Editing Steven Seagal (section)

=== 1987–2002: Hollywood action star ===
In 1987, Seagal began work on his first film as an actor, ''[[Above the Law (1988 film)|Above the Law]]'' (titled ''Nico'' in Europe), with director [[Andrew Davis (director)|Andrew Davis]]. Seagal was asked to make the film by agent [[Michael Ovitz]], who reportedly became convinced that Seagal had [[movie star]] potential after taking aikido classes with him.<ref>{{cite news|title= Steven Seagal Gets a Shot at Stardom |work= [[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 14, 1988|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-02-14-ca-42829-story.html|access-date=November 29, 2010|first=Patrick|last=Goldstein}}</ref> Ovitz financed Seagal's successful [[screen test]], which led Seagal to be offered a contract by [[Warner Bros.]]<ref>{{cite news | first=Vincent | last=Canby | title= 'Above the Law,' a Detective's Battle | work=The New York Times | url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940DE7D91E3CF93BA35757C0A96E948260 | date=April 8, 1988 | access-date=September 10, 2010}}</ref> Ovitz' role in starting Seagal's acting career led to a long-standing, unfounded rumor that the agent had made a bet that he could turn anyone into a movie star and decided to bank on his martial arts teacher to win his wager.<ref>{{cite news|title= Debunking the myth that Steven Seagal owes his career to a bet|website= [[Far Out (website)|Far Out]]|date=November 2, 2023|url= https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/debunking-myth-steven-seagal-owes-career-to-bet/|access-date=February 6, 2025|first=Tom|last=Leatham}}</ref> ''Above the Law'' was a success, grossing $18,869,631 in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=abovethelaw.htm |title=ABOVE THE LAW |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=November 22, 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091219085110/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=abovethelaw.htm| archive-date=December 19, 2009 <!--DASHBot-->|url-status = live}}</ref> and [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' stated "It contains 50 percent more plot than it needs, but that allows it room to grow in areas not ordinarily covered in action thrillers."<ref>{{cite news|first=Roger|last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert|title=Above the Law|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/above-the-law-1988|work=[[Rogerebert.com]]|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> Following its success, Seagal's subsequent movies were ''[[Hard to Kill]]'', ''[[Marked for Death]]'', and ''[[Out for Justice]]''; all were box office hits and made Seagal an [[action hero]]. [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote, "Mr. Seagal is effective for both his novelty value and his ability to be both literally and figuratively disarming."<ref>{{cite news|title= Review/Film; Out of a Coma, Still Dapper and Disarming|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 10, 1990|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/10/movies/review-film-out-of-a-coma-still-dapper-and-disarming.html|access-date=December 14, 2010|first=Janet|last=Maslin}}</ref>

Seagal achieved mainstream success in 1992 with the release of ''[[Under Siege]]'', which reunited him with director Andrew Davis for what critics described as "''[[Die Hard]]'' on a battleship". [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives the film a score of 79% based on reviews from 28 critics. The site's consensus states: "A well-directed action thriller that makes the most of its confined setting, ''Under Siege'' marks a high point for early '90s action—and its star's spotty filmography."<ref>{{Rotten Tomatoes|under_siege}}</ref> Reviewers praised [[Tommy Lee Jones]] and [[Gary Busey]]'s performances as the film's villains,<ref>{{cite news |author= Roger Ebert | author-link= Roger Ebert |title= Under Siege|newspaper= [[Chicago Sun-Times]] |url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/under-siege-1992 |access-date=2010-09-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 1992-10-09 |first=Vincent |last=Canby |title=Review/Film; Steven Seagal on a Ship in Hot Water |newspaper= [[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/09/movies/review-film-steven-seagal-on-a-ship-in-hot-water.html |access-date=2010-09-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140304172516/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/09/movies/review-film-steven-seagal-on-a-ship-in-hot-water.html |archive-date= March 4, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= 'Under Siege' Delivers Laughs, Thrills|newspaper= [[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1992-10-09|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-10-09-ca-431-story.html|access-date=2010-09-10|first=Michael|last=Wilmington}}</ref> and it is often considered Seagal's best film to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/best-steven-seagal-movies-ranked/|title=The 10 Best Steven Seagal Movies, Ranked|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=19 March 2019 |access-date=19 March 2019|quote=Under Siege is possibly Steven Seagal's most famous action movie, and arguably his best.}}</ref>

On April 20, 1991, Seagal hosted [[Saturday Night Live (season 16)|Season 16]], Episode 18 of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. The series' long-time executive producer [[Lorne Michaels]] and cast-members [[David Spade]] and [[Tim Meadows]] called Seagal the show's "worst host ever". Spade and Meadows cited Seagal's humorlessness, his ill-treatment of the cast and writers, and his refusal to do a "[[Hans and Franz]]" sketch because the skit's title characters had previously said that they could "beat up Steven Seagal". Seagal has never been invited back to the show.<ref>Venable, Nick (October 29, 2015). [https://www.cinemablend.com/television/Worst-Saturday-Night-Live-Host-Ever-According-David-Spade-95517.html "The Worst Saturday Night Live Host Ever, According To David Spade"]. CinemaBlend.</ref><ref name=LiveFromNewYork>Miller, James Andrew; Shales, Tom (October 6, 2015). [https://books.google.com/books?id=KoNUBAAAQBAJ&dq=steven+seagal+%22just+wasn%27t+funny%22+%22Live+From+New+York%22&pg=PT386 ''Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests'']. Back Bay Books. p. 386. Archived at [[Google Books]]. Retrieved October 29, 2015.</ref> Meadows commented, "He didn't realize that you can't tell somebody they're stupid on Wednesday and expect them to continue writing for you on Saturday."<ref name=LiveFromNewYork/>

SNL cast member [[Julia Sweeney]] later recalled that Seagal "had this idea that he's a therapist and he wanted [[Victoria Jackson]] to be his patient who's just been raped. And the therapist says, 'You're going to have to come to me twice a week for like three years," because, he said, 'That's how therapists freaking are. They're just trying to get your money.' And then he says that the psychiatrist tries to have sex with her."<ref name=LiveFromNewYork/> The cast and crew's difficulties with Seagal were later echoed on-air by Michaels during guest host [[Nicolas Cage]]'s monologue in the September 26, 1992, Season 18 premiere. When Cage worried that he would do so poorly that the audience would regard him as "the biggest jerk who's ever been on the show", Michaels replied: "No, no. That would be Steven Seagal."<ref>[http://snltranscripts.jt.org/92/92amono.phtml "Season 18: Episode 1"]. Saturday Night Live Transcripts. Retrieved October 29, 2015.</ref>

Seagal directed and starred in ''[[On Deadly Ground]]'' (1994), featuring [[Michael Caine]], [[R. Lee Ermey]], and [[Billy Bob Thornton]] in minor supporting roles. The film emphasized environmental and spiritual themes, signaling a break with his previous persona as a genre-ready inner-city cop. ''On Deadly Ground'' was poorly received by critics,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/on_deadly_ground/ |title=On Deadly Ground |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> especially denouncing Seagal's long environmental speech in the film. Regardless, Seagal considers it one of the most important and relevant moments in his career. Seagal followed this with a sequel to one of his most successful films, ''Under Siege'', titled ''[[Under Siege 2: Dark Territory]]'' (1995).<ref>{{cite news|title=FILM REVIEW; All Aboard for Cataclysm And Just Forget the Bar Car|newspaper=The New York Times|date=1995-07-15|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/15/movies/film-review-all-aboard-for-cataclysm-and-just-forget-the-bar-car.html|access-date=2010-09-10|first=Stephen|last=Holden|archive-date=2022-10-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012235944/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/15/movies/film-review-all-aboard-for-cataclysm-and-just-forget-the-bar-car.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to co-star [[Morris Chestnut]], Seagal rewrote many of the scenes he was in. "The only time they really stuck to the script or had ad libs was the stuff when he really wasn't there. It was a lot of stuff, because at that time I think he was flying a helicopter, he was doing something... He would come to set, "Okay, you're gonna say this. I'm gonna say this and this is gonna happen and then you do that." That's how we did a lot of that movie."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.craveonline.com/site/750069-exclusive-interview-morris-chestnut-legends-siege-2#9BOZeTCMp4EYbzwK.99|website=Craveonline|title=EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MORRIS CHESTNUT ON 'LEGENDS' AND UNDER SIEGE 2|first=Fred|last= Topel|date=August 27, 2014}}</ref>

In 1996, Seagal had a role in the [[Kurt Russell]] film ''[[Executive Decision]]'', portraying a special ops soldier who appears in only the film's first 45 minutes. Former Warner Bros Vice President Bill Daly later stated Seagal agreed to the role in exchange for the studio forgiving him losing his director's salary due to going over-budget with ''On Deadly Ground''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dettenmaier |first1=Ethan |title=Why Seagal was killed in Exec Decision? Former WB VP Bill Daly & I remember our days w/'The Steven' |date=June 9, 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM57RMC0Oa8 |publisher=Brigade-Radio-One |access-date=June 16, 2023}}</ref> The same year, he filmed a police drama ''[[The Glimmer Man]]'' (1996). In another environmentally conscious and commercially unsuccessful film, ''[[Fire Down Below (1997 film)|Fire Down Below]]'' (1997), he played an [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|EPA]] [[Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance]] agent fighting industrialists dumping toxic waste in the [[Kentucky]] hills.<ref>{{cite news|title= Steven Seagal Foils Toxic Villains in 'Fire' |work= [[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=1997-09-08|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-08-ca-29972-story.html|access-date=2010-11-25|first=Gene|last=Seymour}}</ref>

In 1998, Seagal made ''[[The Patriot (1998 film)|The Patriot]]'', another environmental thriller which was his first [[direct to video|direct-to-video]] release in the United States (though it was released theatrically in most of the world). Seagal produced this film with his own money, and the film was shot on-location on and near his farm in [[Montana]]. After producing ''[[Prince of Central Park (2000 film)|Prince of Central Park]]'', Seagal returned to cinema screens with the release of ''[[Exit Wounds]]'' in March 2001. The film had fewer martial arts scenes than Seagal's previous films, but it was a commercial success, taking almost $80 million worldwide. It was considered at the time to be a "comeback" for Seagal.<ref>{{cite web|title=Exit Wounds Thriller Makes Healthy Debut at No. 1|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=March 19, 2001|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-19-ca-39662-story.html|access-date=October 26, 2010}}</ref> However, Seagal was unable to capitalize on this success and his next two projects were both critical and commercial failures. The movie ''[[Ticker (2001 film)|Ticker]]'', co-starring [[Tom Sizemore]] and [[Dennis Hopper]], was filmed in San Francisco before ''Exit Wounds'', and went straight to DVD. ''[[Half Past Dead]]'', starring [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] star [[Ja Rule]], made less than $20 million worldwide. It was ranked in a ''Rotten Tomatoes'' editorial on the 100 worst movies of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/worst-movies-of-all-time/|title=Bad Movies: The 100 Worst Movies of All Time|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|access-date=February 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221044238/https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/worst-movies-of-all-time/|archive-date=February 21, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> Seagal was also nominated for Worst Actor at the 2002 [[Stinkers Bad Movie Awards]] and the [[23rd Golden Raspberry Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/feb/10/filmnews.film|title=Raspberry time for Hollywood's worst|last=Campbell|first=Duncan|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=February 9, 2003|access-date=December 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524145846/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/feb/10/filmnews.film|archive-date=May 24, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Past Winners Database|url=http://theenvelope.latimes.com/extras/lostmind/year/2002/2002st.htm|website=The Envelope at LA Times|access-date=September 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815213025/http://theenvelope.latimes.com/extras/lostmind/year/2002/2002st.htm|archive-date=August 15, 2007}}</ref>