Half Past Dead

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Half Past Dead ★ 2002 (PG-13)

Steven Seagal hauls his bloated carcass through the motions in this action dud that's far past half dead. He plays Sascha, an undercover government agent working in a new-fangled Alcatraz prison. During the planned execution of thief/murderer Lester (Weitz), a corrupt government official (Chestnut) and his kickboxing hench-woman (Peeples) take a Supreme Court justice (Thorson) hostage in an effort to find out where Lester hid his loot. Seagal allies with Nick (Ja Rule), his former FBI sting target, in order to save the day. Peeples delivers the film's only standout fight scene, although the backstage duel between Seagal and the buffet table must have been quite a sight. TV producer/novelist Stephen J. Cannell appears as a prison bureau chief. 97m/C VHS, DVD . Steven Seagal, Morris Chestnut, Ja Rule, Nia Peeples, Michael “Bear” Taliferro, Claudia Christian, Linda Thorson, Bruce Weitz, Kurupt, Mo'Nique, Matt Battaglia, Richard Bremmer, Stephen J. Cannell, Don Michael Paul, Tony Plana; D: Don Michael Paul; W: Don Michael Paul; C: Michael Slovis; M: Tyler Bates.