Review: Belly of the Beast (2003)

It may not be high praise to say that Belly of the Beast is the best Seagal movie for several years, but for fans such as myself this could not be better news. Released only on video, with awful artwork which basically reworks that of The Foreigner (2002), this builds on the idiosyncratic union of action and Buddhism displayed in The Glimmer Man (1996) and his last film Out for a Kill (2003). Seagal lumbers through action and dramatic scenes clad in his combination of oriental jackets and jeans. The pony tail is back and the paunch bigger than ever.
While Seagal has in recent years turned his back on the martial arts content his fans crave, he seems willing and able to do as much as he can here. Out for a Kill portrayed him as an almost supernatural figure, which allowed him to show up only for the brief but plentiful fight scenes. The fact that this film was lensed almost entirely in Thailand, using Buddhist temples as lavish locations, is almost entirely responsible for his focused involvement in this project.
Shot for an estimated $14 million, this ironically titled revenge thriller once again casts Seagal in a tailor made role of limited complexity. He’s an ex-CIA operative who has to locate his kidnapped daughter. But as usual his love for his daughter appears only to be a catalyst for the release of the rage his Buddhist beliefs seem unable to control. Boasting a bodycount reminiscent of classic Seagal films such as Out for Justice (1991), what Belly of the Beast lacks in reputable support players (a trait of Seagal’s last two low-budget efforts) it more than makes up for in production quality.
With a reputable Hong Kong director at the helm, with a personal stunt team in tow, the film uses the gorgeous landscapes and architecture in addition to large interior locations and sets to lend a sense of scale missing from both The Foreigner and Out for a Kill. Most notably, Belly of the Beast also outshines the underrated Half Past Dead (2002). This earlier, claustrophobic effort was unfortunately memorable because Seagal had only a couple of fight scenes which he left up to his stunt double to tackle, but it did feature a little notable choreography by Xin Xin Xiong.
Hong Kong director/choreographer Ching Siu Tung appropriately embellishes the potential of these scenes, once more without resorting to the stupid wire-work of Exit Wounds, and allows Seagal to demonstate some of the speedy Aikido moves which made him a star. The action does call for more dexterity and so we once more see Seagal’s double do a fair share of the action too, courtesy of close-ups, decapitated footage and photography from behind. True fans will forgive such deceptions and focus on the speed and agility of his recognisable repertoire of moves.
Out for a Kill featured the most action scenes of any Seagal film in years and Belly of the Beast builds on the modest potential evident in that endeavor. Of the ten action sequences in this film, including John Woo imitation gunplay and a high-kicking transvestite, half are lengthy fight scenes of assorted structure. Two of these are striking set pieces which see Seagal, as Jake Hopper, fighting off members of Tung’s personal stunt team. The second of these features Seagal and his sidekick, played by Byron Mann, fighting a number of sword weilding assassins using unarmed combat techniques. The film also climaxes with a lengthy final showdown with a skilled opponent, played by Tom Wu, an attribute especially missed in the disappointing closing minutes of Out for a Kill.
Residing somewhere between the likes of The Order (2001) and The Transporter (2003) which both use international locations and modest casting strategies to enhance quality on a limited budget, Belly of the Beast is almost cinema quality. The Buddhist attributes first evidenced in The Glimmer Man are here, by virtue of the Eastern location, given a much more extreme focus. Statues, temples, monks and rituals are as significant within the structure as the action scenes themselves. This unity of apparently opposing values are entwined with the narrative structure as Hopper’s mission is blessed by both the C.I.A. and the temple master. A touch of the supernatural is then weaved gently into this clichéd and slightly complicated narrative structure. Hopper and his opponent’s showdown enhanced by the support of a voodoo master and the chanting of Buddhist monks.
Exchanging revenge for a rescue plot in the style of Commando (1986), Belly of the Beast is an apparent exercise in learning from the mistakes of Out for a Kill. The plot is as unnecessarily convoluted while additional aspects of this production do appear to be mere enhancements of that film too, not only in the action scenes but in the use of special effects. A laughable bullet-time effect has been enhanced, just as the unity of eastern and western fighting techniques has attained equilibrium. During the climactic battle, the antagonist sends a collection of arrows from his bow toward Hopper. Using first his gun and then a sword, Hopper destroys the arrows with superhuman efficiency.
In a film so ripe with invention and novel attributes it is a shame I have to end this review on a sour note. The biggest problem with this movie is it’s romantic subplot. Not only is this peripheral and unnecessary it is also extremely unconvincing. Demonstrating no chemistry whatsoever, Seagal and his Asian love interest are brought together on the most clichéd terms, in an attempt to give Jake Hopper something of a James Bond quality. Seeing these two kissing is like watching a creepy old man and his mail order bride. Despite an apparently lecherous reputation, Seagal displays not the slightest hint of sexual arousal. He’s much more at ease with his male co-star and despite everything he says it appears he cares more for him than either his new lover or his daughter.