Tag: woke

Brand New Saints Row game coming to Xbox consoles on February 25, 2022

Brand New Saints Row game coming to Xbox consoles on February 25, 2022

carlocarrasco

If you are a fan of the Saints Row series of video games or if you are a gamer who is constantly looking for fun-filled, action-packed open-world games, be aware that the brand new Saints Row game is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X on February 25, 2022! It is indeed a series reboot and already you can order a copy of it for your Xbox by clicking here.

For your excitement, watch this official announcement video…

The next video below is about the production of the game which includes words from varied creators at Volition plus actual gameplay footage. Watch closely and pay attention.

Now to put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Xbox.com article written by Deep Silver Volition chief creative officer Jim Boone. Some parts in boldface…

Saints Row is back and better than ever! We’ve completely rebooted the game, with a brand-new setting, new characters, and new tone, bringing the Saints franchise up to date for today’s gamer.

The game is set in Santo Ileso, a vibrant fictional city set in the American Southwest with nine unique districts and two deserts, currently controlled by three enemy factions: Los Panteros, The Idols, and Marshall Defense Industries.

You start out as the future Boss, our charismatic murder machine, and you get to decide who you want to be, with extensive customization options; you literally get to be Self Made. You team up with your three best friends, Neenah, Eli, and Kevin and begin your mission to rise to the top and build your criminal empire.

However, as this is Saints Row, it’s not an easy ride. You must defeat the three enemy factions and take Santo Ileso as your own. Experience epic gunfights and highspeed chases as you explore the biggest and best Saints Row playground ever, laced with the signature humor the series is known for.

An arsenal of extensive, customizable weapons is all available to you, with cars, bikes, VTOLs, helicopters, and wingsuits all adding to the enormous fun. And two-player co-op means you can enjoy all this with a friend.

Shooting and high-speed chases are part of the Saints Row formula of gameplay.

I am personally very interested with this brand-new Saints Row game. I first got to play the original Saints Row on Xbox 360 way back in 2006 and it was one of my first games on the console. That original game was developed by Volition and published by THQ. I had even more fun with Saints Row 2 and I had the best and most fun-filled gaming sessions with Saints Row: The Third. Saints Row IV turned me off, however, as it was way too outlandish and it was made at a time of uncertainty.

Going back to the Saints Row reboot, based on the above details and the short gameplay clip, I still see some traces of the key gameplay features that defined the Saints Row franchise’s first three games. Players will get to lead a gang and gain respect as they build themselves up in the presence of rival gangs within a fictional city that is divided into sections. The feature of customizing your weapons and vehicles is also back. Also it has been confirmed that character customization is back.

Honestly, this creative design as the default look of the “Boss” that gamers will get to play is ugly and ill-conceived. Good thing that gamers will be allowed to customize their character.
How many cactuses have you spotted in your city?

Here is hoping that more updates about the features and setting of the new Saints Row game will be released over the next few months heading towards the February 2021 launch. I am hoping that the game developers will seriously pay attention to the features that made the Saints Row: The Third so much fun such as owning properties, cyber blazing and the signature activities like Mayhem, Snatch, Insurance Fraud, Trafficking, Heli Assault, Tank Mayhem and Professor Genki’s Super Ethical Reality Climax.

As the new Saints Row is a reboot and has a very brand new setting as well as an obvious Millennial-inspired cast of characters (it looks like there are some woke, politically correct and diversity-obsessed people inside Volition), it is uncertain if most of the above-mentioned gameplay features will be included.

Saints Row and Xbox

The new in-game setting reminds me of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
A helicopter lifting a car. The in-game action should be wild like before.

Nothing changes the fact that the Saints Row franchise really started commercially on the Xbox 360 even though the very first game started development as a PlayStation 2 project. That first game sold over 2 million copies as an Xbox 360-only release while Saints Row 2 saw stronger reception on Xbox 360 than on PlayStation 3 and went on to sell 3.4 million copies worldwide by September 2010. The peak of the franchise Saints Row: The Third, which was released November 2011, sold more than 5 million copies worldwide as reported by GameSpot.

The connection between the Saints Row and Xbox brands is notable and real even though it is not obvious enough to be noticed. In my experience, I played the first SR games on my Xbox 360 and by the time I played the 3rd game, my console was already aging. Fortunately my Xbox 360’s problems did not prevent me from fully enjoying Saints Row: The Third.

When backwards compatibility on Xbox One was realized, I replayed the three SR games on my console and had a lot of fun replaying them. As for the remastered version of Saints Row: The Third, I have yet to play it but it has been confirmed to run at 60-frames-per-second with dynamic 4K resolution on Xbox Series X. Just imagine how the new Saints Row will run on Xbox Series X.

Will the Saints Row reboot be a fun and engaging game to play once it finally comes out? We will only find out on February 25, 2021.

In ending this piece, here are some Xbox and Saints Row-related videos for your enjoyment.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at V #5 (1985)

A Look Back at V #5 (1985)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book, watching the V mini-series (Original Miniseries and The Final Battle) and the 1984 TV series, and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, science fiction enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the V entertainment franchise of the 1980s! Before I start this newest retro comic book review, I am happy to say that I recently published my retro review of V: The Original Miniseries which is one of the most in-depth retro reviews I wrote so far. I recommend you to read it now. If you are a fan and you are interested to buy yourself the original mini-series on Blu-ray disc format, head on to Amazon. Now we can return to the 1980s comic book series.

Last time around, Ham Tyler and Chris continued their operation which resulted getting reunited with the star child Elizabeth Maxwell (refer to V: The Final Battle mini-series of 1984). Meanwhile, Mike Donovan and Julie Parrish met with delusional astronomer Earl Meagan (patterned after Carl Sagan) who is obsessing with meeting Diana of the Visitors.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at V #5, published in 1985 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and drawn by Tod Smith.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Diana, Linda and Charles watching a video message from the delusional Earl Meagan expressing his thanks to her (Diana) for accepting his peace proposal for a summit of peace between the humans and the Visitors. He expressed more of his delusion stating that he is confident that both of their races will benefit from the meeting.

Diana explains to her powerful companions that they have a lot to gain by turning one of Earth’s most influential figure to their side. After Diana left, Linda expresses that their commander has gone too far. Charles tells her what she is thinking of.

On Earth, in the presence of Ham, Chris and Bates, a weakened Elizabeth recalls her time with Kyle when they went into hiding away from the Visitors’ search team. She then makes mental contact with Kyle.

Elsewhere, as Mike Donovan and Willie watch the newscast about the peace summit between Diana and Earl Meagan set to happen soon, Julie Parrish personally tells the astronomer (by the helipad within a city) that he just can’t go as such a meeting is suicide. Still delusional, Meagan tells Julie that she is no different from her short-sighted friend Mike, leaves her and rides the helicopter to push through with the summit…

Quality

Realizing her mistake with the delusional astronomer Earl Meagan, Julie comes back to Mike.

First thing to mention is the good news that the quality of the writing and plotting by Cary Bates has the high quality maintained throughout. While the story about the peace summit between Earl Meagan and Diana is the highlight here, the other story (told through Ham and Chris) about the discovery of a secret camp where the Visitors conduct experiments on humans is itself very intriguing as it parallels what the Nazis did to prisoners during the dark days of World War II.

Going back to the highlighted plot of the comic book, Earl Meagan is not only delusional with his old belief that any extraterrestrial race capable of traveling through the depths of space is surely friendly and benevolent to humanity…he is completely wrong and a danger to his own people as clearly lost his touch with truth and reality. He is a perfect example of what happens when a scientist refuses to realize the limits of science and goes over the edge believing in the falsehood that another scientific breakthrough will prove him right and all others wrong. By today’s standards, Meagan can be compared with the radical socialists in America who foolishly believe that all foreigners (including criminals and terrorists) should be allowed free entry into their country without consequence and without responsibility, and at the expense of their fellow American citizens.

When it comes to characterization, I still recognize Ham and Chris as I remembered them from V: The Final Battle thanks to solid writing. Julie’s portrayal in this comic book, however, takes a drastic turn from powerful receiver of Earl Meagan in issue #4. More notably, it is refreshing to see the relationship between Mike and Julie getting strained as a result of Meagan.

Conclusion

The closest thing you can have about Carl Sagan betraying the entire human race in favor of aliens from outer space.

V #5 (1985) is another solid tale about the conflict between the Resistance and the Visitors, but with Earl Meagan as the mad scientist with charisma who puts his fellow humans into more danger. It’s a worthy read from start to finish.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of V #5 (1985), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $28 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $36.

Overall, V #5 (1985) is highly recommended.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Christian Music Appreciation: Shout of the King

Christian Music Appreciation: Shout of the King

carlocarrasco

Welcome back fellow Christians and music enthusiasts. In this latest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will take a close look at another Hillsong worship song that was greatly performed by pastor Darlene Zschech during her time with them. That song is titled Shout of the King.

Shout of the King was released as part of the 2002 album Blessed by Hillsong Music. The song’s words and music were done by Ned Davies. The album itself was a strong seller peaking at #4 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

Now that the details have been laid down, we can take a close look at Shout of the King starting with its lyrics and followed by an examination of the holiness of the lyrics in connection with the Holy Bible…

Lyrics

Verse 1

I give You praise for You deserve it

I give You praise for what You’ve done

I give You praise for You are able

I give You praise ’til I overcome

–

Verse 2

I give You praise when the sun is shining

I give You praise in the dark of night

I give You praise when the battle rages

I give You praise ’til it works out right

–

Chorus

The shout of the King is among us

God lives here in our praises

The shout of the King is among us

Praise Him

Praise Him

Praise Him in everything

–

Bridge

Heaven opens as we sing Your praise

Angels join us as we praise Your name

–

End Tag:

Praise Him

Praise Him

Praise Him

Praise Him in everything

As you can clearly see, the word praise is often present throughout the lyrics from Verse all the way to the end. There are many expressions of the words praise as the song went on. Praise related to why the Lord deserves it all, praise in times of challenges or good times, praise for the name of the Lord and so on. The Holy Bible itself has lots of scriptures about praising God and here are some I found for you all.

Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His might firmament! Praise Him for His might acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150:1-6 (NKJV)

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

2 Samuel 22:50 (NKJV)

“He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.”

Deuteronomy 10:21 (NKJV)

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

John 4:24 (NKJV)

At this point, we can start examining parts of the lyrics and search for their relevance to the Holy Bible starting with: I give You praise for You deserve it, I give You praise for what You’ve done, I give You praise for You are able, I give You praise ’til I overcome.

As it is already made clear in the Holy Bible, we would never have existed without God. He is the definitive creator of all life, the worlds, the universe and all the universes we have yet to discover. We Christians are mandated to praise Him, give thanks to Him and help Him spread His Word in this divided world we live in surrounded by many souls that are lost and unsaved. This is the truth that Satan does not want you to realize which explains why he uses tools to separate people from God like Communism, Marxism, political correctness, terrorism, anarchy, homosexuality, sexual immorality, feminism, idolatry, wokeness, covetousness, traditions, rituals, liberalism, abortion, social division, social justice (distorted justice), secularism, religion, atheism, socialism, racism, immorality and more. In other words, the enemy will do anything to prevent people from realizing their relationship with the Lord and stop them from praising Him. Satan does not want you to know that God is deserving, God’s creations and achievements can never be matched, God is able for He is omnipotent, and we His children who know the truth will keep praising Him not only while living in the flesh but eternally when we join Him in Heaven. By being faithful and edified under the Lord, we the children of God can easily resist Satan and make him walk away from us completely rejected and defeated Learn from the following scriptures below…

You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.

Revelation 4:11 (NKJV)

In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both of which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him, we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:7-12 (NKJV)

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only shall you serve.”

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Matthew 4:10-11 (NKJV)

As seen in the above scriptures, God’s authority is unquestionable and untainted. In fact, His authority stands very tall permanently for He is just, loving, caring and fully moral as our source and creator. God is the Heavenly Father and Satan knows that when we are with the Lord, he will never be able to bring us down. Satan hates it when we know the truth of God’s Word and are edified under Him. Satan hates it when we follow Lord Jesus who Himself defeated the enemy more than once, and each victory proved to be significant forever. Lord Jesus redeemed humanity which sealed Satan’s permanent status as a loser and reversed the fall of humanity that Adam caused. The Lord is worthy of all our praise. Satan deserves nothing at all.

Next lines from the lyrics to analyze are as follows: The shout of the King is among us, God lives here in our praises. When the Lord talks to us, we should really listen. When He shouts, we definitely should focus on Him and respond accordingly. Learn from the holy scriptures below…

God has gone up with a shout, The Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

Psalm 47:5-6 (NKJV)

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (NKJV)

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.”

Revelation 12:10 (NKJV)

The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.

Isaiah 42:13 (NKJV)

So there you have it! Shout of the King is indeed a very holy song with an uncompromising focus on praising our Lord. Its lyrics really connect with the Holy Bible a lot. Musically, Shout of the King is one of the more energetic songs I saw Darlene Zschech led when she was still with Hillsong’s musicians. The drums, the electric guitars and the trumpets used combined with the great vocals by Hillsong in performances led by Zschech really made the song very upbeat from start to finish. So energetic and holy it is, Shout of the Lord is ideal to play to really stir up Christians attending Sunday worship services or a special worship event. This song is highly recommended!

In conclusion, posted below is the official Hillsong Worship performance video from the 2000s. Enjoy the song, enjoy Darlene Zschech’s lead and always be faithful and thankful to the Lord. Anticipate His voice and His shout. Always remember to realize the good life from the Lord, practice Christian habits , get yourself planted in a local church (be led by Him) and remember the truth that He rewards the faithful abundantly. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.

If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Carlo Carrasco’s Movie Review: Terminator: Dark Fate

Carlo Carrasco’s Movie Review: Terminator: Dark Fate

carlocarrasco

I will just say it straight and clearly – the Terminator film franchise is truly unnecessary today and, having seen its debut in the year 1984 (written and directed by a very young James Cameron), I should say that the saga really ended with 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Cameron’s masterpiece).

Out of curiosity, instead of anticipation, I got to watch Terminator: Dark Fate at the local cinema. Having been disappointed with Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator: Salvation (a bad movie notorious for Christian Bale’s loss of self-control) and Terminator: Genisys (the most insulting and most screwed up film of the franchise), I had low expectations for Dark Fate.

Ultimately, I left the cinema disappointed yet again although the experience was not as bad as that of 2015 (with Genisys).

Screenshot_20191113-134912_YouTube.jpg
Clearly, the filmmakers took inspiration from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and mix the more established film franchise stars (in supporting roles) with the younger actors.

To put it short, Terminator: Dark Fate took creative inspiration from 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This means it was made with recycled concepts, told the story through its new characters (played by actors who are much younger and who are supposed to appeal to younger viewers) and back them up with the old, more iconic actors (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton) limited to supporting roles. When it comes to presentation, this new movie felt more like a roller coaster ride than an actual story laced with spectacle stage-by-stage.

That is pretty much how Terminator: Dark Fate turned out. It does not matter that this was directed by Tim Miller, the guy behind 2016’s Deadpool. It does not matter that the great James Cameron got involved with producing and story credit (he shared with a few other names). It does not matter that this movie was made with a large budget of $185 million and relied heavily on computers to generate the visuals (which look fake most of the time). Whatever the preparations made, they did not matter at all because Terminator: Dark Fate is a rushed and creative disappointment that does not deserve your time nor your money.

The movie opened with archived footage of Sarah Connor expressing the darkness of the future coming. This was immediately followed by a scene set in 1998 showing Sarah and her son John living in an age in which Judgment Day did NOT occur on August 29, 1997. Suddenly another Terminator T-800 Model 101 (another Schwarzenegger-type Terminator) appears and actually kills John Connor leaving Sarah in turmoil.

Screenshot_20191113-135025_YouTube.jpg
This is the protector sent through time by the human resistance.

John Connor, who has been a central story element in the 1984 and 1991 (memorably played by Edward Furlong) movies as he was destined to be the human resistance leader in the war with Skynet, was eliminated so quickly in the opening of this new movie very similar to how the character of Dwayne Hicks (played by Michael Biehn in the James Cameron-directed Aliens) got killed in a very dismissive way in the beginning of Alien 3. This move was nothing less than cynical, ill-conceived and even a daring disservice to Terminator fans.

From this point on, Terminator: Dark Fate turns into a “what if John Connor was dead and a new future war followed?” type of story.

Even though Judgment Day got prevented in relation to what Sarah and John achieved in Terminator 2, a new war between man and machines in the far future still occurs only this time Skynet is no more and the new enemy artificial intelligence (AI) this time is called Legion. This new story concept, by the way, is pretty insulting to any fan who loved the first two films directed by James Cameron as those flicks told a complete saga.

Screenshot_20191113-135131_YouTube.jpg
This is the new, future leader of the human resistance.

And then the plot of The Terminator got recycled. A human fighter is sent back through time to protect a person who is destined to become the leader of the human resistance. Also sent back through time is a Terminator designed to look human and infiltrate society with a mission to kill the future human resistance leader. This is essentially what Terminator: Dark Fate truly is and even though Sarah Connor returned (plus another Terminator T-800 played by Schwarzenegger), there really is nothing new, nothing fresh and nothing worth enjoying.

When it comes to quality, this movie does not have much standing for it. The new characters are not engaging at all and their respective performers really had nowhere to go to engage moviegoers. Mackenzie Davis playing the new combat-ready protector only served to beef the film with action and there is nothing compelling about her act, nor did the script provide anything to make her androgynous character memorable. The new human resistance leader played by Natalia Reyes is forgettable and unbelievable even though she tried hard being dramatic. Compared with Sarah Connor in 1984’s The Terminator, the chosen one Dani Ramos in the film was transformed from a struggling, working-class person into a brave fighter in a very rushed and unconvincing manner. Also, if you take a close look at Natalia Reyes, she is too short to be a figure of authority, too small to use weapons and her act is clearly sub-par in terms of quality making her big misfire in terms of casting. The performance, script and directing really had no depth when it comes to developing the characters.

The new Terminator (Rev-9) played by Gabriel Luna was nothing more than an uninspired attempt to outdo the T-1000 of Terminator 2. Luna was decent with playing cold and emotionless but when he acts human to infiltrate human society, he’s just generic at best.

Screenshot_20191113-135243_YouTube.jpg
This is the new cinematic villain that won’t stop to kill the future leader of the human resistance. Oh, the computer-generated visuals are often fake to look at.

As for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton returning, it is sad for me to say that these two iconic performers of the film franchise got wasted. Sarah Connor in this movie was poorly written and this modern version ruins the legacy the character had since 1991. Schwarzenegger meanwhile played another T-800 Terminator whose adjustment into human society turned out to be unconvincing, even outlandish. A Terminator adjusting into domestic human life? Totally unbelievable!

If there is anything to admire in this ill-conceived movie, it is Schwarzenegger’s delivery of his lines as the Terminator. He was over 70-years-old at the time of filming and he no longer has the super fit, muscular build he was famous for but he still proved to be excellent in being robotic with the dialogue. Sadly, this good stuff from the ex-governor of California was not enough to save this movie from its dark fate.

The film has a lot of action and there is a notable variety of it here. Even though action-packed and the action quality is an improvement over Terminator 3, Salvation and Genisys, Terminator: Dark Fate is ultimately a ride that can only provide temporary relief from the pain of the weak script. Oh, the use of fake-looking CGI hurts the action and stunts

Conclusion

TermiDF
Let this be the LAST Terminator movie and let it fade away. How? By NOT spending your precious time and money on it.

Terminator: Dark Fate clearly failed to be a solid film and definitely it is NOT worthy of being the official follow-up (the “real Terminator 3”) to the first two films written and directed by James Cameron. Cameron’s involvement with this movie did not really improve the situation of the deteriorating Terminator film franchise and even worse, this big disappointment taints his record of excellence as a producer. Director Tim Miller, in my opinion, should go back to superhero film making or try directing a brand new project of science fiction that does not involve an established intellectual property.

Bottom line – Terminator: Dark Fate is absolutely not recommended. You definitely should NOT spend your money on this movie (the cinema, future release on streaming services, Blu-ray, DVD, etc.). The movie is also woke garbage and the product of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).

If you want to experience the cinematic greatness of the Terminator film franchise, go back to watching The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day instead.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at On Deadly Ground

A Look Back at On Deadly Ground

carlocarrasco

Way back in 1994, Warner Bros. released the action movie On Deadly Ground which marked the directorial debut of its star Steven Seagal. The movie had a poster that easily attracted the attention of avid Steven Seagal fans and eventually the film lured quite a lot of moviegoers to the cinemas.

ODG1
Even though it had a boring design, this image at cinemas excited Steven Seagal fans and moviegoers craving for action.

I never saw it in the cinemas due to a lack of time and money. Instead I saw On Deadly Ground on VHS format (and later on cable TV) in the comfort of home. That comfort however turned into disappointment after watching it.

For starters it’s a Steven Seagal movie which guarantees lots of hard-hitting action with lots of swearing. What makes it feel unique was its focus of the environment and its very forced concept about a very greedy top executive of an oil company is creating danger towards the environment as his team rushes to complete an oil rig called Aegis One in Alaska.

The execution of the movie, to say the least, is rather poor. Just about every character in the movie is one-dimensional. When it comes to action, it is typical (and very predictable) Seagal as the star gets to fight lots of bad guys without ever being hurt by them! Ironically Seagal in the film expresses pain over the treatment of his wounds.

ODG6
Star-director Steven Seagal and the film crew working on an action sequence.

And then there is the emphasis on the environment. The movie narrowly portrays the fictional oil company as the force of danger to nature and threat to indigenous people of Alaska because it is led by Michael Jennings (played by Michael Caine) who is too greedy and desperate to beat a deadline  and prevent the oil rights from reverting back to native Alaskans.

That’s right! Jenning’s Aegis had the oil rights for twenty years and all they could do is try to launch an oil refinery so near the end of the time period. Does it really take that long to construct an oil rig? What exactly did Jennings do during those twenty years? I mean, he acquired the oil rights from the natives and I could speculate he did not prioritize the construction of any oil-related business project using those same rights. Perhaps Jennings spent years touring the world, suddenly was advised that his corporation has financial trouble and only then did he go to work to make oil rig.

More on the environment, Steven Seagal plays Forrest Taft who initially serves Jennings. He eventually checks the computers of the company to find out that faulty equipment has been used and the delivery of better and more reliable equipment is coming in way too late. Taft even asked Jennings (who eventually learned about Taft’s unauthorized computer access) how much money is enough and this predictably leads to a scene in which Taft gets set up to die in an explosion.

ODG2
Michael Caine and Steven Seagal.

Unfortunately for Jennings and the other bad guys, Taft survived and got assistance from native Alaskans. Very predictably, he makes a comeback, collects weapons, performed a few destructive operations before proceeding to Aegis Oil’s rig to cause further destruction and kill bad guys!

Then the film ends with Taft giving a speech at the Alaska State Capitol focused on uncontrolled pollution, environmental destruction and big businesses’ contribution to environmental decline.

ODG4
Chinese actress Joan Chen pretending to be a native tribe member.

It’s funny how Taft got to deliver his speech. He was not arrested for causing the oil rig’s devastation nor was held accountable for killing other people. Where were the local authorities who could have initiated an investigation? Even without Michael Jennings, the oil company could have gone to the local authorities or the federal government to accuse Forrest Taft for murder and even acts of terrorism! Also where in the world are those staunch, loudmouth environmental activists, SJWs and climate change activists? The damage caused by Taft on the oil rig clearly caused damage to the natural environment with those toxic fumes from the explosions! Logic was clearly thrown out for the sake of senseless violence.

When it comes to performances, this movie is a showcase of shallow acting and cinematic expressions. Not only are the characters one-dimensional and the script really had no character development, the actors really had no where to go as far as acting is concerned. Chinese actress Joan Chen plays Masu who only serves as the English-speaking expository dialogue delivery person to help the audience understand the norms and concerns of a native tribe. Shari Shattuck  (who is an author and has her own Facebook page) played the pretty, bland and straight-forward special assistant to Michael Jennings. R. Lee Ermey, who is best known for playing military officers, plays the leader of a group of mercenaries who got defeated too easily by Seagal.

In terms of directing and overall presentation, this movie is clearly nothing more than a vanity project of Steven Seagal. There were many moments in the film that looked like it suggested viewers to worship and idolize Seagal. The pacing of the film is very lackluster overall.

Poorly directed scenes? One of them is the excessively violent torture scene of Hugh Palmer (played by a then 73-year-old Richard Hamilton) which showed no restraint on the part of filmmakers. The scene, which was clearly designed to make moviegoers see the evil of Michael Jennings through the acts of his henchmen, would have worked better had the on-screen torture been reduced and shortened.

More on the movie’s violence, the scene showing Forrest Taft easily beating up multiple oil workers in response to the mistreatment towards a native man was unnecessary and overly long. Taft looked more like a senseless superhero who does not care about humanity and laws. And then there was that hand-slap game between him and “the man’s man” Big Mike (Mike Starr). The presentation of violence and bloodily injuring a man as means of enlightenment is senseless.

Ultimately On Deadly Ground is a worthless action to film to watch and I believe only die-hard Steven Seagal fans will love it. It was a very bad movie back in 1994, it’s even worse by today’s standards. On Deadly Ground is filled with bad ideas turned into film. A pro-environment concept presented as a senseless action film is a big waste. And then there is the old stereotype that a giant corporation’s head is unabashedly evil, inhuman and greedy (note: not all corporate heads of billion-dollar corporations are like that).

As such, I should say that you should never waste your time nor your money on this piece of crap.

+++

Note: This retro movie review was originally published at my old blog Geeks and Villagers. What you just read was the updated and expanded version. As such, this retro movie review is the most definitive version.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com