Editing Above the Law (1988 film) (section)

===Critical response===
''Above the Law'' received mixed reviews. [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives the film an approval rating of 50%, based on reviews from 20 critics, with an average rating of 5.2/10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/above_the_law/ |title=''Above the Law'' |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]/[[Flixster]] |access-date=August 31, 2022 |archive-date=August 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808055047/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/above_the_law |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://m.cinemascore.com/ |title=CinemaScore |work=cinemascore.com |access-date=2017-10-17}}</ref>

[[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|archive-date=May 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513232631/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/above-the-law-1988|url-status=live}}</ref> In a negative review, Hal Hinson of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' criticized it as "woefully short on originality."<ref>{{cite news|title= Above the Law|newspaper= The Washington Post|date= 1988-04-09|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/abovethelawrhinson_a0c903.htm|access-date= 2010-09-10|archive-date= 2012-11-11|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121111094957/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/abovethelawrhinson_a0c903.htm|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Review/Film; 'Above the Law,' a Detective's Battle|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=1988-04-08|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/08/movies/review-film-above-the-law-a-detective-s-battle.html|access-date=2010-12-14|first=Vincent|last=Canby|archive-date=2013-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114095007/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/08/movies/review-film-above-the-law-a-detective-s-battle.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In another negative review, film historian [[Leonard Maltin]] described the picture as a "...slick but stupid action-fest; Seagal's thesping makes [[Chuck Norris]] seem like [[Laurence Olivier]]."<ref>Maltin's TV, Movie, & Video Guide</ref>