Seagal the Hell Raiser
Well it is something I didn't think I was going to say but compared to some of Steven Seagal's other recent movies "Born to Raise Hell" is not that bad, it's still by no means a good movie but at least it didn't bore me senseless. Having said that there isn't really that much to "Born to Raise Hell" as Seagal plays an Interpol Agent with a fondness for saying bitch and boy who finds himself in the middle of a gang war between Romanian gangsters and a drug pushing gypsy gang. And what that means is that we get violence, bone snapping violence be it Seagal beating up a baddy or a baddy beating up another baddy.
Tough nut Interpol Agent Bobby Samuels (Steven Seagal - Kill Switch) is after a gang who were behind the murder of one of his team and he finds himself with a replacement who in a month is due to become a father for the first time. But Bobby's hunt to bring down the drug pushers lead by Costel (Darren Shahlavi) who murdered his former partner leads them into the midst of a battle between Costel and Romanian mobster Dimitri (Dan Badarau).
Now over the years having sat through more Seagal movies than I probably should have I have come to expect one thing, that is a weak ass storyline at best and "Born to Raise Hell" doesn't change my expectations. We may get this set up of a Gypsy gang and a Romanian mobster at war with Bobby in the middle as he tries to bring the drug trade down and get his partners murderer but it is purely a vehicle for some typical Seagal action. In fact this storyline is so weak that when we get a couple of subplots from new team member Steve about to become a father to Bobby's young girlfriend being understanding about his job it makes you laugh at their lack of subtlety.
So as to the action, because that is what "Born to Raise Hell" is all about and once director Lauro Chartrand tires of over indulging with what seems to be a judder technique of editing things aren't bad. Or at least should I say that things were nicely edited together because whilst it appears that Seagal did more action this time around we get plenty of over the shoulder shots which brings that in to question. Whether it is Seagal kicking butt or a stand in it certainly works if you like full on action which when accompanied by some less than subtle sounds of bones crunching and snapping has a level of brutality about them. It is still not Seagal at his best and once again we have the big guy walking through scenes dispatching many bad guys with such ease whilst his new team member Steve struggles to deal with one.
And that to be honest is about it because you don't watch a Seagal movie for acting and so to mention some terrible moments from the supporting cast would seem unfair. Okay so the acting isn't good but at least both Darren Shahlavi and Dan Badarau deliver character as bad guys Costel and Dimitri.
What this all boils down to is that "Born to Raise Hell" is still not a good movie but in fairness it is better than some of Seagal's other more recent movies. So if you are a fan of Seagal "Born to Raise Hell" will entertain but again will disappoint that it is not as good as his earlier movies.
