Thanks for the memories!

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Blistering performances.

This action movie sees Steven Seagal playing Forrest Taft, a trouble-shooter for Aegis Oil. In the opening scene he puts out a fire at one of their wells; here he is told that the fire happened because company boss Michael Jennings insisted on using substandard parts to save money. Taft starts looking into this and soon Jennings and his henchmen are trying to kill him... Aegis has to open its new well in thirteen days or it loses the drilling rights; Jennings will do anything to make sure nobody interferes with his timetable. After the first attempt on his life Taft is rescued by the local Nanive American tribe. They nurse him back to health then he sets off with Masu, daughter of the chief and environmental activist, to stop Jennings bringing the new well into operation; something Taft knows would lead to an environmental disaster. It won't be easy though; as well as Aegis's own security people Jennings has called in a team of mercenaries.Things get off to a good start with shots of pristine Alaskan wilderness before we see the burning well. Little time is wasted introducing our hero and main villain... then things start to get far too obvious. We see Seagal beating up racist oil workers who abuse Natives at a bar juxtaposed with a scene where Jennings, played by Michael Caine, gives a speech about the company's environmental concerns when it is clear he couldn't care less. As one might expect from a Steven Seagal film there is lots of action; this includes fighting, shooting, many explosions and a man being pushed into a helicopter's tail rotor; this action is pretty good although not as gritty as his earlier films. The scenery is impressive although it seemed odd that one moment they were in barren areas covered in snow the next they were in forests with no snow to be scene! The cast are okay, but all of the actors I recognised have been better in other films; at least Michael Caine's somewhat over the top villain is rather fun and R. Lee Ermey is solid as the head mercenary. The biggest problem with the film is its lack of subtlety with its environmental message; it might as well have been called 'Green Peace: The Movie'. There are numerous heavy handed comments throughout the film but none were as bad as Seagal's speech at the end. The silly thing is the massage could have been got across without these moments which detracted from the action and ultimately came across as annoying, conspiratorial rants from eco-activists. Overall this isn't terrible; it delivers well enough on the action but expects you to be lectured too in the process.

Steven Seagal had a meteoric rise as a martial arts action star, quickly graduating from straight to video to box office number one movies. His success with Under Siege gave him enough clout to direct and star in On Deadly Ground and have a serious message on the dangers of capitalism and respecting the environment.Michael Caine who has is hair dyed dark for the film hams it up as the villain of the film. He plays big bad oil magnate who wants drill for oil in Alaska and in Eskimo land. Caine has a group of bad assed henchmen who are willing to get their hands dirty for kicks it seems.Seagal is one of them who plays Forrest Taft, a specialist oil rig fireman. However he turns on the corporate suits when he asks Caine, 'how much is enough?' Caine ends up trying to get rid of him unsuccessfully. Thankfully for Taft he is rescued by the Alaskan Eskimos and goes on a spiritual and environmental rebirth where he realises the importance and respect for animals, the land and tribal people.Thankfully he also wants revenge on the oil company and Caine hires some big guns to deal with him which includes R Lee Ermey and Billy Bob Thornton but Seagal is a man with hidden talents as he seems to be ex CIA and an expert on combat as well as putting out fires. I would not be surprised if he could cook as well and Ermey's mercenary soon regrets the threat he made to Taft.Obviously by 1994 Seagal was on a roll. His recent films had bigger budgets, better scripts, better production values and some big stars. However this is an ego trip too much. The directing is nothing much than a vanity exercise. Warner Brothers should had got a more experienced director to re-cut the film as the pacing is poor and for an action film, after a bright start (with some good explosions) it becomes plodding and boring. Somewhere in this mess is a decent action film with some humour, fight scenes, action and political points that someone like Andrew Davis (who made Under Siege) could had directed better.The bad guys are suitably one note which is nasty. Caine just turned up for the pay cheque and have a look around Alaska but then you have that speech at the end, the film which really takes the biscuit.Now I do not mind after going through countless right wing action stars to have one with leftist leanings. But do I want an elongated social statement at the end of an action film on the evils of capitalism, corrupt politicians and green issues? I have no doubt that Seagal is sincere in his beliefs, but while a few barbs here and there would had been sufficient, the rant at the end sunk a poor action film down even further.

Michael Jennings (Michael Caine) is the callous CEO of Aegis Oil. They are desperate to finish the latest job or else the drilling rights revert back to the "Eskimos". He cut corners and use defective parts. Forrest Taft (Steven Seagal) is the safety officer who must fight for what's right.Steven Seagal is a weak director. He lacks the vision or the skills. This plays more as a TV movie with an oversized budget. It could still have been watchable but Seagal keeps strutting around like a douchie peacock. This is a terrible vanity project. He wants to be an environmental native superhero. It's all too much.Even Michael Caine is annoyingly 2 dimensional. He sleeks back his hair and act like a super criminal. There isn't much nuance. This is standoff between two giant peacocks as the movie starts with a giant explosion, and the two men standing upright posing while everybody else cowers. It sets the sour tone right from the beginning.

This movie was made after the success of "Under siege" – Seagal's best movie to date. The producers allowed Seagal to make a movie based on his screenplay and even gave him the directors seat . Seagal is also the main producer of this movie. If there is one good thing about this movie is the big budget. When it comes to Seagal's movies only "Under siege" , "Under siege 2" , " Exit wounds " and "On deadly ground" really feel like a professional movies . Others , even "Nico : Above the law " , did feel like a low budget made-for-TV movies. The money here allowed for many explosions , nice costumes and views , and for casting Michael Caine ("Get Carter") ,Joan Chen ("The Last emperor") , Billy Bob Thornton ("Sling blade") and R. Lee Ermey ("Full metal jacket").The movie tries to send a message about protecting environment and one could appreciate Seagal for that . Still , I doubt that this movie will convince anyone on the subject . I find it incredibly ridiculous that in this movie Seagal fights for environment blowing everything up . I'm pretty sure that blowing oil refinery won't cause any damage to the environment. There is also one incredibly preachy speech at the end of the movie . Funny thing – in the original version of the movie the speech was supposed to be 30 minutes long ! "On deadly ground" also wants to teach us respect towards Eskimos . Once again – not bad idea , but poor execution . The scene in the bar is quite rightfully among the worst movie scenes EVER made . "What is the essence of man " ? . LOL . Hilarious . So deep… And why does Seagal's character is called Forrest Taft ? Because Gino Fellino ("Out for justice" ) wasn't dumb enough name ?One could wonder what Michael Caine is doing here . I guess the paycheck really was big … Anyway, Caine here gives a rather hammy performance and it's definitely not one of the best moments in his career. Joan Chen is actually OK. Thornton and Ermey are forgettable . Seagal is , well , Seagal . One thing that is noticeable here is the birth of Seagal's huge ego . It's one of his first movies when from time to time movie characters tell the viewers how INCREDIBLY AWESOME Seagal's character is . It was supposed to make him cool , but it ends annoying and pathetic.Seagal shows that he isn't able to direct decent action scene and it's a nail to the coffin for the movie.Even some of Seagal's most loyal fans didn't liked this movie . It's not hard to understand why. I give it 1/10.