there are some decent fight scenes too.

[@xiangqiu2788]

stuotaku Totally agree. Awesome rackage.

[@squamish4244]

Forest Pepper Really? Her highlight reel is great, but Tommy Lee Jones' rant to the guys at the Pentagon about "an inch of topsoil" is almost as entertaining.

[@pvtrichter88]

the transition from three word titles to two word titles did it for me!! LOL!! but yes throw in Erika eleniak and you have genuine chemistry for a bona fide action ride !! ENJOY!!

[@Sirvanic]

To me, Stevens fighting style was very unique and refreshing back then. When most action movie fights were about throwing basic haymaykers or backhands, or in Van Dammes case flashy kicks. Stevens style was mostly about reacting to and intercepting incoming attacks with fast and slick counter attacks, throws and bone breaking. It just looked so damn stylish and effective.

[@henrytheeightheist8091]

Anyone who takes his 'fighting style' seriously needs their head examined.It's exaggeratted to the extreme....just silly.

[@MB-yk1qk]

@@henrytheeightheist8091 An action movie extraggeting combat abilitys to the extrem??? Thats impossoble!!! Next you wana tell me that I cant jump my car across grand canyon, to shout down a fighting jet and than walk away to have sex withe Scarlett Johansson!

[@suryadas6987]

@Sirvanic 😎👍💥💯💥 Nailed it!!!! 🎯

[@theultraatomicgamer]

@@MB-yk1qk That’s my fantasy right there

[@johnmaverick9555]

I’d still argue that ‘Executive Decision’ was his last financially successful film despite he had a short appearance in that.

[@williamsmith8790]

Glimmer Man had great choreography.

[@Njbear7453]

Probably the best film he’s ever been in

[@kulsevdasi]

Executive decision is a gem with or without him though. The lovable characters, the tension, the style.

[@Njbear7453]

@@kulsevdasi good movie

[@TheBrokenheartedOne]

‘Exit Wounds’ or ‘Half Past Dead’ IMO

[@stevenjackson1747]

He has definitely evolved as an actor. He used to make action movies and now he makes great comedies. His recent movies are among the funniest movies being released these days.

[@a54109]

Never tried them.

[@stevenjackson1747]

Basically every movie he's ever been in was a comedy.

[@blackwaltz463]

+Mr Peaches Latour They aren't when you're talking about Seagal.

[@stevenjackson1747]

Jealous of his money, yes.

[@Jackstation1]

Steven Jackso

[@goldstar9174]

His success also was due to the fact that he was intriguing, but as his real personality unfoiled, the intrigue turned into disgust and disappointment to find so many astonishing character flaws where we actually expected a highly wise real person. What a let down to find such a narcisist instead!

[@zirkattwell3992]

Now that's true. We all thought he was a new hero to replace all the old ones.

[@Igorsov]

Chilly Willy you can say this about most actors.

[@edwardwood6532]

Become a major in demand actor for a few films. For every Keanu Reeves I am sure there are quite a few actors with huge egos.

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

"What a let down to find such a narcisist instead!" That's what I discovered with God!

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

@Maintenance Renegade "He's living proof that the focus and discipline involved in mastering a martial art will not necessarily transfer over into any other aspect of a person's life or character." But it is unlikely that he has mastered any form of martial art: he is just a poser! He's probably a homosexual, too, as aremany of these actors. I have studied both Taekwondo and for a limited period Karate and I can tell when an actor has actually studied a martial art or not!

[@tccandler]

I would pay good money to see him in a Tarantino film. QT loves bringing back once famous 70's and 80's stars.

[@tinmanslickgreasy999]

I don't know if he could act and be natural enough in qt movie...you never know anything is possible!!

[@sterdot]

He was in Machete. You can basically call that a QT film.

[@johndododoe1411]

Seagal has been accused of the same things Weinstein is shunned for. Tarantino has been accused of covering for Weinstein, so Tarantino helping Seagal would be bad for QT's public image. Also, Tarantino is famous for ensuring good team relations on set, while Seagal is infamous for ruining that.

[@RayTheProducer]

QT only brings back folks he respects: underrated actors with real talent. Seagal already got that shot, with the poor man's Tarantino: Robert Rodriguez, in Machete. But hey, you never know. Thing is, it's now considered almost career suicide to be seen working with Seagal. If anyone can save him, it's Stallone...

[@dragon_ninja_2186]

Don’t think that’s ever gonna happen. Seagal is doing his own things while Tarantino probably wouldn’t even dare be near or associated with him.

[@Bartonovich52]

He was a typical tough guy who filled the tough guy role in many action movies. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone. The only difference is that most of those guys could act, and were funny-especially in fish out of water roles like Kindergarten Cop and Demolition Man. Seagal? Too fucking serious for his own good. Even his scripted humour seemed forced and dry. Thank god for Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey.

[@HappyRoach1]

With the exception of Willis, I wouldn't say Van Damme, Stallone, & Schwarzenegger could act but they at least attempted to and tried to play different types of personas in each of their films. Schwarzenegger did a few comedies. Stallone did some drama. Van Damme, despite his thick accent, tried to play different characters especially in Double Trouble. Bruce Willis was multifaceted actor before becoming an action star. It took The 6th Sense to remind audiences that Bruce Willis could actually act. Steven Seagal stayed playing the same character in every movie in every decade of his entire career. A long time ago, I used to think Seagal played Terry Silver in Karate Kid 3, which I would have given him credit for doing something different. But that was someone different who looked like him.

[@Coff1nf33der]

@@HappyRoach1 Stallone is a good actor, when he decides to.

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

"Thank g-d for Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey. " And the blonde with the great tits! Even she could out-act SJ!

[@Lot_2023]

@Vermonster90 lol!!!

[@phil8821]

@@nossasenhoradoo871 She has a name you know.... she was Baywatch Babe Nr 1

[@globrain]

While "Hard to Kill" tends to drag along (especially during the coma recovery scenes), "Above the Law", "Marked for Death" and "Out for Justice" are great action films. During "Under Siege" Seagal started portraying his personal obsession with shooting and barely performed any hand-to-hand combat; this would become a staple in all his films from this point on. When Seagal first appeared on the scene, there was literally nothing like him. At the time, the intensity of the ultra-violence he would punish his victims with was never really seen before. Also, the quiet yet somewhat reluctantly brutal persona he played in those films was easy to take in - much like the experienced worn gunslingers in westerns from the 50's through the 70's. His appearance in the 2008 film "The Onion Movie" as "Cock Puncher" was probably his best work in years.

[@robroy6374]

Exactly. Never saw the appeal of Under Siege. Most of the film takes place in an stupid battleship...boring! The sequel is far more entertaining because it took place on a train. Train > Battleship.

[@squamish4244]

Liam Neeson is an Oscar-winning actor, so he can handle complex tough-guy roles like The Grey that Seagal could never pull off. Van Damme has made some goofy films but it never went to his head. Today it's all about casting actors in action films instead of the other way around so the Seagal era is long gone.

[@SovereignStatesman]

Seagal? Fuck, he thought he was perfect for the title-role in "The Last Samurai--" which shows how fucking STUPID he is, since the title did NOT refer to the main character, played by Tom Cruise! It was about the samurai soldiers and their CULTURE, and how Japan was parting with that tradition in favor of western influence.

[@oscarsamaniego2048]

Tom Evans To be fair, most people dont know that the plural of samurai is samurai.

[@SovereignStatesman]

Oscar Samaniego To be equally fair, most people didn't live in Japan and claim to be 8th-dan Aikido-masters who are the only American ever to open a dojo there, as well as experts on Japanese and Samurai culture, LIKE SEAGAL DID..... meanwhile, anyone who actually DID all that stuff, WOULD know. So the point is that Seagal is SUPER-full of shit---because heDIDN'T EVEN WATCH THE FUCKING MOVIE to know what the fucking TITLE meant. It's like Will Sasso and David Carradine showing that a fool Seagal is, claiming to know shit about martial arts and film when he's just making it up, saying "I watched every episode of Kung Fu-- many the whole way through!" i.e. he only watched it for the fight-scenes.

[@iatsd]

Tom Evans Now, now - get the claims right. He was a 6th Dan by the time he left Japan and went back to the US to commit bigamy, and that's all he claimed to be at that point. The other stuff - yeah, complete bullshite.

[@SovereignStatesman]

iatsd According to his then-wife, Seagal never got a real degree in Aikido, he just used the family to claim it. His students also said that he could never throw them if they didn't LET him, but he staged choreographed demonstrations, which Seagal told Mike Ovitz were REAL FIGHTS-- that's how Seagal got into films, i.e. by claiming he could REALLY DO that. Of course any real martial artist knows that someone can't really just wave his hands and send someone flippng through the air like Charlie Brown kicking the football, any more than a real wrestler can do a standing suplex like in pro wrestling, it's a 2-man act.

[@kilroy987]

There was Arnie, Chuck, Stallone. He was just part of the troupe. Then the troupe moved on, and he kept trying to do the same thing.

[@georgekostaras]

kilroy987 at least Arnold was fun.

[@jasonbowser5754]

Stallone is a bit different because that man can actually act if the part calls for it.

[@Devilsblood]

They still had some kind of successes after the 90s ended. Schwarzenegger was a politician, Chuck had the Norris facts which was one of the biggest internet memes to blowup in the 2000s and Stallone brought all the old stars back for the Expendables films. Van Damme has JCVD, Bruce Willis never needed to stay in action films since he is actually a trained actor. Even Dolph Lundgren stayed active.

[@Las645]

Stallone and Arnie had films that were more than the average 80s actions movies. Films like Rocky and the Terminator genuinely were great cinema and had an impact on film. Chuck Norris and Steven didn't make anything like that back then

[@thomaswelbourn55]

I always think of the comedy series Rules of Engagement when Jeff (Patrick Warburton) says something like: "I fell asleep while watching a Steven Seagal marathon, he was thin, but when I woke up, he was fat."

[@CollinMcLean]

Fat or thin the man cannot act

[@anonb4632]

Maybe Neeson gets the roles because he can act?

[@CaptainCanuck1975]

@Brian O'Kongkohr Neeson also didn't claim that he was a CIA operative.

[@Vaultboy101]

@@fattdamon1980 They both did. Kumate..Kumate....

[@TDL-xg5nn]

Neeson can act but in his action roles like Taken he doesn't really have to. I think that is the point.

[@Vaultboy101]

@@TDL-xg5nn Neeson has fallen into the same typecast trap, only much more successfully (plus he has that unique voice for voice work). He just takes the same role, plays the same character etc. Difference is, Neeson has a filmography prior to Taken that is a million times more diverse than Seagals.

[@nicktubara]

@Brian O'Kongkohr did you really spar with seagal? Did he flip you over the mats a lot? Thats so cool tho. Hard to kill is a classic.

[@markant9534]

Liam Neeson adds gravitas to his action roles something Seagal can`t do, he looks wooden in his roles, Neeson is an oscar nominated actor.

[@j.t.thomas1859]

He's why Batman Begins is so fuckin awesome!! Liam Neeson is gold ALWAYS!!

[@ricosuave6898]

A point so obvious, it's glaring that the video failed to make it. Even a martial arts movie star spends more time acting than air kicking at stuntmen, so if they suck at the acting part, their movies will suck.

[@j.t.thomas1859]

@MR FREEZE-98 YEAH WELL thats you're shitty opinion isn't it?

[@edwardwood6532]

The difference between Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey?

[@lockandloadlikehell]

@@j.t.thomas1859 He's *fucking* boring And dry.

[@Handle35667]

I’ve never understood his appeal. I always thought he was an idiot, and I grew up during the 80s.

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

"I’ve never understood his appeal. I what’s thought he was an idiot. And I grew up during the 80s." Funny, that was always how I thought about Pope John Paul II!

[@ezekiel3791]

@@nossasenhoradoo871 What the hell...

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

@@ezekiel3791 What the hell indeed? "He asked me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?'" That is what I am trying to find out!

[@williamjeffersonclinton69]

@@nossasenhoradoo871 i cannot like your comments enough. HAHA.

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

@@williamjeffersonclinton69 "i cannot like your comments enough." Oh, I am sure you could. Just Bill like could never like having enough sex with young men - like Matt Damon and Ben Affleck! (Heh heh.)

[@HeatherSpoonheim]

The appeal is easy to understand - he was tall, dark, handsome AND had some skills (both acting and action) that any director would love to find in an up and coming star. His downfall was developing the delusion that he was, in real life, the heroes he pretended to be. I think any action star who takes themselves too seriously is doomed to fail.

[@Keyser666]

His sheer egotism destroyed his career, most of the villains in his films weren't even allowed to land a real blow. The often fawning respect that even the villains had for whatever character he was playing made for a lot of unintentional comedy. On Deadly Ground is one of the most unintentionally hilarious films I've ever seen.

[@RobsonT1000]

LOOK AT THIS GUY! THIS GUY PROBABLY HAD A GOOD, OBJECTIVE LOOK AT THIS VIDEO, THEN WENT INTO THE COMMENTS LOOKING FOR ACTION

[@Rattrap007]

What gets me about On Deadly Ground, is Segal blows up an oil rig, then goes on a long 5-10 minute environmental speech. You can't blow up an oil rig, cause major environmental damage, then give a big speech like that.

[@ThePyranthos]

Rattrap007 haha, I never even thought about it, as by the time that movie came out, I was already sick of seagal. Thats priceless! I got sick of him bc it became apparent he was an egomaniac, when after 5 movies, I didn't see him get hit so much as once.. Thats one of the things I loved about Exit Wounds... He actually got tagged, a few times iirc. Made it much more realistic, and gave it more of a movie feel, more so than a biography on how badass he is. That and the fact that it only had a 2 word title, lol. He had a cool image back in the day, but his persona is an arrogant egomaniac that talks outta his ass. Prolly my least favorite 'action star' to date.

[@russellsykes8689]

Keyser Soze True

[@keith_dixon]

Rattrap007 He didn't blow up an oil rig. He was tasked with preventing a disaster, but it was a trap set to kill him.

[@vulturnuszan]

Seagals downfall was the same thing as most cops. donuts.....

[@Seekarr]

Stephen Segal is the poor man's version of the poor man who's the poor man's version of JCVD.

[@CorporaMedicina]

A) in the 80s Aikido was enigma..an exotic art that was not really popular in the action movies. B) he drank too much of his own snake-oil genuinely believing that he is tough guy. The fact is that he never compete in anything nor he has defeated anyone.

[@MemphisRideshare]

He did more than that. He believed all that Hollywood bull shit that was made up for him

[@Ventus_the_Heathen]

@Kirby Little He's a master of Aikido which doesn't really do a lot of pressure testing, unfortunately. That's why people think he's not a legit tough guy

[@aliencatcrew3336]

That comment sounded like it came from steven segal

[@kanegarvey3188]

@Kirby Little He's a pathological.liar. The only one that says he's an Akido master is him so why the fuck should we believe him? He also said during his whole career somehow he was a Louisiana cop for two decades. It's nonsense.

[@Kapalsky]

About this guy... there's an awesome french film critic who swore years ago to review every Seagal movie ever made. And he still does. He said that, because of the actor's monumental ego, because he is so "out of this world" (to take his own expression), such an unbelievable piece of human garbage, it makes him some kind of an unintentional humorous figure. That and the trainwreck aspects of his recent films may also explain why he's still so appreciated by some moviegoers.

[@robertbloom4424]

Seagal's last decade of films is like a really long "Epic Fail" video.

[@brentrichardson6172]

I saw "Under Seige" when it first came out. I remember thinking "this is as good as this guy is going to get".

[@omegasupreme5527]

Yep but teens kept him alive until Under Siege 2. Some people actually applauded when he died in Executive Decision. It was pretty funny because people were just done with it then and he kept going even after The Glimmer Man being a total failure.

[@reptomicus]

Seagal is only good when he's being made fun of like in the Cockpuncher trailer

[@iotaeta-pi2770]

What I liked about Segal's movies was how his fighting style was ruthless and efficient. I appreciated the artistry and stuntwork of guys like Jackie Chan and JCVD, but flashy moves and striking opponents 20-30+ times before they go down seemed a bit off to me.

[@Bundy714]

Exactly. It was never about Seagal as an actor, his movies were popular simply because the fights were quick, realistic and strikes had consequences. Kick someone in the face, and he's done. When Seagal puts a cue ball in a towel and hits someone in the face with it, he only hit's them once, and the fight is over. None of that silly, choreographed, impossibly long, fight scenes, where the human body absorbs numerous kicks and strikes, with no apparent ill effect, other than pissing the guy off and making him come back at you. It was refreshing, brutal, and just so much more realistic, than the great majority of other movie fight scenes. That was what made Seagal's movies different.

[@ElGordodeAlemana]

Thank you for putting into words what I've been feeling yet haven't been able to verbalize until now. This is exactly what I liked about his films as well.

[@aikidoboynj]

@@Bundy714 💯

[@WickerMahn]

Take a shot every time Rossatron says "genuinely decent"

[@Rossatron]

Genuinely decent comment +1 A*

[@pvtrichter88]

glug glug glug FLOOOR!! thankfully I don't drink anymore my preoccupation with this SHIIITE during my darker years reminds of why I should stay away from the sauce!! you lot ENJOY!!

[@YoungTheFish]

My gun is empty by the end

[@Wattsy0909]

pvtrichter88 lol yet you aren't to preoccupied with other stuff enough to stay away and not write this statement 😆

[@BFree-ge6ms]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@meligoth]

It looks like Seagal developed a Napoleon complex after working with some of the best actors in Hollywood at the time of his hit movies and never let go. If Bruce Willis did not let Alan Rickman shine in Die Hard, his career would look different, and if Chuck Norris did not go out and get his ass kicked by Bruce Lee things would have been different also.

[@macklotus6155]

He acts asian, looks native american and his name is probably jewish...what the hell is he anyway?

[@skeeterfinklage445]

What the fuck is Mack Lotus? American and Japanese?

[@user_____M]

WASP mother and father descends from a Jew with Russian and Mongol mix. That's probably the most fascinating thing about him, wondering what his parents looked like, lol.

[@ImJCyo]

Human, probably

[@kharqas]

Fat

[@billmyke746]

Jewish/Irish descent he is.

[@jeremybr2020]

His appeal back in the day is pretty easy to understand if you were watching those movies back then. For one it was either smart marketing or lucky marketing, but the fact that it became known to the public that his martial arts was supposed to be all legit, helped immensely. We all loved us some Jean Claude Van Damme. However it didn't help too much when it got out that Van Dammes martial arts was named something like theatrical martial arts. It was akin to when I found out WWF wrestling is totally fake. It was a let down. But Segal was different.....allegedly. One other thing that helped was Segal's style of fighting. It was not only unique but it was also something most of us average guys could possibly do ourselves. Unlike Van Damme, who would do kicks that I could never do in a million years, Segal was different. Controlling the wrists and flipping him over with it? Sure, with a little practice I can do that, why not? However it started going downhill when his movies were showing obvious camera tricks and speed changes that finally put the lie to his actual ability. From there his appeal plummeted.

[@ExUSSailor]

The moral of the story is, without the great co-stars he's had, Seagal would have never had a career.

[@Cybopath]

Very true. My favourite film of his is Under Siege and its really Jones & Buesy that made that film work.

[@harveylee51]

Poor MICHEAL Cain was probably held hostage for that movie!! obviously needed to pay off debts to the LONDON mob!! AH HA HA HA!!

[@118bone]

I never saw the appeal of Seagal, the choreographies always looked bad to me, and watching him attempting chinese martial arts was just horrible (just that small clip of him using a chinese sword at the beginning is enough)

[@misterguy2329]

Yeah, plus his characters never get hit. Even Bruce Lee got hit in his movies. Jackie Chan protagonists get the shit kicked out of them for most of the movie. Everyone remembers Van Damme with the broken ribs in Bloodsport. But Seagal, nope, his characters never get hit with anything, ever, and it's so fucking boring.

[@dcbanacek2]

You knew in a Seagal movie that the badguy was a legit badass if he got one hit in on him. Under Siege as an example where Strannix manages to cut him. Too bad it was just the one hit, if that. When you start believing your own hype, its time to step back.

[@killersalmon4359]

That was what did it for me - when I noticed that his characters never got hit. The exception is Above the Law, where his character gets pretty f'ed up by the end, and ends up in a hospital bed at the film's end. I think that was his best film. His character actually seemed human, and he stuck to what he knew (Aikido) rather than throwing in Chinese martial arts, which I found really weird.

[@kuribo1]

Absolutely his blending of martial arts that are somewhat the fundamental opposites of Aikido and squishing them together is rather jarring.

[@paulthomson9709]

118bone he couldn't act he's a compulsive liar he's apparently a wife beater his martial art is purely for exhibition purposes only he colours his hair in with black sharpie the man's an asshole ! but when he runs it's all forgiven it's hilarious

[@andrewjones4605]

He always comes off as being more violent then the bad guys he’s fighting, and as a result, he comes off as the bad guy.

[@robroy6374]

Exactly. Just look at the "Out For Justice" scene at the bar.

[@trixx9652]

Out for justice is still one of my favorite action movies. He beats the fuck out of numerous ppl with a pool ball wrapped in a towel. It's beautiful

[@beardedbjorn5520]

That scene is so damn good

[@spencerglover1]

Definitely a top drawer action film, love the bar fight with the pool ball and the stick fight with the Legendary Dan inosanto, great movie ....

[@slinkiegirl2001]

i loved that film especially the end the way he made mince meat of richie true bad ass movie

[@ivans.191]

Anybody seen Ritchie?!

[@gnomeam]

To me Seagal was always a joke with zero self awareness. The only one of his films that I genuinely believed was a good film (and not enjoyably bad) was Under Siege. He can't act or express emotion, he has a permanently soft-ish voice and he basically plays the same character in every film; a nigh unstoppable death machine. This is even more evident in newer films, where he gets into fights but never takes a hit, so there's never any real challenge for him.

[@Redslayer86]

I watched on recently that I can't remember the name of, but he literally calmly and slowly walked up the stairs and beat the hell out of the dude standing at the top waiting for him. Was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

[@B0rnles13]

He has become a bit of a caricature, in one of his films (I can't recall the name) he spends about 2 minutes grimly beating someone's knee with a hammer, overkilled it!

[@devildavin]

a nigh unstoppable death machine that primary job was cooking....

[@stevencoardvenice]

gnomeam This is what makes his 90s movies classic and hilarious. Me and my roommate would drink and smoke and watch "out for justice" and "marked for death" over and over and over again on DVD. Very entertaining. Great violence, and Seagal is ridiculous. Every time a friiend came over to our place to hang out we put those on

[@hiranom20]

It's highly probable that he has a personality disorder.

[@SpaRtanl33tz]

The ending cracked me up "I really don't keep track of space and time to well." 10:45

[@squamish4244]

When trying to sound spiritual fails epically.

[@chancepaladin]

He's got some good 1-liners, that's for sure!

[@jayazathoth8530]

It sounds like a deep way of admitting he's dumb.

[@SpeedyDePalma]

It doesn't take a genius to see how much space he's taking up: a shitton that's how much.

[@34BigPete]

There's significant difference between Liam Neeson and Seagal. Liam Neeson embraces his age as an action star. In all of his action films "Taken" "The Commuter" "Walk Among The Tombstone" they include fight scenes where Liam Neeson gets tackled, punched and hit. His characters are tough but they have limits which heightens the interest in the story. Liam Neeson adds intensity to his fight scenes. In contrast to Seagal movies where he still acts as a deadly CIA/FBI Agent despite the lack of interest and weight he's put on. Seagal is like Tom Cruise where both are simply stuck in the past and are in denial about the future.

[@axt2]

this post didn't age well

[@paradoxinraindrops141]

@@axt2 Even four years ago, I wouldn’t have called this a fair comparison. Tom Cruise, love him or hate him, always puts his neck on the line to capture the action in the lens. He’s been producing his films since MI3 because the bean counters didn’t want him constantly pulling insane stunts out of fear for his safety. And he’s consistently been pushing the envelope further and further with each new project. Flying a helicopter, hanging on to the side of a cargo plane. Segal had a fine start but he’s been resting on his laurels. His movies are filmed around him and how much of a fuck he doesn’t give. He’ll play hardened CIA badasses… and Segal’s weapon handling is so airy it’s like he’s waving around a flashlight.

[@tomoakley760]

Comparing Seagal to Tom Cruise... "it's a bold strategy, Cotton..."

[@bombercountyblues]

In those early days. I think seagals appeal was the fact that his contemporaries at the time all seemed so clean cut. He was just some how grittier! As a 13 year old out for justice blew me away.

[@tomdarrington]

Segal could never act, so comparing him to Neeson is a bit of a stretch.

[@nordicwarrior5014]

He is certainly a better more complete martial artist than Neeson. But I agree Neeson is the far more accomplished actor.

[@danielbrown1378]

Niether can neeson

[@devildavin]

Segal plays the same character in every role, his streetman, Cop, Soldier, Cook are all the fucking same, atleast neeson has had variety over the years

[@anthonylewis2080]

Major MajorMajor : And an insult!.

[@charlesmcgehee3227]

Liam Neeson is an authentic actor. Name one movie that you have seen with Steven Seagal actually acting. You can't.

[@pinchopaxtonsgreatestminds9591]

He failed because his cooking went downhill after Under Siege.

[@terrywright8289]

The Glimmer Man was pretty good too.

[@MrRobjs83]

yeah I liked it too

[@gallegal1971]

His early work was when people still thought martial arts was magic. Over the years people's figured out that Aikido is not an effective martial art.

[@aliencatcrew3336]

Its effective only if big fat people fall down and roll at you.

[@owlobsidian6965]

Right, his success was a product of it's time. In those days martial arts still held a sense of wonder and mystique. After traditional martial arts went out of vogue, then were mostly proven ineffective with the advent of mma, there simply wasn't any place for a "star" like him.

[@aliencatcrew3336]

@@owlobsidian6965 well that and hes all bloat3d like a puffer fish. Anyway if you look at his films, they purposely have the enemy run at him 1 by 1. Unless your the FICTIONAL version of the hulk, 5 guys against one, with weapons. Steven segal is going to die nuff said. Whether its mma marines navy army. 5 jamaicans come after you with machetes, all at once, YOUR GONNA DIE AND IF THAT DOESNT KILL YOU, old age and getting fat YOUR GONNA DIE. The reality is, what are you going to do about the place you go to when you die??? Spend this existence worshiping the body, thus dying with the body and being wiped out of existence OR worshipping the light that consumes DARKNESS. 333 Fuck sea gal Fuck mma Fuck the hulk Fuck all bullshit super heros and villans Fuck the devil Fuck evil I Am EYE I I am energy I consume I DO NOT get consumed I AM THE REAL DOOM GUY. ST MICHAEL

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

"Over the years people's figured out that Aikido is not an effective martial art." Bullets are so much more effective!

[@easternlights3155]

Aikido can be effective... If you do it right. Which Seagal arguably does not.

[@theoldspiceguy7977]

Even in his prime. Watching Steven seagal kick ass was like playing a video game on the easiest difficulty with God mode on, he was practically the opposite of a vulnerable hero.

[@theoldspiceguy7977]

Texas82able his ego wouldn't have allowed it, I mean in his second film he gets shot with a shotgun then runs at his assailant afterwards, as if getting shot didn't even phase him

[@nathanb5579]

Why did he have to be so vulnerable? There is enough of that. Not everything needs to be the same. Back in the day when he had his first 5 good action films if you didn't like them that's fine but they were pretty good action films. Things were different back then and looking at them thru todays lense is not the same thing as when they came out.

[@varanid9]

I think of his first 4 good action films; I was always disappointed that in every movie after those 4 the martial arts took a back seat to the gunfights and things became very generic. As far as vulnerability goes, I haven't heard anyone complain that Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris wasn't "vulnerable". In fact, now that I think about it, Van Damme is the only martial arts star that I can think of offhand that has consistently displayed vulnerability in his films.

[@Gilmaris]

That was his appeal, though: his invincibility.

[@nateriver4951]

varanid9 Bruce had competition in all of his movies. Chuck Norris was willing to die on film in Way of the Dragon. Seagal just always wanted to be vastly superior to everyone.

[@PeterMasalski93]

Its pretty simple; He was a handsome guy and he had a unique fighting style which looked nothing like Chuch Norris, or Van Damme...

[@meredithleavitt5815]

Not handsome AT ALL bro I cant even imagine how ugly u r if u think hes handsome lol

[@blakeprocter5818]

@@PeterMasalski93 Pro-tip: people who talk about how much pussy they get, are usually the ones getting nothing at all. Don't brag about how much you get laid online, it never works. Lol

[@amk8411]

@@blakeprocter5818 In that case I would like to confess I'm getting zero pussy!

[@lonestar6709]

One of his movies is _"Out for a Kill."_ I think _"Out for Lunch"_ would be more appropriate.

[@yvesheinrich5013]

On Hungry Grounds - the best movie he ever directed.

[@dylankaiser5546]

Keith David makes any film his in 10 times better? Not true at all, he makes any movie he's in 20 times better. Keith David is amazing

[@mantislake4141]

The only exception to your rule that I can think of is "There's Something About Mary" and only because his role was too small, which is a punishable offense, unless it was supposed to be a cameo, in which case it was just nice to see him.

[@mrlaidback83]

Keith David makes any videogame he lends his voice to 20 times better as well. See Saints Row 1, 2 and 4 for examples

[@Vaultboy101]

Keith David's voice makes everything ten times better. A whole Keith David makes it twenty times better.

[@mr.raslyon6626]

Not to mention video games....He was excellent in the Mass Effect series.

[@mrlaidback83]

@@Vaultboy101 that's absolutely true lol

[@419Films]

If you can get past the biggest hurdle (Seagal's ego), I think he could do at least reasonably well as a Mr. Miyagi-type mentor for some up-and-coming new action star. That hurdle, though... Superman would have trouble leaping that.

[@SovereignStatesman]

Hey he taught Anderson Silva the front kick, ya know! In fact he INVENTED it! Just ask him!

[@axfn93]

+Tom Evans Oh yeah, he's been working on that kick for like 35 or like 50 years. Ya know, just been developing it and perfecting it for like 42 years

[@chancepaladin]

Mad TV used to make fun of this all the time, they had several really adorable skits about him.

[@foxtrotthree569]

Seagal could salvage his career if he got back into shape, went a PR tour to show people he’s not the person that people say he is and selecting quality scripts. Stallone was on a dry spell for a while in Hollywood but he fought back and got back to where he needed to be.

[@Hyperpandas]

He was a younger version of the Charles Bronson archetype, so inherited that built in audience with a martial arts flavor that appealed to the kids. The Bronson archetype also worked well for the times, when everyone was concerned about gangs, crime rates, etc.

[@captaincaveman2040]

Steven Seagal is STILL making action movies!!?! I would hardly call them action movies at all. I saw one of his more recent films and this clown did maybe half the fight scenes. The rest were all stunt men and body doubles. He is SOOOO obese they have to either speed up the camera or slow it down to make the choreography look believable. In one scene he was supposed to swing over a chandelier and kick an opponent. It was so obvious that it was a stuntman that it made the action sequences of 1970's Starsky and Hutch look like CGI. Seagal is just a washed up slob who has an over inflated ego and waist line.

[@andromeda7588]

I was a huge Steven Seagal fan all the way back to his debut in Above the Law up until about 2001 when he made Exit Wounds. Exit Wounds was still a solid action flick. Seagal was starting to gain weight, but he was still thin enough and looked tough and believable. I even liked all the films he made post Under Siege. The sequel was entertaining, then he had the Glimmer Man and Fire Down Below. Both very decent and underrated in my opinion. In 02 he came out with his last theatrical release Half Past dead. In just one year he gained a shitload of weight and the movie was just terrible. That was the point where the old Seagal truly died for me. Since then all his films have gone straight to DVD. Almost everyone of them he plays same ex special forces operative on a revenge mission.They just keep getting cheaper and more boring to. His voice is dubbed then a hardly convincing stunt double performs all the fight sequences. He has just gotten heavier and instead of losing wait just buys oversized black leather coats to cover his massive girth, and the hairpiece and goatee are just ridiculous. He's just not believable and I can't take him serious anymore.

[@noitallmanaz]

all of those movies were horrible. If you produced those today, they would make no money and be mocked by everyone.

[@HeroicPunk]

This made me immediately want to go and watch every Seagal movie before Under Siege (which is one of my favorite action flicks from that period), especially being that I've never seen any of them in full, so thanks for that! *two thumbs up*

[@Rossatron]

Definitely worth a look. None are objectively great films, but as early nineties action flicks they do the job.

[@ZEMO74]

HeroicPunk Marked for Death was always my favorite of his movies. To me he seemed like a dude from a mafia movie doing martial arts, and killing people in interesting ways. He kind of had a cool factor in his first movies that he later lost.

[@jpsholland]

Bad Ass, is that the only sentence you can write?

[@varanid9]

You may find that his first 4 were his best, if you like the martial arts aspect of his films. Also, they were far more "street-level" gritty than any martial arts movie had been before them, and with better production values, with casts that were actually known for other things. The following year (after "Above the Law"), though, the Van Damme film "Cyborg" came out and, I believe, "Big Showdown in Little Tokyo" with Brandon Lee, though both were far more fanciful, their level of quality rivaled Seagal's film.

[@varanid9]

Oh, they were also the first movies to feature a martial art other than Kung Fu or Karate.

[@joelhenry5489]

As someone who was a connoisseur of martial arts films the thing that really stood out for me was his fighting style. This was the era of the slow motion jump kick and here you had this lethal fighter breaking arms and necks and killing people with a well-placed kick to the gut. It was a totally new idea of fighting, melding "soft" style martial arts with very lethal applications. There was also a realism to his fighting that didn't exist then and is paralleled today by the Indonesian-style warriors from "The Raid" series.

[@aikidoboynj]

💯

[@noitallmanaz]

don't you need to know how to fight to have any style?

[@chubley8248]

Everyone knows the appeal of Steven Seagal is his running !

[@OtakuVs]

This was fantastic, I feel like the same thing needs to be done with Eddie Murphy, who was a powerhouse in the 80s and had a string of success.

[@PaulieAFantoneJays19]

Comparing Eddie Murphy's success to Seagal's is an insult to Eddie Murphy's career...He was way more successful in his career then Seagal

[@rebornpheonix1016]

And to add that Eddie Murphy has for all terms and purposes,retired.

[@Njbear7453]

I wouldn’t compare Eddie Murphy to Steve seagal at all

[@mtx1212]

The dude is born with the perfect poker face...

[@jordan_velasquez]

I think Will Sasso is a better Steven Seagal! HAHAHA!

[@williamjeffersonclinton69]

HAHA I loved those damn skits from MadTV, running around and snapping necks. Sasso just never got the flailing arms kid sister run.

[@stevebrindle1724]

Seeing him run like a middle-aged woman was his main attraction. Really funny to watch!

[@pk13910]

It's the fake hair piece and fully dyed jet black hair and goatee that makes him look ridiculous.

[@jockejocke1]

Him and Nic Cage too.

[@darkmountainsofcold8763]

Shit up u piece of shit , thats what make him badass its hes style deal with it u bitch

[@_Only_Zuul]

and the stupid goggles...

[@standardofexcellence]

pk13910 did he use a stunt man to avoid it coming off in action sequences, lol?

[@Mysticinvestigations]

That's not even a wig. It's sprayed on hair from a can!

[@benjaminzbogar4954]

7:48 prove Seagal, that when he wanted to be...was a legitimately good fight performer not actor, not director. fight performer. that more or less sums up the appeal and the reason he fell from fame.

[@chrisnelmes7180]

Notice that he hasn't even shown up in ANY of the Expendable movies. Apparently very few of the action actors will have anything to do with this guy. And whenever l see under siege, l keep thinking one word FLUKE!!

[@BWater-yq3jx]

Stallone said he'd need to lose weight. Clearly that was a deal-breaker! 😏

[@ctakitimu]

Whenever I see Under Siege I think of Erika Elinak..or however you spell it - Cake Girl

[@RogerRoger182]

Segal had problems with the director of the first movie in the past. He was asked for the first movie but declined because of this.

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

those movies are trash,he doesn't want to be in them

[@jllamb88]

Art Vandelay compared to the forgettable crap Segal is putting out these days the Expendables films might as well be Oscar worthy.

[@repairshop22]

Out for justice is one of my top 5 films. LOVE IT. ANYBODY SEEN RICHIE!?

[@CrimsonRaven51]

repairshop22 I wanna know who killed Bobby Lupo 🤣

[@repairshop22]

@@CrimsonRaven51 its 'anybody know why richie killed bobby lu-po!?" Cmon man! 😋

[@JoshT-rb9gq]

Son of a bitch you knocked my teeth out

[@11094DEREK]

Get him sticks

[@slinkiegirl2001]

my scene is when he goes into the bar looking for richie and meets ritchies bruv whom is not telling him where his bro is, and he beats up everyone there including sticks

[@Rhino-n-Chips]

The first time I heard that blood bank line I burst out laughing. It's delivered with dead seriousness, as big a stretch as saying "I'll take you to the car, but it's a HEARSE!", and it's not even a threat. I'll take you to the blood bank so you can donate some blood and feel like you helped society. Scared yet?

[@jazzymoni7750]

Marked for Death is still one of my all-time favorite movies.

[@lazarus30001]

Look at Segal's martial arts skills off the screen where everything is not coreographed; it's a completely different story.

[@Bartonovich52]

That’s all martial arts in general. That’s why I think UFC is so fucking boring... and doing rendori at a dojo is far from pretty.

[@maddumass]

He was at one point in law enforcement. And he was heavy.

[@cmolodiets]

@@maddumass he's still heavy (not in law enforcement thou)

[@maddumass]

@@cmolodiets thee is correctth.

[@ricosuave6898]

When Seagal was young he actually was quite accomplished at Aikido, becoming one of the first westerners to teach it in Japan. All the fake demos you see him in now are staged because he is a fat, old narcissist, but at 30 years old, Steven Seagal would seriously fuck up an untrained opponent, no matter how big. Say what you want about the effectiveness of Aikido vs. other martial arts, a guy with as much training as Seagal has had would almost certainly dominate anyone without sufficient training of their own.

[@leighfennell7890]

It wasn't his wooden acting and dialogue. He is an accomplished martial artist.

[@TouchingClothProd]

I love that that the name of this video is What *Was* The Appeal, not What IS. Because, well ...

[@judevenalian5008]

The best Steven Segal movie? Executive Decision. Because he's only in the first 15 minutes and he dies.

[@flappospammo]

hahaha , so true

[@dewaynecummings5692]

Jude Venalian lol

[@monkeysgalore4264]

That movie is so underrated.

[@ericrhodes5174]

What? He actually gets physically harmed in a film?! Now this I gotta see!

[@afterburner8083]

oh you

[@TuanRyuJin]

Very nice Analyzation here! Thanks for this great work.

[@nicegy0197]

Honestly didn't think "On Deadly Ground" was that bad. However, I wish I could say the same for "Fire Down Below".

[@MrRobjs83]

the 2nd half of it was good, not the 1st

[@sparrowhawk81]

"...to the blood bank". BARFFFFF

[@Liquidcadmus]

Excellent analysis, you're spot on on everything here. I also like Out for Justice best out of all his movies. there's a clear difference between his before under siege and after under siege movies. his failure to sustain his career seems to be due to his own difficult and conflictive personality.

[@markant9534]

+Liquidcadmus William Forsythe said the original Out for Justice script had a good story but halfway through filming Seagal brought in the martial arts scenes so the movie looked off balance and was panned by critics.

[@Liquidcadmus]

didn't notice anything off balance about it, but I watched it many years ago. I should watch it again now and pay attention to see if it seems off in any way. but regardless, it's a fun action movie and the only movie I've seen where the main bad guy really gets overkilled, there's a satisfaction to seeing a psycho get destroyed like that.

[@varanid9]

I didn't see anything "out of balance"; the story was fine for what it was, and, being an action film first and foremost, I'd say the martial arts scenes were what people went to see it for, anyway.

[@varanid9]

Yeah, it seemed almost too much. I think the most gratifying "overkill", however, has to go to the villain that Clint kills at the end of "Sudden Impact" - shot, electrocuted and impaled, LOL.

[@squamish4244]

Strong performances by Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones, the plot (shocking, I know) and the aesthetic appeal of the battleship helped carry Under Siege when Seagal fell short. He mistook the movie's success for HIS success.

[@lexi9956]

Ask yourself whats the appeal of John Wick? Seagal was doing simple, brutal shooting/fighting at a time when John woo over the top action was a rule. That appeals to certain people. Who like a "realistic street fight" vibe in their action flick.

[@aikidoboynj]

Yup and the action scenes were better and felt so much more real then even John Wick and anything else for that matter. No 360 degree spinning heel kicks shown 3 times in slow motion as was the norm in other martial arts and action flicks of the time.

[@mufaromawere4819]

I was rewatching Rambo First Blood today and had a conversation with my mom about why Steven Seagal was a classic action movie star like Stallone, Arnold or JCVD in the first place when I couldn't even recall a single popular movie of his. Granted, my mom mentioned Under Siege which I've never watched. But regardless, really wondered how he became someone you think of in a similar vein to the rest of the action stars here in Africa. So I went looking for answers and you my friend have earned a sub.

[@LegionIscariot]

Ego (and weight) got in the way.

[@KalashnikovPaouzzi]

i dont know, imo he was always a cheesy action movie guy

[@SovereignStatesman]

That's SLEAZY.

[@CyberLance26]

Action heros like this was considered cool in the old days and not cheesy at all and i miss those days. :(

[@sayckeone]

He was, but his original few films were genuinely fun action flicks.

[@KalashnikovPaouzzi]

and you fanboy?

[@ThePleds]

Mohamed Ali segal a legend and arnold cheesy? Bahahahahahahahahaha... thats a good one 🤣

[@Scyllax]

I always thought his movies were crap. I couldn’t tell you what they were about. Absolute drivel.

[@mantislake4141]

I was an action movie junkie in the '80s and early '90s. I saw just about all of 'em. From the Stallones & Schwarzeneggers to the Van Dammes & Lundgrens to the lowly VHS rentals of Cynthia Rothrock & Lorenzo Lamas. The action in Seagal's early flicks blew away everything else at that time with speed and brutality. I rushed to the theater to catch his films. Both "Marked for Death" and "Out for Justice" would still make my top 10 (non sci-fi) action list.

[@brianrosenthal82]

The appeal was simple: Whereas most action stars were either all muscle and no real training (Stallone/Arnold) or just too "fancy" (Van Damme), Segal brought a real-world approach to his action... no schmaltzy spin kicks, no over choreographed fight scenes, no choppers with missiles, just Aikido and wrecking dudes on camera with real martial arts. We "bought" him, to sum it up (regardless of his reputation going to trash a short time later).

[@robertbloom4424]

Aikido is useless in a fight, but nobody knew that in 1988-1994.

[@gangstataco7502]

Stallone actually did boxing, and van damme was a kickboxer.... that’s not “ fancy” it’s a real martial art.... the most ironic thing is that akido is the “fancy” shit that doesn’t actually work....

[@Cenot4ph]

aikido works, but the problem is you need extensive training in it before it becomes useful. It's less effective in that sense than 90% of the other martial arts. Once you do reach a mastery level, it's quite effective at disabling attackers, it's mostly defensive after all

[@gangstataco7502]

Cenot4ph No.... drunken bar idiots would most likely kick the shit out akidio masters 😂.... it’s literally the most idiotic way to try to defend yourself....

[@Cenot4ph]

Gangsta Taco haha, your ignorance shines. It's actually a practical martial arts but not for the likes of you

[@spencerkindra8822]

"He was worried Forsythe would upstage him." A ten year old kid could upstage Steven Seagal.

[@thomasraahauge5231]

A fair to decent director could have a pile of wet cardboard upstage him . . .

[@evenflow5491]

He’s the main goddamn villain. He’s meant to

[@almightycinder]

Chuck Norris clearly never cared. Almost every villain he has in his movies upstages him, with Robert Forster, David Carridean and Billy Drago as standouts. Forster probably even has more screentime than Norris.

[@dzonbrodi514]

@@almightycinder Chuck Norris seems less bothered about his Legend than Seagal, less insecure and way better humoured

[@timtrainage]

For me, there never was an appeal. I've never enjoyed any of his films. I thought he was a bad actor and a half-ass martial artist.

[@MrRobjs83]

his appeal is that he brought a different martial arts style to the table that wasn't super flashy with high flying kicks and backflips which made sense in his case since he was already a big guy anyways so it would be tougher for him to do moves like that but he brought a more practical street self-defense style of martial arts to the table, plus the fact that he was a big dude and very intimidating and his original movies were actually good, good plot/storyline and were all big budget Hollywood action movies

[@jfrsnjhnsn]

Early Segal was like a ninja version of Robert DeNiro.

[@Crurned]

Let's put it this way, a coworker put it better than me when I worked as an usher at a theater. he had a problem with pre-Daniel Craig's Bond. James Bond rarely get bruised, and made his hand to hand combats very easy. Seagal always played the same, he was unscathed on every film, without a single bruise.

[@Melvinwacko]

Exactly. It's like playing a game with invincibility cheats, there's no tension or suspense cause the hero is never in any real danger.

[@peterrivera8964]

I hope your coworker doesn’t like the Daniel Craig Bond films. They are horrible

[@archivedaccount5990]

Just like with Milla Jovovich in Ultraviolet.

[@BWater-yq3jx]

@@justgunsolid Yeah , I can think of plenty of fight scenes just off the top of my head, where Connery or Moore only just managed to survive...

[@metalphobos3632]

For me it was his martial arts style with all of the heavy duty bone breaking and his big ego. It worked for us kids in the nineties. We had JCVD, Segal, Arnie, Stallone, Gibson, Willis and more. These guys nowadays dont touch those dudes. They never will.

[@blakemelkey3774]

One of his newer movies he's a sniper and he's not in any scenes with the other actors. He's only in sniper positions shooting or talking on a radio.

[@nossasenhoradoo871]

"One of his newer movies he's a sniper and he's not in any scenes with the other actors. He's only in sniper positions shooting or talking on a radio." It's been done before: 'Enemy at the Gates'.

[@BruceLeedar]

I can't believe how thin Seagal used to be. Insane.

[@slinkiegirl2001]

i know he has seriously piled on the timber

[@babybird871]

look at Kirstie Alley in Star Trek 2..

[@danny_boy9062]

"Has anyone seen Ritchie?!"

[@beardedbjorn5520]

Ritchie Laboue?!

[@emirduratovic9954]

"Who did Bobby Luppo?!"

[@NexusKin]

"Anybody know why Ritchie did Bobby Lupo?"

[@JackBurton.]

Christopher Regan Lmao I love the internet.. I just watched my blu ray of out for justice and it is still a certified classic!!!

[@stephenandrew8387]

His fight scenes were so realistic and the revenge/justice storylines were very satisfying. His ego got the better of him as he got successful and you could see it in the more and more ridiculous jackets that he wore, obviously his own input, and crap dialogue, his input too, and his real personality showing up in his films, his input totally.

[@EvosBasics]

honestly I was pleasantly surprised to see him in Machete and thought he actually did quite well and fit the role of a bad guy. He even tried to have a Mexican accent! Sadly that was already like 10 years ago lol

[@loudmusickillsthepain648]

I never saw Steven Segull and Jim Balushi in the same room, at the same time.

[@steveg261991]

He needs to get in shape, lose his dated sense of appearance, and come back as a genuine, well-written, antagonist in well directed, non-action film. I was never a fan of his but he does has that presence on screen. He needs a film that gets him out of his comport zone that, let's be honest, has never really been a very good fit for him to begin with. I want to like him but his acting is so one dimensional

[@jamesturpin9091]

McClain at the end of die hard is defeated, bloody, wounded, and barely survives Segal in all of his films seem untouched by the end. There's no real stakes.

[@mrvampire7577]

Since I watched his early movies back in the 80s as a teen age martial art and action movie enthusiasts, I always thought he was one of the crappiest actor/action star.