Force of Execution (2013)
Force of Execution is a 0-star movie. It establishes itself as much from the first few minutes. Not because it's offensive. Not for anything that it does. Because this film doesn’t care. It's only use might be to give die-hard Steven Seagal fans a wake-up call. Your idol’s present career is below even the Wal Mart bargain bin.
After Roman Hurst (Bren Foster, who doesn’t display an once of charisma in a film already devoid of charm) botches an assassination thanks to deliberate misinformation from Ice Man (Ving Rhames), his hands are horribly mangled and he’s forced into “retirement” by his boss and long-time friend, John Alexander (Steven Seagal). When Ice Man begins a gang war, Roman is called back into action to save his new friends: a restaurant owner named Oso (Danny “I just want to leave my family some money before I die” Trejo) and waitress Karen (Jenny Gabrielle).
Force of Execution meanders aimlessly for ages. We get scene after scene of would-be actors improvising their thug-life dialogue, formerly prominent performers lounging in greasy strip clubs (which, I’m almost certain doesn’t feature any female actresses, but plenty of actual strippers), and lame brawls where Seagal - far past his prime - fights in unconvincing hand-to-hand combat. Reason dictates that, since Roman is our main character, he should be most prominently featured. In the hands of director Keoni Waxman, it takes an eternity for us to get to the point.
Force of Execution? Please. That title is so lame and generic I forgot what I was watching halfway through the film (which runs somewhere between 99 minutes and a thousand years!!!). Actually, I’ve changed my mind. It’s perfectly suited to a lacklustre effort that could’ve easily been called “Action Movie”. I’ll admit I’m not a Seagal fan. I like Under Siege. Just about everything else he’s touched could be rated “G for garbage". This? It takes painful filmmaking to a newer, lower level of Hell. As Seagal mouth-farts his way through insipid dialogue, he displays zero charisma and enthusiasm. He performs few of his trademark stunts and none of them are impressive. Then, it gets even worse with an open ending that teases a sequel in the most improbable way. If a Force of Execution 2 does get made, I’d rather eat a can of cat food than even take a peek.
This is nothing more than a crappy direct-to-video action movie with a bunch of stars phoning it in for a paycheck. Nobody involved cared. Anyone who says they did are so devoid of talent they need to quit their job and do something, ANYTHING, else! I couldn’t wait for Force of Execution to end so I could write this review and then forget I’d ever wasted my time on it. (On DVD, July 27, 2017)
