Film Review
Action-filled 'Glimmer' is trademark Seagal
By David FriedeStaff Writer
According to the
credits, "The Glimmer Man" was directed by John Gray; yet, as everyone
knows, Steven Seagal is the true auteur of his films. This is probably why
"The Glimmer Man" looks no different than Seagal's past films, no matter
who the director was (even Seagal himself, in the case of "On Deadly
Ground"). This being the case, we can begin to familiarize ourselves with
the cinematic world of Mr. Seagal, whose every film is a virtual
90-minute-long ego trip. It seems that he cannot differentiate between real
life and his on-screen persona, so his movies are a vehicle for him to show
every other aspiring martial artist exactly how deadly, cunning and yet
sensitive he is. To sum up the message of his films: don't mess with
him.Surprisingly, however, this
is what makes Seagal's films so likeable. In his quest to show everyone how
deadly he can be, he inadvertently creates some of the most exciting,
entertaining and humorous films being made today. It's not that these films
are particularly well-made (they aren't). Rather, it's the thought that
counts.All of Seagal's movies have
a certain formula to them, and happily, "The Glimmer Man" pushes these
boundaries a little bit. It is actually quite a high-concept film,
condensing several hit films of the past into the patented Seagal
framework. For example, the entire white cop/black cop routine is pure
"Lethal Weapon," while the plot of the film concerns a religiously-inspired
serial killer in a surprisingly harrowing reprise of the hit "Seven"
formula. Of course, enough government conspiracy theories abound to satisfy
even Oliver Stone.Although Keenan Ivory
Wayans provides a nice comedic foil as Jim Campbell, the movie really
belongs to Seagal's Jack Cole. Seagal always plays virtually the same
character--tough and formidable yet sensitive and cultured, with a strict
value system. In "The Glimmer Man," however, he amplifies these
characteristics to unseen heights. Throughout the course of
the movie, we get to see Seagal speak both Chinese and Russian, wear
hilariously elaborate Asian jackets and prayer beads, express his Buddhist
beliefs, use a credit card as a deadly weapon, tell funny jokes and, of
course, kill about 200 men while only sustaining minor scrapes and bruises.
Needless to say, Seagal
performs these antics with the charm and tongue-in-cheek attitude only he
can. He's invincible, so we never actually believe that he's threatened in
any way, yet we still love to watch him taunt and pummel adversaries."The Glimmer Man" actually
rises above the standard set by Seagal's past several films. For example,
the fundamental problem with the hilarious "Under Siege 2" was that the
action wasn't kinetic or exciting at all; rather, it was just Seagal
mercilessly slaughtering dozens of virtually helpless opponents. Although
the film has amazing camp value, in true action movie terms it is rather
unpleasant. Fortunately for mainstream filmgoers, "The Glimmer Man"
remedies this problem. The violence is no less explicit, yet it is much
more visceral and action-oriented. Seagal still dispatches hundreds of
foes, but he at least does it in an exciting manner.Across the board, "The
Glimmer Man" is peculiar--technically inept yet charming in a unique way.
For example, Rick Bota's photography is ugly and relentlessly shaky, yet it
adds a visceral, somewhat humorous punch to the action. Trevor Rabin's
score is loud and obnoxious, yet it adds to film by being entirely
appropriate. William Sandell's production design is ridiculous--the
villain's house looks like a leftover set from "Blade Runner." In true
Seagal fashion, Donn Cambern's editing is too fast for the audience to be
able to judge whether Seagal can really fight that well.Overall, Seagal's films are
thoroughly enjoyable because they are the last of their kind--films that
offer pure, unpretentious entertainment. This seems to be a concept that
filmmakers in the `90s are unable to grasp ("The Rock," anyone?). Still,
"The Glimmer Man" is not quite the `80s. For example, there is a scene
where Seagal and Wayans crash through an apartment building window into a
room occupied by a senile old woman. In the `80s, the room would have been
inhabited by two teenagers having sex--a small but important
difference.In case enough evidence
hasn't already been provided for everyone to see this film, the best scene
is worth mentioning, in which Seagal removes a dead woman's breast implant
to inspect the serial number. No joke--this must be seen to be believed.
When all is said and done, "The Glimmer Man" is by no means an artistic
masterpiece, but it is easily the most entertaining film you will see this
season. Who sees a Seagal film for quality anyway? B+"The Glimmer Man" is now playing nationwide.