Kicks ‘n’ Flicks: A Review of “Hard to Kill” (1990) Starring Steven Seagal

By Jenni Nather, StaciAnne Kaeleigh Grove, and Joshua Blum

The movie that will go down in history as the first appearance of Steven Seagal’s iconic ponytail is a 1990 release from Director Bruce Malmuth. In addition to The Ponytail, the film also stars Steven Seagal in his second major theatrical release, along with then-wife Kelly LeBrock, William Sadler, and Frederick Coffin.

The plot revolves around LA Detective Mason Storm (Seagal), who stumbles upon evidence of political corruption. In an attempt to prevent his identity from being discovered, the politician works with a ring of mobsters and dirty cops to have Storm and his wife and son murdered. Storm survives this attempt and is hospitalized in a coma as a John Doe for his protection. Seven years later, Storm wakes from his coma and begins the fight to reveal the truth and avenge his family.

The film debuted at #1 at the US Box Office. Although the critics have been harsh (the film is rated at 33% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this article), audiences found plenty in this film to enjoy, and it has become one of the most recognizable martial arts films of its era.

Jenni’s Review

Cheesy dialogue. Terrible acting. Uncomfortable sex scenes. Sexual misconduct. This movie has it all!

It is blatantly obvious to me that Steven Seagal did not become a martial arts movie icon for his acting ability. If I had to guess, I’d say his unusual height and unique movement style (for the time) opened that door for him. Once he was in, he certainly made an impression on the right people … somehow.

This movie brings us Steven Seagal as the main character, Mason Storm, a detective who finds out secrets that put his life and the lives of his wife and son on the line. From early in the film, we discover that Storm believes he is the best at his job. Every action is dripping with ego and arrogance, and it’s when Storm is dropping smug dialogue that his character seems the least awkward.

If this movie is among his best performances, I find myself at least a little perplexed to know that ANYONE in Hollywood would invite him to be in a feature film. His facial expressions are all the same, and I did not feel there was good chemistry between him and any other actors in the flick.

I get where the folks in the movie industry thought they might be able to make Seagal a sexy leading man. He was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Watching Storm during the romantic scene with his wife, though, I never once felt turned on. His movements were awkward and clumsy, which is strange, since I imagine martial artists to have better control of their bodies.

Let’s move on to the plot of this feature. Law enforcement official is spying on bad guys, bad guys find out he knows stuff, he and his family are murdered to teach him to mind his own business (not a spoiler, it’s the premise of the film and happens early), but our main character survives the attack! He’s just in a coma! And his cop friend helps hide him to keep him alive! Flash forward, he’s awake, and he’s hiding to avoid the bad guys who just found out he’s alive. Can he stay alive long enough to find revenge?

I was so unimpressed with this film that I’m tempted to answer that question here to spare you the need to watch the film yourself. That’s 1 hour 36 minutes you won’t get back. HOWEVER, to each their own, so by all means, watch it.

Before you do, you should know about the nurse. During his coma, Seagal’s character is cared for by a nurse played by Kelly LeBrock, whom you may remember from Weird Science. Her character in this movie, Andy Stewart, is more than weird. She’s criminal.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that I watched this movie several decades beyond its original theatrical release. The passing of time has allowed many aspects of this film to become not only outdated, but often crossing the line into disturbing. That said, at what point in time was it EVER okay to openly fantasize about a patient while taking a peek at his junk???

Yes, you read that right. Andy not only whispers sexy talk to Mason in his comatose state, she also tells him he has so much to live for … as she lifts the bed sheet to get an eyeful of Storm’s manly goods … with a desperate, “PLEASE, wake up.”

SPOILER ALERT: They eventually do it.

Hard to Kill? How about Hard to Enjoy?

Staci’s Review

*Staci has chosen to abstain from an official review for this movie, leaving us instead with this comment:

“The movie itself was cheesy but enjoyable and has some great moments and lines. The plot was completely unbelievable (waking up from a multi-year coma and returning to running and weightlifting in days???) – but I didn’t seem to care. I was at least enjoying it for sheer entertainment. But – I can’t unsee and unlearn things I know. And I can’t recommend this movie.”

Josh’s Review

Attempting Sutemi in Hard to Kill

The Japanese term, sutemi, is often translated as “sacrifice.”  Sacrifice throws in jujitsu, for example, involve one combatant going to the ground in such a way to use the momentum of the fall to accomplish the throw, thereby gaining a more favorable position.  You may be reading this and wondering what sacrifice has to do with the 1990 film, Hard to Kill, with Steven Seagal and his then real-life wife, Kelly LeBrock.  You may also be questioning if this is some kind of euphemistic way of suggesting the film is not very good.

All fair questions.  And, yes, this is not a very good film, but I’m not sure anyone watching it will be expecting Citizen Kane.  Many action movies of the 80s and early 90s exist to check your brain at the door, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  I generally delight in such films and expected to similarly enjoy Hard to Kill.  But there was something off about it, and at the time, I could not identify what it was.  Writing my thoughts down was equally frustrating.  I kept getting stuck, hoping that by shifting my metaphorical footing, I could maneuver my thoughts into a better position.

In other words, I attempted sutemi … and failed.

I was not very successful, I think, because Hard to Kill lacks the kind of tongue-in-cheek comic book humor that makes this kind of film enjoyable.   Action films of this vintage are believable in an alternate reality that does not take itself too seriously.  Mason Storm, the protagonist played by Steven Seagal, is a streetwise, single-minded detective on the trail of a corrupt politician, Senator Vernon Trent, who is involved with the local mob and arranges for Storm’s family to be killed.  Trent is clearly meant to be the bad guy.  But Storm seems like an equally antisocial character who just happens to be wearing the badge (at least initially … after coming out of his coma, Storm acts as a vigilante, further blurring the lines).  As you might guess, Storm definitely takes himself very seriously.

He has a right to, of course.  After all, the man loses his wife, his home, his career, seven years of life while comatose, and his partner, Lt. O’Malley, who has become a kind of surrogate father to Mason’s son (who miraculously escapes the scene of his mother’s murder).   Such is the stuff of tragedy.  I wanted to feel sorry for Storm.  But it was hard to when it was difficult to tell the difference between him and the mobsters he seemingly delights in killing.

Part of me wonders what would have happened had the filmmakers instead opted to make the film a drama.  How can a man who is shot and comatose for seven years not be affected negatively by the experience?  In the film’s script, he remains cognitively intact and rehabilitates his body back to his former fighting shape in what seems like a matter of weeks or even days, but what would have happened had he not regained his previous level of functioning?  For example, what if post-coma Mason Storm, former macho man extraordinaire, were transformed by the experience into an ordinary man, beset by nightmares, who has flashbacks to the night he was shot whenever he hears gunfire?  With limitations like that, how does he exact his revenge?  Does he attempt sutemi and let go of the need for revenge, instead opting to finally be a father to his son?  Does he instead decide to switch careers, opting to advocate for the rights of the comatose?  That might have been interesting to see.

It also might have made Storm a bit more human, a bit more relatable.  In the film, he exits the stage triumphant, with his son, Kelly LeBrock, and nary a scratch, having raked up an impressive body count consequences be damned.  But we know how revenge stories go.  Karmic justice prevails, and the hero ends up unfulfilled long term.  Somewhere, in another reality, perhaps, there is a version of this film where the timeline is a bit different.  Lt. O’Malley, who, like so many other characters that helps Storm, is written off as collateral damage in the original script.  What if Storm were successful in exposing Senator Trent but instead of O’Malley sacrificing himself, Storm does so instead?  This is perhaps the more Japanese way of ending the story, where the lone wolf antihero redeems himself so others may live.

Part of me wonders if Seagal himself, who had spent time in Japan studying martial arts like aikido and karate, might have preferred an ending like that.  I doubt he had the kind of creative control at this early point in his film career to make that happen, but either way, I suspect US audiences would probably have hated such an ending.

Regardless, it’s not what happened.  One of the interesting things about sutemi is that in order to attempt what seems like a desperate maneuver, one must accept reality for what it is.  For some reason, I tried to make Hard to Kill into something more than a mindless actioner.  By finally putting my thoughts down, I can let go of such expectations.  Expectations, as any Buddhist will tell you, are the roots of discontent.  And so I roll forward, emerge lighter and freer, and able to appreciate the film for its real merits – Kelly LeBrock, the early 90s fashions, the horrendous ponytail they gave Mason Strom, and the montage scene where Steven Segal rehabilitates himself from zero to hero by doing the best tricep extensions known to man.  There are some things in life that one must see to fully appreciate.  I do not regret having spent the time to watch and ponder the enigma of Hard to Kill.  Viewed in the right frame of mind, I hope you, too, may be similarly blessed.

Who We Are

Jenni Nather began training later in life at the non-traditional age of 32. She is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Pilsung Moo Do, a blend of Korean martial art styles including Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, and Hapkido. In addition to training, this mom of four enjoys yoga, reading, baking, and cooking in her “spare time.” Jenni is a proud member of Team whistlekick as the Director of the Book Division. Find Jenni on Facebook or message her on Instagram (@jenninather397).

StaciAnne Grove trains in taekwondo at Yordan’s Black Belt Academy where she is currently a red belt. An avid amateur photographer, she got into taekwondo because she couldn’t get the timing right on her images – and had a vast photo collection of chambered kicks. She’s also a member of the USBA | WBA an organization that promotes breaking in all its forms.  She’s part of Team Whistlekick and loves the connections across styles and borders. In her muggle world work, she works for a health network in Vermont and northern New York trying to create connections through story and databases. You can find Staci on Facebook or TikTok (sulis_dracarys).

Joshua Blum was introduced to tae kwon do at age 13 and has studied a variety of arts ever since.  He is currently a practitioner of traditional Chinese archery and ninjutsu and writes fantasy novels inspired by his martial arts experiences as well as 1980s fantasy, science fiction, and martial arts films.  He is reachable at 13thhr.wordpress.com. 

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Jenni Nather

Director, Book Division; Tour Manager, Events Division at whistlekick

Jenni Nather began training later in life at a non-traditional age of 32. She is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Pilsung Moo Do, a blend of Korean martial art styles including Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, and Hapkido. In addition to training, this mom of four enjoys yoga, reading, baking, and cooking in her spare time. Jenni is a proud member of Team whistlekick as the Director of the Book Division as well as the Event Coordinator for Free Training Day Mid-Atlantic.

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