Hard to Kill: More Than Just Kicks and Punches?
Okay, so I watched "Hard to Kill" again last night (because, let's be honest, who hasn't?). And yeah, it's got all the classic Steven Seagal-ness: the awkward pauses, the totally unrealistic fight scenes (remember him somehow knowing how to play dead for seven years?!), and the villains who are clearly reading their lines off cue cards. But I think there's something kinda interesting bubbling underneath all the exploding cars, and I wanna see if anyone else feels it too. I think the movie, despite it's obvious, uh, 'shortcomings,' is lowkey about the trauma of grief and loss. Like, Mason Storm (great name, btw) loses everything in the opening sequence. His wife is murdered, his son is seemingly dead, and he spends seven years in a coma reliving it all. When he comes back, it's not just about revenge, it's about reclaiming that humanity that was ripped away--protecting Andy (Kelly Le Brock) is the mission, sure, but I think it's also about proving to himself that he can still care, still be a 'good' person after all the horror he went through. Specifically, there's this one moment after he barely escapes a shootout, and he's bandaging Andy up. And he just looks...exhausted. It's not the 'I've-been-fighting-bad-guys' exhaustion, it's like a deep-seated weariness with the world. I think that scene, more than any flying kick, tells you everything you need to know about Mason Storm. I mean, Seagal's acting is...Seagal, but that moment landed for me. Anyone else see that, or am I just reaching here? Maybe I'm projecting and reading too much into it, I don't know. Tell me I'm not crazy! And, uh, what's your favorite 'totally unrealistic' moment from the movie? I'm still giggling about the playing dead thing.
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