HottWwjdIam There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Edison Witt The first must-see film of the year.

Curt Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

NateWatchesCoolMovies I tend to actively avoid Steven Seagal films like the plague, and realize intermittently that I do in fact enjoy certain ones from back in the day. He's made a ton of trash, no doubt, but the clouds part every now and again, for select occasions like Under Siege, The Glimmer Man, Above The Law, Fire Down Below and the snowbound On Deadly Ground. The main marvel in this one is an incredibly hammy Michael Caine as the mustache twirling villain, a Big Oil maniac who has his amoral sights set on sacred land belonging to Inuit tribesman. Seagal plays yet another martial arts trained badass who takes it upon himself to bring down Caine, his nefarious capitalist plans and the violent mercenaries he has hired to wipe the land of indigenous natives. It's as silly as silly can be, right down to him falling in love with a beautiful Inuit girl (Joan Chen, actually Chinese), but enjoyable on its own terms when you look at the solid choreography, stunts and impressive location work. Also, the roster of villains is too good to pass up, starting with Caine's outright, wanton psychopath. We're also treated to the Sergeant himself, R. Lee Ermey as a merc with a particularly salty attitude, John C. McGinley over-playing one of his patented schoolyard bullies, and even Billy Bob Thornton shows up, adding to the sleaze factor. Watch for cameos from Mike Starr, Michael Jai White and an unbilled Louise Fletcher as well. Seagal directed this himself, so it's essentially one big vanity piece where he gets to play Dances With Wolves for a couple hours, but the trick is to see the unintentional comedy in that and enjoy it. Seagal is one of those goofs who I am not a ashamed to say I am laughing at, not with. Caine is the real prize here, and his merry band of assholes. An action flick is only as good as it's antagonist, and this guy is bad to the bone in hilariously over the top ways. A big dumb flick, nothing more, nothing le- well maybe a little less in places, but fun in other spots nonetheless.

hammockbill It is a cartoon of an action movie, perfect in almost every way, and simultaneously terrible in almost every way.On Deadly Ground is Steven Seagal's magnum opus. Yes, he has made better films. Out for Justice, Above the Law, Under Siege, Marked for Death, and Hard to Kill are technically superior films. But if you wanted to sum up Seagal with a single film, then this is it. Seagal directs, produces and stars in this ill-thought-out, high-horsing, heavy-handed mess of a film. From start to finish, this is Seagal.Seagal is Forrest Taft, an ex-blows-things-up-guy turned eco-terrorist who wants to destroy an oil rig. And like all of Seagal's films, with a few tiny changes in music cues and editing, it could be re-created to make Seagal the villain. In fact, in this case, it probably wouldn't even require any tinkering. Forrest has no problem with flat out murdering people from anti-environment scumbags to innocent security and army men who are simply doing their jobs. Face stabbings, neck breaking, crotch kicks — nothing is out of bounds for Forrest.Seagal rants and raves in attempts to justify his violence. He even tells off an Alaskan native (played by non-Alaskan native Joan Chen) for trying to talk him out of rampant slaughter. Like a proper loon, he keeps a stockpile of explosives hidden away in a mountain. For a rainy day. Forrest Taft is a legit maniac. But Forrest is the hero. And so he is allowed to live out the film without being imprisoned. He even gets to deliver a heartfelt speech about pollution and evil corporations in the film's ridiculous final moments.There are many other things that are utterly insane about this film. Seagal literally beats the racism out of a man. He goes on a demented spiritual journey. He beats up an unprecedented amount of old men. The cast outside of Seagal don't fare much better. Michael Caine tries to put on an American accent for about ten minutes and then stops. Billy Bob Thornton stands around doing nothing and then gets blown up. Dr. Cox from Scrubs murders an old man while chewing scenery like it's nobody's business. It was such a delight watching scenes without Seagal, knowing he was behind the camera shaping this ludicrous masterpiece.It's amazing that this was allowed to exist. It is a mess of lofty ideals, a giant ego and angry violence. On Deadly Ground is pure Steven Seagal.

Adam Foidart Even if all of the explosions, action and martial arts sequences had been done well, they would be hopelessly drowning in one of the most blatant and over-the-top environmental message you will have ever seen. "On Deadly Ground" is a preachy mess of a film. The antagonists are one second away from growing curly mustaches and twirling them while clubbing baby seals and the protagonist is kind of a bully that prefers solving his problems with violence rather than common sense. There are also plenty of ridiculous over-the-top sequences that feel completely out of place with the pro-environment message that it's trying to shove down the audience's throat. There's ham-fisted and then there's "On Deadly Ground" who take the ham off of your plate, shows you the pig's family before it was slaughtered, beat you to death with it the chunk of meat, tosses your ravaged body out of the window and onto on gas-guzzler that explodes due to the impact and reduces the nearby winter coat store to a pile of cinders. (On VHS, January 2012)

Geoffrey DeLeons This is an outstanding adventure movie, with an ethic that apparently far exceeds that of the rank-and-file movie-goer. I can see why it evokes a sense of anger and fear in those individuals who unreservedly support the polluting corporations of this world. As well it should. To wit: Maybe it is your own, submerged conscience that is being stirred by On Deadly Ground? Forrest Taft: "What does it take? What does it take to change the essence of a man?"Many of us complain about the government politicians being the ones ruining this world. By the reviews of On Deadly Ground, I see clearly that politicians (and energy companies) are merely figureheads, just mannequins for the ignorant, indulgent, wasteful, spoiled individuals that comprise our neighborhoods, towns and counties.People like you.One of my favorite parts of the movie is in the saloon when one "oil worker" says to Taft, "Don't mess with oil workers, buddy." He takes a swing at Taft and Taft gets him into an aikido arm lock and throws him head-first into the glass-front juke box. In On Deadly Ground, Forrest Taft strikes a blow for all of us who are willing to show some restraint and to make efforts to change our lifestyle of uncontrolled consumption.The scenes of Taft's initiation into the inuit medicine council is a thing of great beauty.Taft was lying severely injured in the Inuit hut when the inuit woman played by Joan Chen said to him: "My grandfather thinks you are a bear.". Taft replies groggily: "Tell him I am not a bear. I am just a rabbit running scared." Joan Chen's character then says, "My grandfather says that is just what a bear would say." For courage to stand alone and soul-searching, there are few movies that compare with the depth and beauty of On Deadly Ground. Again, I am glad that this movie gives nightmares to those who rape Mother Earth with impunity, hiding behind each other, thinking they are powerful. I hope it is before the end of their lives that they learn the lesson of responsible use of personal energy, because I would hate to be them when the balance needs to be paid.On Deadly Ground is a gift and an offering of power to those who protect the Earth, in ways large and small. Find your totem. Be fearless."What do you say to a man without a conscience?"