Pistol Whipped Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Matt is an elite ex-cop whose life has gone down hill since he was kicked off the Force. After a rough encounter with a mysterious henchman, Matt is brought face to face with his only chance at reclaiming his life and clearing his gambling debt markers. Only after he gets started on his new tasks does he recognize good guy from bad. Meanwhile Matt's love for his only daughter helps him battle one of his greatest enemies, alcoholism.
| Paul Calderon | Blue |
| Fernando Chien | Chinese Gunman #2 |
| Antoni Corone | Sharp |
| Tim Gallin | Elias |
| Lance Henriksen | The Old Man |
| Christopher Maggi | Wiseguy |
| Joe Mancini | Funeral Family Member |
| Paul Marini | Barnes |
| Bernie McInerney | Father Joe |
| Arthur J. Nascarella | Bruno |
| Toru Ohno | Johnny |
| Steven Seagal | Matt |
| Wass Stevens | Tim Wheeler |
| Mark Elliot Wilson | Steve |
| Lee Wong | Mr. Ling |
| Roel Reiné |
5.90 out of 10 (797 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Back on Form
posted on 21 Jul 2009After watching renegade justice, Which i really thought was Segal getting back on form after a run of real budget films. I was looking forward to seeing this film.Although i am not disappointed, Its a mind annoyance that, Stevie who can once again perform his Aikido at a speed and grace which does not require stupid camera work to cover it up. Did not use it as much as i would of liked.I have given this film a 9 because i felt that once again there was a lot of effort in this film. No stupid Stevie doubles with silly wigs on. Or ridiculous dubbing. Like many Stevie fans out there I wish i could see one more film with the same quality and calibre as Under Siege, Come on Steve, One more Cinema release... If Stallone can bring back Rambo and Rocky... Bring Back Casey Ryeback..... and get some pie out of the oven :-)
Good Job!
posted on 25 Jun 2009I was surprised that this film was very good. To be honest, after the last two Seagal films I thought he was done, but wouldn't you know....he's back. I should have known not to count him out. He definitely hits the bullseye with Pistol Whipped. The rest of the cast for the film did a great job too. Lance Henriksen always plays a good part in anything he does. I was also happy to learn that this film was shot in Connecticut a few towns away from where I live. I'd like to see Seagal do more small acting roles like he did with Executive Decision. Hopefully he'll be back in the theaters soon. I would have paid to see this movie at a theater.
the pistol whipping of Steven Seagal
posted on 11 Jun 2009Well this one is better than most of the direct to DVD market that he has produced in the past,, it was almost as good as Urban Justice, but this one had a deeper story, plus the appearance of Lance Henricksen couldn't hurt either,, this one really wasn't that bad. i liked the fact that he was a cop in the movie,, even though he way kicked off of the force wrongfully as usual, this one could have had more action in it, but hey none of the horrible dubbing like the past that i 've seen before in those DVD of the past 2 years, this movie seems to have a point to it,, an interesting story to say the least, he's a dad, and has to make a decision whether to kill his daughter's stepdad,, hmm pretty interesting if you ask me,, i don't care for his black love interest , i felt they could have done away with that, but other than that i liked this one.
A victory over the indignities of an expanding waistline
posted on 24 May 2009Actually, he is slimming down as we speak, and Steven Seagal is back on top form is this electrifying thriller from writer JD Zeik, the man who penned Frankenheimer's suspenseful DeNiro classic Ronin.I won't bother going into plot details, but this is, in all seriousness, a very enjoyable film, and a nice step up from Seagal's recent career, a million miles away from duds like Flight of Fury and the God-awful Attack Force, in which he sounded, for half the film, like he'd been dubbed by someone who usually voices tough, gruff martial arts masters in eastern releases. For once he's not the whiter-than-white superhero with a background in black ops/special forces/law enforcement/environmentalism/being a chef; this time he actually plays a flawed character(!), which is a huge improvement over every other film he's ever appeared in where he's the honourable and unbeatable master-operator. As the drink-sodden ex-crooked cop, Seagal is not exactly revelatory, but this is the first film where he's actually bothered attempting to do anything different from his standard formula which sometimes works (The Glimmer Man, Submerged, Into The Sun) and often doesn't (Attack Force, really, absolutely rotten to the core), so i do commend him on that, and also the fact that he has slimmed down considerably from the behemoth who was only filmed from the chest up in his more recent movies. Oh, and he even attempts a few kicks in this one, something we haven't seen since....hmmmm.....Seagal is supported by two people i never expected to see in one of his films, Paul Calderon, who'll be familiar to fans of King of New York and Pulp Fiction, and Mr Lance Henriksen, who sadly only appears in a few scenes. Both add an air of respectability to the proceedings. But this is a Seagal film, not Merchant Ivory, and it delivers well on the fighting/shooting/killing front. An enjoyable load of nonsense, but a bit of a comeback for Steven Seagal, hopefully it'll end the cycle of appearing is tatty East European-set trash. Also, please bear in mind that this rates an 8 out of 10 purely as compared against other Seagal vehicles, not The Godfather, for instance.
Assault With A Really Dull Movie
posted on 08 May 2009The latest Steven Seagal straight-to-DVD actioneer "Pistol Whipped" is fit fare only for hardcore Steven Seagal completists. Loaded with creaky clichés and conventions galore, this predictable crime thriller amounts to assault with a really dull weapon. Little-known Netherlands born director Roel Reiné displays minimal visual and dramatic flair, and "Pistol Whipped" provides two mediocre car stunts and some noisy but nondescript firefights. Reiné doesn't break out the blood squibs until the final daylight massacre in a cemetery, but his pedestrian gunfight choreography generates little excitement or adrenalin. No, the lackluster "Pistol Whipped" isn't a tenth as invigorating as Seagal's above average previous DVD thriller--2007's "Urban Justice" with comedian Eddie Griffin.What sets "Pistol Whipped" apart from other Seagal sagas is its hero, Matt Connor, is scraping the bottom of the barrel. Essentially, "Pistol Whipped" focuses on Matt's recovery and redemption. However, nobody but a sympathetic Catholic priest, Father Joe (Bernie McInerney of "Dan in Real Life"), believes Matt possesses a shred of decency. At the beginning, Father Joe describes Matt in uncomplimentary terms. "You're not a good guy. You sit around all day, you do nothing with your life, living off God knows what. You had a dark past before I met you, then you're a copy and they kicked you out. I'll bet you don't see your daughter, one day out of twenty." Director Reiné and "Ronin" scenarist J.D. Zeik use Matt's conversations with Father Joe and the dialogue in his confession sessions to flesh out our troubled hero's back story. Father Joe becomes one of Matt's closest friends, a plot convention that puts him on the endangered friends' list.Since he retired from working as an assassin, Matt has stumbled into a swamp of booze and suffers from a gambling addiction. One night, our resilient protagonist finds himself confronting the Old Man (Lance Henriksen of "Hard Target") in a deserted theatre with an armed and dangerous dude named Blue (Paul Calderon of "Pulp Fiction") pointing a pistol to Matt's skull. The enigmatic Old Man has bought up all of Matt's markers. Those markers tote up to well over a million dollars. The Old Man explains that our hero can erase his gambling debts by participating in an enterprise that he describes as "extracurricular justice" for hoodlums beyond the law. Blue serves as the Old Man's intermediary with Matt and the ever vigilant Blue stays one step behind Matt at all times. Reluctantly, Matt accepts the offer, shadows an ugly, obnoxious mafia hood, Bruno (Arthur J. Nascarella of HBO's "The Sopranos"), and puts a bullet in his head him in a public restaurant.Later, we learn Matt was once a cop, and his daughter's stepfather, Steve (Mark Elliot Wilson of "World Trade Center"), was one of his closest pals on the force. Matt fell on hard times with his gambling, and he faced dismissal after his partner vanished under questionable circumstances with a fortune in stolen narcotics. Matt should have been with his partner. Instead, he was gambling at the horse races. Steve lied and convinced his superiors that Matt was on a stakeout with him to keep Matt from being busted. Anyway, Matt's bosses later dismissed him. Nonetheless, Matt holds Steve in high esteem until his new employers reveal that Steve is far from immaculate. Initially, Matt refuses to believe his new employers until Father Joe winds up dead with his throat slashed in the confessional box.Seagal shoots, stabs, and smashes up a steady stream of assailants with his trademark aikido technique throughout "Pistol Whipped," but he might as well have been in a bowling alley knocking down ten-pins for all of the difficulty that his adversaries pose. Of course, our hero never breaks a sweat. Amazingly, as paunchy as Seagal has grown, he still knows how to propel his massive bulk about without looking entirely ridiculous. Naturally, the dastardly bad guys abduct his little girl, but Seagal furnishes them with their just comeuppance. Despite its R-rating for profanity, strong violence, and sexual content, "Pistol Whipped" lacks the high body count, ribald profanity, and the memorable villains of "Urban Justice." The villains lack menace, and the plot twists don't take your breath away. Lance Henriksen appears briefly in three scenes so you barely catch a glimpse of him. "Pulp Fiction" actor Paul Calderon registers strongly as an egotistical hit-man. Naturally, Seagal delivers his typically impassive performance.Unless you're a Steven Seagal completest, you're going to feel gypped by "Pistol Whipped."
A Shake and Bake movie at its best…
posted on 22 Apr 2009In the past ten-plus years, Steven Seagal has been making Shake and Bake flicks, in other words low budget movies that go directly to VHS, or DVD, and this one is no exception. After watching the horrendous "Attack Force" I promise I wouldn't see another movie with Steven Seagal on the cover. Well after almost an hour at the video rental and not being able to find anything to see, I just had to rent something. So after hesitating for ten minutes, I decided to give Seagal another chance. On my way home I was kind of prejudice about the Pistol Whipped, I mean come on, just read the title "Pistol Whipped" it sound like a bad action/porn movie. Well after watching at least the first ten minutes, the movie became quite interesting.Pistol Whipped tells the story of Matt (Steven Seagal) an ex-cop who was released from the force after being suspected of stealing evidence money, which obviously he didn't steal. Succumbed in depression, Matt loses his job and family and spends most of his time drinking and gambling which leaves him with the astonishing dept of over a million dollars. Yes, a million dollars, and somehow he still drives a brand new SUV. One night after losing in a poker game he comes across Blue (Paul Calderon), a mysterious man who works for a man only known as the Old Man (Lance Henriksen). The Old Man buys Matt's debt so he can do his dirty work. This brings Matt to uncover the secret regarding who really rob the evidence money from which he was accused.The movie has a pretty decent plot and good action. One thing, this is a Steven Seagal movie, so don't expect award winning performances. The movie was really good and quite enjoyable. I would recommend Seagal to spend less time in the "All you can eat buffets" and spend more time on the treadmill.I wouldn't recommend this as a must buy, but I would definitely recommend as a must rent.
Not great by any means but keep this up and Seagal will slowly but surely get his fan base back
posted on 06 Apr 2009STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning Matt (Steven Seagal) was once a great cop who was kicked off the force after falsely taking the rap for some drug money going missing. Since then, his life has been on a downward spiral, with drinking problems and gambling debts mounting. But one day he is brought to a meeting with a mysterious man who offers to clear all his debts if he'll agree to act for his agency and assassinate leading mob figures across the city. Matt agrees, and goes to work. All is dandy, until he is asked to kill the step-father of his daughter- who is also the man who he owes his life to.Interesting to note it's now twenty years since Seagal made his debut feature with Above the Law, the film that set him on his path to super-stardom. Twenty years later, and he's gone from the dizzying heights of big screen adventures to smaller direct to DVD films like this and it's interesting to note how his career has gone in all this time.But this is a change of role for Seagal from the indestructible hero role that he has kept up through out his career (right down to only knowing his first name for once, instead of giving him some cool sounding surname.) Here he plays a flawed character, a man with weaknesses and vices that make him corruptible like anyone else, which is a great step away from the same old character that he's used to get him along since he made his first film and shows a maturity in age that maybe he's not as believable as he once was playing that role. Aside from this, though, he does manage some neat martial arts scenes, with some great fight scenes in the film that show he's still fairly nimble when he wants to be. And, it's a role he manages blissfully free of any dubbing, stunt doubles or use of stock footage. Director Roel Reine (he does get some funny sounding guys directing his films nowadays) manages a surprisingly intelligent, twisty turny story that heads in directions we don't quite expect it to.On the downside, Seagal does appear to be in need of The Atkins Diet once again, as he does appear to have piled the pounds on again, and the dim lighting that marred Renegade Justice is back through-out the whole film. That's all the bad stuff out the way though.After the embarrassing debacles of Flight of Fury and Attack Force, Seagal needed to get his act together in order to keep the remaining fanbase he had. Films like this and Renegade Justice will ensure that slowly but surely he becomes the king of action once again. ***
Seagal being Seagal
posted on 02 Apr 2009Before i say anything i want you to know i like action movies,even those that contain mindless violence(i actually enjoyed the last installment of Rambo very much).That being said,i didn't enjoy this movie very much,except maybe for some parts that make you laugh even though they're not intended to be funny. Come to think of it,it's a classical Steven Seagal movie,picturing him as omnipotent,without at least providing some good scenes where he can entertain(that's right,there aren't even good fighting scenes).So my advice is watch this movie only if you are a fan or want to kill some time with your friends.
Better than many of his later flicks
posted on 29 Mar 2009To say the least, I can't understand how this movie have higher scores than let's say nico, out for justice and other older steven films here on IMDb, since the fact is its a looong way for steven to actually make films in that class.Comparing this film to his later work; into the sun, black dawn, attack force etc. this is by far a step in the right direction. This movie has a decent plot, a decent steven (yeah, it has actually), and decent action scenes that doesn't look stupid, nothing fancy like out for blood but they work.I sure hope Mr. Seagal can push himself a little more in the right direction in his next film and maybe, JUST maybe, he might have a chance to actually make another action movie the way we all enjoyed back in the days.
Dark shades of gray
posted on 25 Mar 2009Although "Pistol Whipped" is mostly shot in broad daylight - in opposite to some of Seagal's recent "stumble around in the dark" flicks like "Attack Force" - it has much in common with a 1940s film noir. Seagal portrays a totally broken hero - losing lots of money when gambling, divorced from the mother of his daughter, fired from the police, drinking too much, and he can't even keep promises he gives his daughter. But the world around him is not easy to divide into good guys and bad guys. His former police colleagues are corrupt, he doesn't trust his new employer at all, and even his new girlfriend has something to hide. Many dark shades of gray, thus the story was better than I expected, definitely a good progress from Seagal's previous couple of movies.Nevertheless, "Pistol Whipped" couldn't avoid the ridiculous moments typical for a Seagal flick, for example when he observes somebody secretly in a bar, trying not to be noticed. Yeah, right, 10 feet tall and staring at the other bloke all the time, nobody will notice him. Ah, but wouldn't it be less fun without things like that?
Steve Seagall still has it
posted on 27 Feb 2009Steven Seagall at one time was one of the best action actors around twenty years ago and by the turn of the next decade he would be a attraction to see on screen even if I never went to any of his films in the theatre. The last several years Steven seem to slow down a bit and he wasn't the same kick ass guy he once was but after watching Pistol Whipped. Steven still had it which hopefully it'll be an opportunity to be on screen again and perhaps appearing in a Quentin Taratino film may really boost a comeback for him teaming up Uma Thurman. I always liked Steven Seagall even though many critics don't take him as a serious actor but hopefully they'll praise his acolaides when they start to realize his talent.
This movie is useless!
posted on 27 Feb 2009On the Dutch TV-show "De Wereld Draait Door" (e.g. 'The World Moves On') director Roel Reiné told a story, that his first words to Steven Segal where:"Your previous movies were unwatchable" (just to break the ice).Anyway, 'Pistol Whipped' isn't any better, Mr Reiné. Though my English is pretty good, I could not understand what Matt says. I could not understand the movie at all: what is it about; what's the story??? The story (if any) starts very slow. The only thing I liked so far is the end, as Matt is given a new target to kill. He is given an envelope with money and a picture. The picture of new the target is actually an image of director Roel Reiné. That's aboud the only thing I liked. Furthermore: this movie is useless!
Not Exactly "Cool" Whip
posted on 09 Feb 2009I thought this would be on par with "Urban Justice", but it wasn't. However, it was still pretty good. Seagal needs to take some pep pills and see jenny Craig, though. He seems exhausted throughout and needs a stunt man for scenes where he walks more than twenty feet. Some of the movie was unintentionally laughable, like how the thirty-something chicks really dig this old-looking dude who's worn out all the time. The guy who played his daughter's stepdad did a great job as the villain. Good acting throughout. This co-assassin named Blue challenges Seagal to a fight twice and got his butt thoroughly whipped twice. It was kinda funny, like throwing around a rag doll. There were some good scenes, and the car chase was pretty good. The dialogue was good, too, especially when Seagal gets irritated and cusses at somebody. I'd recommend this film. It was directed well and was fast-paced. But Steve - before you make another movie - drop the weight and drink some coffee between takes!
I contemplated suicide upon viewing this "movie"
posted on 24 Jan 2009Whatever you do, do not waste a single minute of your life on this one. Why a great actor like Lance Henriksen is in this I will never understand. Oh yeah, the money. But is this the best money Lance can make? There has to be a vehicle with a tiny bit of class that would pay Lance the same amount. Shameful. Absolutely shameful. Segal looks like a beached whale. His range is non-existent. Has he ever taken an acting class? Segal should kick my ass for watching this turkey. What a waste of precious time on this earth. I will never get it back. I am scrubbing my eyes with an alcohol dipped toothbrush but no matter how hard I scrub it just doesn't take away my shame.
Steven Seagal is back!
posted on 27 Dec 2008Steven Seagal has arguably been on the dawn of his action-star career with such films as 'Foreighner' and the awful 'Attack Force'. Fortunately his latest action film is ten steps better than those flops. Steven Seagal's character, Mat, is divorced, gambles and owes tones of money. Then he is hired by an old man to kill off some of his enemies. It doesn't sound very good but it's the best Steven Segal film since 'Exit Wounds'. There are 4-5 small fight scenes. and one that spans to a minute and it is a brief return to the Seagal of the 90's. There is also a well-made car chase, not something very special but a good addition, and lots of shootouts. Seagal does all of his fight scenes and there is no voice dubbing. The direction is also a pleasant surprise and slow-mo is kept to a minimum. Seagal tries to act, but again nothing special, overall a decent cast. The best Seagal film in years, recommended. 7/10
Why people don't understand my film
posted on 21 Dec 2008A lot of people don't understand the subtle beauty of Aikido.People don't realize this is a documentary.The best part of this "art film" documentary is in the last 30 seconds of the film, so don't be disappointed until you watch the entire work.My colleagues at Sony agree. This is truly worthy of Sony classic pictures.I've heard about Oscar whispers, but don't feel as if the main goal for this cinematic contribution is the awards.Watch this film based on this credible review and you will understand the profound message that "pistol whipped" brings to humanity.
This is NOT a return to form! Avoid.
posted on 13 Dec 2008Terrible script, I have no idea how anything like this gets taken seriously enough to go into development.I was once a big Seagal fan but these Direct-to-DVD movies from Sony are obviously taking their toll on the guy.He looks completely uninterested throughout the movie. I believe he's obliged to make a certain number of movies because of contract commitments (explains his 10 releases a year) and judging from his performance, he's not impressed by the work he's getting.Avoid it at all costs, even Seagal fans be warned, this is far from a return to form.
Not bad at all. Good job Seagal.
posted on 19 Aug 2008Well I was looking forward to seeing it and I finally got the chance to watch it and let me tell you I was not disappointed in any way. This movie I don't understand why it went direct-to-video in my opinion it deserved to go into theaters but any way let me tell you why this movie is so good. The storyline this movie follows is really good and very well written, The characters are very well developed and are very interesting. The acting is pretty good some of the acting though is a bit bad but other than that it is pretty good, obviously Steven Seagal is the best actor in this movie. The action is non stop and for the most part looks very realistic. The special effects are well done although some of them look fake but for the most part it look very realistic and is well done. So make sure you you rent or buy Pistol Whipped because it is awesome.Overall rating: ******** out of ********** **** out of *****
The Best Post HPD Seagal film!!
posted on 19 Aug 2008I have been loyal as a Steven Seagal fan. In high school Marked for Death and Out For Justice were Saturday movie regulars. Under Siege was an opening night event. I have reviewed most of the Seagal films on this website and have viewed them all multiple times. This past Saturday my wife and daughter left for the night...so I sat down armed with a 6 pack of Coors Light and Blast o' Butter popcorn and into my "PS3" I popped in "Pistol Whipped" with very low expectations. Was I pleasantly surprised! The film moves quickly. The director takes some great camera angles...great soundtrack (for a Seagal film...)...and seems to have a great sense of what older Seagal fans enjoyed so much about him as an action icon in the late 80's and 90's. The dialogue is on par with such Seagal classics as "The Glimmer Man" and "Out for Justice". Seagal seems to have found his charisma...with the exception of 2005's "Into the Sun" his last 8 or 9 DVD's have lacked that main charisma ingredient. The writers decided in this film to make Seagal's character vulnerable, mean, and lacking good judgement. Something Seagal hasn't been in character for quite some time. This film has a few technical problems...mainly the ending shootout could have used a little touch up in the editing room...Seagal seems to have sunglasses on and off in the same breath of dialogue??? A few stand in scenes (very brief)on long shots...but nothing like the crap we as Seagal fans have scene in recent efforts like "The Foreigner", "Attack Force", and "Flight of Fury". The akido scenes are great and well shot...I can only hope that Seagal has found his step again...I will still be reluctant to get excited as Seagal seems to hold a pattern...After 2005's acceptable "Into The Sun", we got "Submerged" which I thought was horrible. After 2006's "Shadow Man" (which I enjoyed) we got "Attack Force???" The formula for Seagal's success lies in his ability to work within the means of the "Direct to DVD" market and its meager budgets to produce films like this one which will secure his fan base to push him back into theatrical contention. Time is running out for the aging star...but I strongly suggest you watch this film.
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Too Hollywood
posted on 26 Aug 2009Okay so this is a Steven Seagal movie and at this point, we pretty much know what to expect from him. His last movie, Urban Justice was decent enough to watch all the way through. So when this one came out and I saw comments about how it was just as good as Urban Justice, I thought I would give it a shot. Well.....I could've put the time spent watching this movie to better use. I know this is a movie and not real life, but at least make it somewhat believable. There's a scene in the movie where Seagal's character shoots nails in half and lights matches by shooting the tips without breaking them. So that's supposed to show what a great shot he is. Well for the rest of the movie, he must shoot off at least another thousand rounds and doesn't manage to hit anything. How is that possible? I guess it's back to the same old Seagal movies now.