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The Beauty of Belly of the Beast

pg. 2

"What gives," is that this particular film is helmed by an actual professional, for a change. Hong Kong action director Ching Sui Tung has brought us such colorful free-for-all's as Naked Weapon (girls and guns), Dr. Wai and the Scripture with No Words (Jet Li's Indiana Jones-type comedy) and Conman in Tokyo (a film that's so much fun it defies words). He clearly knows what he's doing and it would seem that Stevie's in good hands.

Tim: I would have to agree with reservations, Matt. The cinematography was indeed lovely and the acting, while causing me to wince a few times, was not without its merits. But the wirework left me cold as often as it impressed. I’m referring mainly to the sequence henceforth known as the Trainyard of a Million Bullets. We were rolling on the floor and rewinding when that popped up. More on that later. First the synopsis:

Belly of the Beast, 2003

DVD Synopsis: Steven Seagal is Jake Hopper, once an operative on the inside on his way to retirement, when he receives some startling news. While vacationing in Thailand, his daughter is kidnapped by a notorious terrorist group, Abu Karaf. The C.I.A. launches an attack mission to save her, but that's not good enough for Hopper. He has never been one to play by the rules and this time -- there are no rules. Tagline: A father's rage knows no limit.

Matt: Once upon a time, C.I.A. spook Jake Hopper (Seagal) and his partner Sunti (Byron Mann) were busting drug dealers. One thing leads to another and soon the streets run red with blood. Seagal throws a few men through a nearby wall, shoots about five men with around three bullets, and Sunti waves his arms a little and jumps out the window to the street where he shoots a woman with a child by accident. This allows a drug dealer to get the drop on him, putting one into Sunti's shoulder, before Seagal takes the dealer down.

Years later, we have Hopper breaking into an unknown baddie's palatial spilt-level, stealthily robbing said baddie's safe for some documents or such. On his way out, Hopper stops and raids the fridge. Whether or not this moment was planned ahead of time is unknown. He's a soon-to-be-retiree who still dabbles in the occasional operation, thereby fulfilling both the "former black-ops type guy" and the "a few days 'till retirement guy" dramatic prerequisites. All he needs now is a family member in danger and we can get rolling.

Hey there, guess what? Hopper gets a call from his lovely daughter Jessica (Sarah Malukul Lane) who's off skipping through Thailand with friends. Not long after this though... she and her friends are all enjoying a stay in a cocaine brothel, having wild drug-orgies and making it with old people and animals. Just kidding. They're only kidnapped, presumably by the leader of the Abu Karaf in exchange for the release of political prisoners. Seagal looks up Sunti when he reaches Thailand. Sunti has entered the monkhood, but he returns to Steve's side to help save his daughter.

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