Exit Wounds

There was a blaxploitation quality about this film which I really enjoyed. I think this was because of the silly cop banter and DMX's hard hitting musical score. But I could also quite easily and oddly see Seagal's character being substituted by a leading African-American actor of the Blaxploitation era and this film making it quite big. As clichéd as it was, it really was a solid lone wolf cop story, which only Seagal could do so well in his forever deadpan way.

Even the slightly silly, over-the-top action sequences had an endearing quality about them. I still laugh, but smile with excitement in the scene where Seagal flicks a gun up to his hands with his feet. Its all in slow motion, the music intensifies, you know doubt will crack up with the ridiculousness of the "move" that Siegel is doing, yet you will feel comforted and at home with the whole ordeal. Thus as I say this film is reminiscent of blaxploitation films, it is also reminiscent of action films of the 90's, for those growing up in that era, like myself. "Three Ninjas", "The Last Action Hero", "Ninja Turtles" all come to mind.

All in all the storyline kept me interested, Steven Seagal was a pleasure to watch and DMX's acting looks promising.

Steven Segal makes a great action comeback in this movie. His last good movie was Under Siege was his last okay movie was The Glimmer Man. This movie is about dirty cops and Segal is trying to bring them down. DMX who is one of the best rapper/actors is also a good co-star. The only let down for me was the fact that Steven and Micheal Jai White didn't have a longer fight scene. All in All this is one of Segal's best and his late good film.

Unlike other action movies where the action outweighs the story, this movie has a strong plot. There is action in this movie including a massive automatic gun firefight on a bridge at the start of the movie and a good car chase about half way through. What makes Exit Wounds different than other Seagal movies is the plot is very strong in this movie. Where does a good cop go when he suspects there are bad cops in his department? That is the question Seagal must answer. There is not a lot of martial arts in this movie but there is a good amount of gun fights.

EXIT WOUNDS (2001) does justice to Steve Seagal's reputation for
outdoing all others motion pictures for the frequency, intensity and
quality of action scenes, gun firefights, and man-to-man combats.

With a plot that's somewhat difficult to follow or believe (such that
some in the audience may reach for a Bufferin), the story deals with
an inside job, being coordinated and masterminded at the highest
level in the US police force, such that in the end, it is entirely
logical, explicable, and comprehensible for why so many police
officers were recruited for, and participated in a narco-trafficking
operation without being caught, by Internal Affairs or by clean cops.

In addition, Seagal's characters learns the lesson that high level
officials in an organization can take out their rivals (lower in the
hierarchy) by taking on alone the roles of judge, jury and
executioner, all-in-one.

Playing an iconoclast, independent-minded police detective, who is
able to think things over for himself, pulled from a vast experience
on the force, and talent, with the ends for him always justify the
means, (in terms of stopping a suspect, and protecting civilians) ,
this gets Seagal in trouble, for not being a low-profile officer.

Clearly, the non-stop action scenes will send thrills down the
audience's spine, their jaws and eyes wide-open, as all types of
vehicles (cars, motorcycles) and arms are used (shotgun, pistol, Uzi,
swords) including karate body to body defense and attack moves, etc.

The soundtrack is a mixed bag, but obviously, having been prepared by
DMX, with the cast split 50/50 with African Americans, evidently, hip
hop and the latest style of rap music was employed.

The sound effects for those with a 5.1 home theater will clearly meet
and exceed expectations. The wide-screen is well done, and a plus.

There's a number of quirky short catch-phrases, most often uttered by
Anthony Anderson's character, such as when he admits fearing Seagal
"will stick a plunger up his a#$" or "you need the meat, to feel the
heat" praising obese women.

Showing plenty of fitness and gym scenes, (weight lifting, boxing,
athletics), and a $300,000 Ferrari and phenomenal stunts and
firefights almost every 10 mins, the movie clearly aims to have to
audience's adrenalin and testosterone pumping, and manages this well.

The non-sequitur of the last 5 mins, with Tom Arnold doing comedy,
and the short shelf life of the rap numbers are the weak points.

Over weight and over the hill, Steven Seagal had certainly seen better days before EXIT WOUNDS. The film starts out with an interesting premise which it unfortunately does not pursue. The best scene in this entire movie is the anger management sequence where he destroys the desk. Wouldn't we all want to do that at some time?