Fire Down Below (1997) User Reviews (126)

We're not afraid to say we thought Fire Down Below was a winner.

[tarbosh22000 · 6/10 · 4 July 2014]

Jack Taggart (Seagal) is an EPA agent with an attitude. In order to get to the truth about a large, illegal toxic waste-dumping scheme, he goes undercover as a handyman in rural Jackson, Kentucky, where the waste is said to be hidden. This toxic waste is causing the townsfolk to develop medical issues, and is even killing them. While Taggart finds friendly locals like Cotton (Stanton), Reverend Goodall (Helm), and Sarah Kellogg (Helgenberger), who he forges a relationship with, he does end up with a lot of opposition to his even being in their supposedly quiet little town. As it turns out, the sinister Orin Hanner (Kristofferson) is a corporate bigwig who is using the townspeople of Jackson as his own personal enforcers against Taggart so he can continue to make millions with his waste-dumping scheme. But Taggart vows to end this cycle of corruption and misery - by any means necessary. Will Taggart and his friends triumph over the forces of environmental evil? Find out today! You know, it's a funny thing...we've been so conditioned by Seagal's latter-day efforts, that we assumed watching this older Seagal vehicle was going to be a crud-filled slog filled to the brim with mind-numbing stupidity. But we were very much refreshed and relieved to find out...wait for it...that Fire Down Below is actually a solid, worthwhile, and entertaining movie. Yes, that seems shocking, but that's only based on the 2014 view of Seagal. Hark back to a time when he was a little thinner, his movies went to the theater, and the major studios ensured some level of professional quality. Seagal is as likable as Seagal gets, and he even smiles a few times. Plus his jackets are truly amazing fashion pieces. (Hence, we ventured a supposition that his full name in the movie was Jacket Taggart). This was in Seagal's "Environmental" phase, where he wore buckskin coats and all his movies had to be about pollution or rainforests or something. Somehow his interest in that seems to have faded, as his latter-day DTV efforts seem to have him more as an unlikable thug.

If Hard Target was Van Damme's "Bayou" movie, than Fire Down Below is Seagal's answer to that. There's plenty of banjo-pickin' country music on the soundtrack (a lot of which is by Seagal himself, with none other than Todd Smallwood of Street Knight musical fame...what an amazing team-up!), and the first image of the movie is highly reminiscent of the cover of classic SNES game Phalanx. But the idea of a butt-kicking EPA agent who becomes "Undercover Handyman" is an enjoyable idea, but the whole "classic corrupt small town" feels very familiar.

But here's the bottom line as we see it: Because this is a rural movie, which is very well-shot and has a nice atmosphere, and has a refreshing emphasis on actual characters, it seems the movie as a whole would have gotten more recognition and critical acclaim had it starred Billy Bob Thornton or Ed Harris instead of Steven Seagal. Take out some of the action scenes, and this could have worked well as a low-key drama like Chrystal, Paris Trout or Sling Blade. But because this is a Seagal movie, it ran into a dilemma: As a drama, it's not going to please drama fans, and as a straight-up action movie, it runs the risk of upsetting action buffs who have to have everything go at a breakneck pace with tons of brutal violence. We suppose the intended audience is...us, really, because we appreciate actual storytelling, atmosphere, and characters, as well as action. But we applaud Seagal and the rest of the cast for actually trying to make something respectable and not your average crud.

So set your newly-minted (and extremely warranted) modern-day Seagal prejudices aside and feel free to delve into the world of classic, pre-obese Seagal. We're not afraid to say we thought Fire Down Below was a winner.

Seagal fans will likely be pleased

[itsparsley · 6/10 · 21 February 2009]

I don't know if it's the amount of Seagal I was given or the mood I was in but this movie delivered me an entertaining time and a glimpse at one of his last better films. Steven portrays an EPA agent that comes into a small town to investigate chemical spills and the bad guys who are in on it. Fire Down Below basically ends up being Steven Seagal chit chatting with all the locals (and a shy girl he is falling for) along with beating the snot out of the evil polluters. It's fun to watch Steven do his thing and the movie lets him do just that. There have been past Seagal films that felt like he was only featured in half the flick, in this it plays almost solely to him. It ended up being enjoyable enough to recommend to an action junkie or someone who wants to watch Steven Seagal's watchable movies.

Seagal Scores in an Ordinary Fare!

[namashi_1 · 6/10 · 25 March 2012]

Bad-Ass Steven Seagal Scores, Yet Again, in 'Fire Down Below'. An Ordinary Fare, that works mostly because of Seagal's charisma & honesty.

'Fire Down Below' Synopsis: An EPA agent investigates a Kentucky mine and helps locals stand up for their rights.

'Fire Down Below' is an ordinary fare. It barely offers anything new! Its a been-there-seen-that, done-with-it stuff, that doesn't even intend to leave its view spell-bound.

Jeb Stuart & Phillip Morton's Screenplay is fairly engaging. Félix Enríquez Alcalá's Direction is passable. Cinematography, Editing & Art Design, are decent.

Seagal's an Eternal Bad-Ass & 'Fire Down Below' nods that fact right! His charisma & sheer honesty, is the sole reason to view this film. He's the scene-stealer here!

On the whole, 'Fire Down Below' will work for Seagal Fans.

This was Segal last decent movie.

[slimshady5623 · 10 April 2012]

This film is different compared to Segals other films,it hardly has any action and they seem to be focused on the plot more, rather than the action.The plot of the movie is Steven segal plays a E.P.A. agent undercover as a maintenance man to investigate a corrupt company that has been dumping toxic waste in Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. Most of the villains in this movie are country singers,Randy Travis has a cameo appearance.Segal falls in love with a woman everyone in the town dislikes named Sarah Kellog (Marge Hellenberger)because she was falsely accused of murdering her father when she was a child, it was actually her creepy brother Earl(Stephen Lang). This movie has a lot of humor and nice scenery of Kentucky.I would love to live in the south.

fix my porch, big boy

[AliasPseudonym · 2/10 · 26 March 2017]

This film can be looked at in one of two ways:

1. Sober, or in the unfortunate position of having paid money to watch it.

This is indisputably one of the worst films the 90s ever produced (and it had plenty of competition). The acting is beyond wooden, the plot is laughable, and it's no wonder it was nominated for 4 Razzies.

2. Very drunk, with equally drunk friends.

This is quite possibly the best film in the world. Seagal can do anything - play guitar, fly a plane, save the world, build a porch - but all you will be able to do is stare in fixated disbelief at his hair. Is it real? How does he make it blacker than the 2001 monolith? Is that a ponytail, or a real tail? Do they form some kind of symbiotic crime-fighting partnership that gifts Steven his amazing powers?

Overall, 2 stars for making "you can fix my porch" one of my favourite movie euphemisms of all time.

One of the worst movies of the decade. Zero Stars out of ****

[Movie-12 · 1/10 · 11 November 1999]

FIRE DOWN BELOW (1997) Zero Stars

Starring: Steven Seagal, Marg Helgenberger, Kris Kristofferson, Brad Hunt, and Stephen Lang Director: Félix Enríquez Alcalá Running time: 105 minutes Rated R (for strong violence and some language)

By Blake French:

"Fire Down Below" is a dead zone of an action film. It is the complete worst, most horribly presented, badly written movie to come down the pike in years. The film is directed by Félix Enríquez Alcalá, mostly known for directing television programs and specials, who here is as focused as a two year old child full of energy. The film's writers produce the it with about as much smarts as a box of shredded wheat. The fight scenes are dual and the special effects are unsatisfying--all of which will be covered in my review, dedicated to keeping this movie out of your home.

Lets start at the first act, which is presented through brief flashbacks, (coming from God knows who) and spoken expressions as the opening credits role by. The character explains that there is something happening in a little country village where villains are dumping toxic waste in the sunrise while the pedestrians watch patiently as their environment polluted. There's a cop assigned to investigate undercover in order to find a witness who will testify against the corporate animals in charge of these dastardly events. They are named Orin Hanner, and his son Orin Hanner Jr. who are both fat cat, greedy, businessmen who are only assumed, never actually developed.

The undercover cop is, of course, played by Steven Seagal, who can't, nor could he ever, act. His character is named what other than Jack, and he is everything that the plot requires of him. He likes annoying country music, acts macho and sly, and stutters "That's a nice name" to most of the females he meets in the movie. Jack is obviously the film's hero, and in movies like this, you have to expect him to be a man of many talents. Lets take a look at all the things Jack is, or, in other words, lets take a look at what the plot requires him to do and be:

· Jack is a karate expert and can take on several bad guys at once without receiving a single scratch on his body. Sounds like "Walker: Texas Ranger," doesn't it?

· He is a snake wrestler.

· He is a pilot

· He is rich and resourceful.

· He's a master of weaponry.

· Jack is an insightful environmentalist.

· He is also an experienced craftsman.

· He's an undercover cop.

· He can play the guitar.

· He is a very intelligent engineer.

· He is obviously a long time member of the sharp shooters club.

Now lets take a look at the film's view on what character development and its nurturing of poor dialogue. First, I need to explain something called subtext, the dialogue that explains character's feelings, emotional qualities, and more or less develops the character; it basically taking the place of actions and events. Naked subtext is mostly known as a negative quality. The examples of subtext in "Fire Down Below" are mostly present in character descriptions. This material is overwhelmingly existent in this horrible, horrible excuse for a movie. Sarah Kellogg, who is the film's heroine, is discussed among other characters as "a nice girl, sad though," as she stares into the sunset. How touching. Not only is this material naked subtext, but not even said by the character in focus. It's like "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," except much, much worse.

The action scenes in "Fire Down Below" may appear to be tense and suspenseful, but when it all comes down to it, we know the outcomes in advance. Therefore, if you are an experienced moviegoer, you'll have no problem with seeing past the outer appearance of the violence. For example: there is a car chase scene involving Jack in a small car and a large construction truck. We know it will resolve with one of two outcomes. 1) Jack will be killed or 2) Jack will defend himself and triumph over the evil. Think about it: if Jack is killed, the town in danger will be doomed because he is their only savior, therefore, if he is taken out of the picture, it will be the end of the movie. Can you guess what the outcome is, A or B? For as bad as the action sequences are, you would be shocked about how much the film relies on them and the help of special effects and explosions to carry it through its overly long 105 minute running time. Sorry, but this film completely misses the mark. You see, most productions, even those as bad as this, start out with a story then add special effects and action sequences to raise the tension. "Fire Down Below" does exactly the opposite.

Brought to you by Warner Bros.

fish out of water

[SnoopyStyle · 3/10 · 16 April 2016]

The EPA lost an agent under suspicious circumstances in the Appalachians. Jack Taggart (Steven Seagal) goes undercover as a carpenter to Jackson, Kentucky. Orin Hanner Sr. (Kris Kristoffersson) is the owner of Hanner Coal Company and is being paid to dump toxic barrels in the mines. Taggart faces resistance from the Hanner thugs, local cops and local criminals. He finds an ally in bee keeper Sarah Kellogg (Marg Helgenberger) but locals believe she murdered her father. Her brother Earl (Stephen Lang) has a dark secret.

Steven Seagal doesn't really blend in the Appalachians. He may as well be wearing neon as he goes undercover. He is a fish out of water and it's very strange. The man has a limited number of skills. It's fine to like his narrow types of movies, but this doesn't feel like one of those. It's funny when he's talking to the locals with southern accents. The whole thing feels more like a joke than a thriller.

Enjoyable

[henry-girling · 7/10 · 28 January 2003]

I have watched this several times and always find it enjoyable. There is a gallery of good actors in support like Harry Dean Stanton and Kris Kristofferson. Special mention should be made of Stephen Lang who although playing a murderous character does make one feel sorry for him. Also Marg Helgenberger gives a touching portrayal of Sarah Kellogg, ready to bloom after years of repression.

The photography of the landscape is beautiful and contrasts with the story about its despoliation by illegal dumping of chemicals. This film is more about character and story. The fight scenes themselves are quite brief.

Which brings us to Steven Seagal. His bland acting style works strangely enough in complement with the other stronger actors.He does the combat OK. He does preach (like in his more recent films) but hey, what's wrong with looking after the environment? This film is under rated and deserves another look.

There's toxic waste in them there hills

[shakercoola · 4/10 · 1 August 2018]

An American action film; A story about a government agent who goes undercover when a U. S. Environmental Protection Agency rep is discovered dead in a small Midwestern town. Seagal takes his skills down to Kentucky. The villains are not so menacing this time round but Kris Kristofferson & co provide some light relief as they try their best to thwart the immovable force. It's good entertainment value, the stunts are good and there's a bouncy musical score with regional sounds. There's good support from Harry Dean Stanton. The film comes up short on originality and there are the usual multiple attempts of a troop of men trying to do him harm but the fun is always in seeing them lose their footing.

i enjoyed it

[smoothie-4 · 7/10 · 27 January 1999]

unlike most of seagal's earlier films with almost too much action,fire down below takes its time to weave another true to life tale of the abuse done to our earth by corporate americia. folks,this kind of stuff goes on everyday and it's films like these sneak a message into you without beating you over the head with it.those who are expecting plenty of guns and bodies flying all over the place every 5 seconds will be disappointed,but those who have a better view of the movie genre can enjoy this film better.

Making of Fire Down Below

[ryan79 · 2/10 · 22 December 2004]

Not only was this movie terrible, as most all Steven Segal movies have been but Warner Brothers came to Eastern Kentucky to film this movie and they left town without paying several people who worked as carpenters and forgot to pay their bills and local hardware and electrical stores. While they were in town I was able to meet Steven Segal, he actually friendly. The one positive thing that I will say about this film is that Warner Brothers and Steven Segal did do several charitable things while in town. One example is that one of the little girls who was an extra in the movies home burned to the ground while they were in town filming this movie. Steven Segal heard about it and sent her about 300 Barbie Dolls and Warner Brothers helped the family get into a temporary home. In conclusion the movie was bad but most of the people I met on the production staff and the few actors that I met were very nice people.

Martial Arts, Country Music, good story and good acting.

[nocrud222 · 10/10 · 8 March 2005]

While I do not agree with some of the reviews posted here, others are fair and objective and they are appreciated.

I have visited those places in Eastern Kentucky shown in the movie. I know that there are places in the mountains of Kentucky where outsiders are distrusted due to a tradition started by Revenue Officers many years ago. My grandfather was one of them for many years! I also know their traditions and customs and very much of this movie shows people as they really and truly are today. However, as in most places, the diversity is also notable. For every person hooked on country music, for example, you will find another, or others, who are not.

As a person with one year of karate and one year of jujitsu, I can also agree with another reviewer that Steven Seagal's expertise in Aikido is demonstrated, as was stated, by not merely breaking bones although it can be done. The axiom in martial arts is to protect yourself and this does not always mean putting the opponent in the hospital. Therefore, the fight scenes were believably adequate and enjoyable. Those with only a moviegoer's experience in martial arts would see it otherwise.

Snake handling? In Texas and Florida there are experts who would think that Taggart's grabbing the rattlesnakes tossed through his bedroom window was driven by what he had to do at that moment. Many of those snake experts can tell you that they have known others who had to grab a snake to avoid being bitten. No big deal but still exciting to see.

The country music entertainers were actually excellent actors. I was impressed by them. None of them fell down in their roles and they came across as entirely believable. The story may be seen and appreciated without finding the actor-musicians to be bumbling idiots but real people.

One reviewer commented on the marijuana patch in the hills. This also is not an imaginary or unbelievable situation. Many small planes do not dare fly low in those hills or they come back with bullet holes from those who think they are being overflown by ATF people looking for their weed plots. Bodies have been found in marijuana patches so this also was realistic.

I like Seagal and have seen him in several movies. He is an expert in his field. However, a man who practices martial arts can get hurt more by accident than by intention. However, he is considered great at his art by those who are experienced in that field! Most people in martial arts would love to be as good as he is. Anyone who would denigrate his abilities would not be capable of standing off a pickpocket on a crowded bus and going beyond this would just tax their imagination.

The story was good because it happens... Toxic waste is being stored and hidden not only in Appalachia but in other parts of the USA. The story holds together well. Also, the scenery is very well chosen and this is a plus.

People from that region do not make comments about the movie being untrue to life there. This is because apparently the producers/directors were careful to adhere to authenticity and they did well.

Anywone who likes martial arts and a good story linked to beautiful scenery mixed with reality will like this movie. Others would be better off to stick with their video games to avoid boredom.

I enjoyed the movie -- several times. Overall, I give it a big 10.

Seagal is simply an authority figure with a heart of purest gold...

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 7/10 · 11 April 2004]

Steven Seagal is one of those actors with a totally winning personality… He is simply an authority figure, a killing machine with a heart of purest gold… I can't help it; I like the guy.

In 'Fire Down Below,' he is an outsider posing as a church sponsored carpenter while he works for the Environmental Protection Agency to stop a greedy coal baron from dumping extremely large quantities of toxic wastes in abandoned coal mines… Those dangerous chemicals could destroy the drinking water for thousands of miles and kill a bunch of people around the hills… Seagal gallantly promised not to leave the small town until the poison from the air, the streams and the earth is taken out…

Many thugs (with snakes, sticks, guns, and big trucks) are hired by the uncaring mining magnate to get rid of our action hero but Seagal remains virtually untouched…

'Fire Down Below' highlights new environmental message but fails to come up with the expectations… First, Seagal's amorous interest with the sad country woman seems artificial, used in the film to grant the 'new visitor' easy access to statements he might need… Second, the motion picture lacks the best villain whose prowess could equals Seagal's... Steven's character never really faces much of a challenge… In fact, the fight scenes are too short and extremely fast and easy…

If you are a fan of country music and you want to see Seagal playing guitar and singing, and you like to explore sweeping vistas with glorious sunsets, don't miss this movie!

One of Seagal's worst in my humble opinion...

[poolandrews · 2/10 · 5 October 2007]

Fire Down Below starts as Environmental Protection Agency agent Jack Taggart (co-producer Steven Seagal) is told by his boss that his friend & colleague Frank Elkins (John Diehl) along with three other agents have been found dead, murdered by someone in a small coal mining Kentucky town (where everyone's front porch is broken) to cover up the continued dumping of 1000's of barrels of toxic waste into the mines which is contaminating the local eco system. When his boss ask's Jack to go into the town undercover to gain the people's trust & bring his friends killer's to justice he doesn't need to be asked twice, Jack goes undercover as a charity worker connected to the local Church carrying out small carpentry jobs for free for those who need it. It's not long before his asking too many questions gets Jack into trouble with the local bad guy's, the local police & rich millionaire Orin Hanner Sr. (Kris Kristofferson) who wants to keep his waste dumping a secret...

The feature film directorial debut of Felix Enriquez Alcala I have to admit that I was really disappointed in Fire Down Below, I've stuck with Seagal over the years because some of his earlier films were pretty good while some of his later ones are just plain hilarious & he made this for Warner Bros. when the films he appeared in still had decent budgets & actually opened theatrically. The script by Jeb Stuart & Philip Morton takes itself extremely seriously & even has Seagal's character make an impassioned speech about the environment that wouldn't be out of place in a Quincy (1976 - 1982) episode! This film foolishly tries to have a strong environmental message behind it which just falls flat on it's face, for a start this is one of the slowest Seagal action flicks I've seen & contains little in the way of excitement. The character's are horrible, the dialogue is terrible & Seagal gets to play the guitar, ouch. Then there's the end which is a bit of an anti climax as nothing really happens, sure there's a couple of brief fights but one would usually expect a large action set-piece where the hero & the villain finally meet, not here as Seagal simply arrests the bad guy's & that's it. I'm sorry but I don't want to see Seagal arrest people & do things 'by the book', no I want him to shoot everyone in sight, beat people up, crash cars, blow things up & generally cause lots of mayhem, I mean is that really too much to ask?

Director Alcala does OK but the story really drags, badly. I really can't think of another either duller or slower Seagal action flick. The few fights that are here are pretty cool since Seagal made this before he piled on the pounds, that pony tail still looks gay though as does the stupid looking multi coloured coat he wears in this. There's one shoot-out at the end & one mildly entertaining car chase as Seagal is menaced by a huge Mack semi truck while trying to mind his own business in his pick-up... The violence levels are low for a Seagal film, there's no gratuitous nudity either.

This probably had a decent budget & it's no surprise Seagal never made another film for Warner Bros. after they saw this & it convincingly bombed at the box-office. It's well made but forgettable & the action set-pieces are dull & nothing we haven't seen before. The acting sucks which is a shame as there's a good cast here including Harry Dean Stanton & Kris Kristofferson. I was just looking at Seagal's bio page on the IMDb & it states that his very humble sounding nicknames are, wait for it, Lord Steven & The Great One! Excuse me, Lord Steven no less! Who on Earth gave him these rather lofty sounding nicknames?

Fire Down Below is probably Seagal's worst big budget action film that he made for a big studio & is more of an environmental drama than straight action, look Steven just stick to what your good at like beating people up in a variety of painful looking ways & leave stuff like acting to the professionals. Personally I think this film sucks big time & apart from one half decent car chase is rubbish.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it.

[billybrown41 · 3 April 2002]

All of the fun from a Steven Seagal film comes from watching the man. You know that when the bad guys are circling him, taunting him, telling him what they're about to do, you know that within less than a minute, everyone around him is going to be lying on the ground, moaning in pain, while he stands there smirking. Literally everything in his reach becomes a weapon and he NEVER kicks. Also, he ALWAYS comes out scratch free. His character will almost always be clad in leather, even when everyone else is walking around in Summer wear. Yep, he's a regular "Jack of all trades" in this one as he's an Enviornmental Protection Agent, a pilot, a carpenter, a martial artist, and a guitar player as well. It's so absurd, but yet SO satisfying, it's just the way action movies should be. No one else could pull it off and do it so well. Lotsa fun.

Steven Seagal plays basically the same character in every movie, and while they're always panned by the critics, his movies always please the audience that they were intended for. Fire Down Below is, in my opinion, the last of his really good movies. Everything else kinda went downhill from there. With Fire Down Below, he took his preachiness from On Deadly Ground, and toned it down a little. Also, he wasn't directing this time. But one thing I have to say is that I could've done without the sped up action sequences. There were a few times, throughout the movie, where I thought that I may have accidentally hit the fast forward button on my remote. But other than that, this movie does what action movies are supposed to do and doesn't pull any punches. I also enjoyed the Kentucky backdrop and it was kinda cool to see so many country musicians make cameos. Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, Mark Collie, Kris Kristofferson, Levon Helm...they're all here, not too mention several others. My favorite character was "Cotton" played to perfection by one of my all time favorite character actors Harry Dean Stanton. His mountain-boy simplicity put a big ole smile on my face everytime he showed up and I love the guy in everything he's in.

Everyone in the movie seems to be having a great time and it's so hard to take anything seriously. All you can really do is sit back and have a good time. I hope that for his next film, that he ditches all the glossiness of "Exit Wounds" and goes back to the movies that made his audiences love him in the first place.

Only Seagal

[Legacy_Of_H · 3/10 · 27 June 2005]

Could anyone besides Steven Seagal strut into a hillbilly town, stop an evil toxic waste dumping tycoon, moonlight as a carpenter, and rescue a 40 year old woman from an incestuous sibling? I seriously doubt it.

Thats not to even mention the outfits.

I also have to question the wisdom in handing a 10 year old child a loaded and cocked revolver and having him point it at people.

Seagal does manage to beat the crap out of several people, notably bashing several people over the head with lumbar and ramming a big guy's face into a pool table.

Also intriguing is the realization that Seagal can move faster than a striking rattlesnake.

Needed action to be a good action film

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 4/10 · 26 August 2010]

The usual in Steven Seagal's movies take place in "Fire Down Below" too. He's the good guy again; the hero again; he's never got punched but he kicks and punches lots of guys with the little help of the editor who makes his moves even faster. This movie resembles "On Deadly Ground", so here we have Seagal saving the Earth of the bloody hands of powerful and corrupt business man who are destroying rivers, oceans and trees and all. The major difference between "Fire Down Below" and "On Deadly Ground" is the quality of the movie (for some reason I like "On Deadly...") and the violence/action. While action is dumb and so non breathtaking here, on the previous film was something great, although at times badly used or excessive, especially towards older people, it was literally no country for old men (e.g. the old friend of Seagal tortured and killed in 1994 film). In "Fire Down Below" the same thing happens but it is only implied, nothing is shown on screen and other times it's only a threat.

In the story Seagal is a Environmental agent who goes to a little town in Kentucky investigate the murder of his friend who discovered that a powerful company, owned by Orin Hanner Sr. (Kris Kristofferson), is being paid to dump toxic waste into an abandoned coal mine shaft. With the assistance of a Reverend (Levon Helm) and a woman (Marg Helgenberger) and some other residents Segal is gonna find the truth and kicks some villains.

The lack of action ruined this movie. The lack of violence ruined this movie. The lack of someone able to kick Seagal on the face ruined this and almost all Seagal's movies. The great vantage of this against "On Deadly Ground" is the quotes delivered by Seagal, funny things and for incredible as it might sound these quotes are not unintentionally laughable, they're there for the purpose of being funny. The scene in the casino when Seagal takes down 4 security guys trying to arrest Kristofferson is amazingly funny.

I'll not say this was Seagal's worst film, but perhaps his performance was not good enough and the whole supporting cast was very effective and good compared to him. Marg Helgenberger was great, her part was very interesting as the forsaken woman of the town; Stephen Lang plays his usual sinister figure in a twisted character; Kristofferson was quite good and funny; and Levon Helm was the best on scene. The movie includes some bad acting from Brad Hunt (he plays the son of Kristofferson) whose presence is annoying, and some wasted acting by Harry Dean Stanton and Richard Masur (who appears in the beginning in some flashbacks), seriously they deserved a better flick to appear.

Again, it is a movie to wait and wait again for action and it will be a few good things in it. Director Felix Enriquez Alcalá made better with the TV film remake of "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three". 4/10

Steven Seagal, washed up action star.

[Captain_Couth · 2/10 · 25 August 2005]

Fire Down Below (1997) has to be one of the worse of Seagal's major released films. before he re-invented himself for video. Seagal still tries to do some of his old moves and method of acting. But his "Billy Jack" style of performing has worn so thin that you can't even see the threads anymore. He stars as another variation of his screen character. This time he's in the south looking for a sleazy modern day robber baron (Kris Kristofersen). A lot of illegal dumping and poisoning the environment, blah, blah, blah. Will Steven Seagal take out the trash and defend the soil? Watch (if you dare) FIRE DOWN BELOW.

More hot air and empty preaching from Mr. Seagal. He can't even do his cool moves anymore. A lot of trick photography and digital editing is used in this movie. Why doesn't the director and Mr. Seagal just adapt a new style that's more suited for a man of his age and build. This would be one of his last major studio appearances. After realizing his limitations, he would finally change to a more subtle type of action film making. This one is real bad and I could'nt stand up to another viewing.

Not recommended at all.

The Good & Bad Of 'Fire Down Below'

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 8 January 2007]

Since I haven't seen this since the turn of the 21st century, it would be interesting to see again just to see Marg Helgenberger. I really wasn't that familiar with her when I saw this movie a couple of times in the late '90s, although I had seen her before. However, now she's a very familiar face thanks to the hit CSI television show.

Anyway, the movie was a typical Steven Seagal film in that he's the likable hero, you had despicable villains that were easy to hate, and every action scene is Rambo-like in which Seagal never misses injuring his foes.

One big difference in this film from his earlier efforts: an emphasis an aesthetic cinematography. This had some beautiful rural scenes of Kentucky and in particular, a church on a top of a hill, in which a number of scenes take place. Not only is the country scenery nice but there are some good country songs in here and better yet - blues guitar music in the background throughout the movie. All of this was different for a Seagal film. Of course, the nice scenery was probably due to the fact Seagal played an Environmental Protection Agent ("Jack Taggart").

Also different was the fact that Helgenberger ("Sarah Kellogg") was not the typical gorgeous young sexpot normally paraded out in these martial arts films, but was rather plain with no makeup. She wore conservative clothing and showed no skin. (Contrast that to her CSI roles the past six years) Then again, Appalachia being the setting for this story, her dress and manner was appropriate and realistic.

Language-wise, most of the hard profanity comes from Kris Kristofferson's villain character, "Orrin Hammer, Sr.," in the first hour.

How they treated "religion" in this film was bizarre. Good, bad, good, bad - like watching a tennis match. The country reverend was the typical Hollywood wishy-washy minister: the kind would NOT see in this area in real life. The screenwriters are so clueless Seagal called him - a Protestant minister - "father" - as if he was a Catholic. Anyway, the wimpy reverend does "come around" at the end.

More examples: good-guy Seagal bows his head in prayer at church but also tells Helgenberger that "I don't hand out bibles." He also mentions UFOs and Zen to a sick little boy but also mentions "God's work" other times. He covers all the bases, I guess, from occult to the real thing. The bad guys attend church, but then they burn it down! Harry Dean Stanton tells someone that "church people talk down the others," but the next scene something positive is shown. I'm telling you: the theology in here would make your head swim.

Seagal plays a smug kind of guy but his smugness doesn't translate into an offensive jerk, perhaps because his character is so soft-spoken and he is, after all, the good guy. Every action scene in here is a Rambo imitation in which Segal beats up his opponents no matter how many of them are against him. It's ludicrous. Yet, most of the time it's enjoyable enough to watch and the sound-effects on those fights are actually entertaining, almost humorous.

About the film, I still like the blues guitar and the Kentucky scenery the best. The rest of it is pure Seagal nonsense....but entertaining.

One of the Lesser Seagal Films, But Not the Worst

[gavin6942 · 4/10 · 13 April 2008]

After receiving an anonymous letter, EPA agent Jack Taggert (Steven Seagal) is sent into the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky to find out who is dumping toxic sludge into the local mines and aquifers. While the culprit really isn't a surprise, Taggert must build a case and get the town of Jackson to turn against the wealthy businessman (Kris Kristofferson) behind the poisonous pollution.

As I have written in other Seagal reviews, I must say this film boils down to one thing: if you like Seagal, you'll like this film. If not, you're probably wasting your time. Sure, there's the interesting cameos and guest stars (Randy Travis, Travis Tritt and Harry Dean "I don't have Travis in my name" Stanton), but it's the same old Seagal formula.

What formula is that, you ask? Well, Seagal is a federal agent with a gun and martial arts moves. He moves into a smaller town with their own traditions and falls for a local woman. A big businessman is upsetting the environment. After various fight scenes, the boss is confronted and there is more fighting. There are only two differences from past films here: no Indian or Asian spiritualism and Seagal not once gets a scratch or anything on him, so there's no need to nurse him back to health. If this were a video game, Seagal would be using all the cheat codes. Also, the male-on-male rape jokes are never-ending in this film, so I hope you like "big Bubba" comments.

That being said, I won't waste my time getting nit-picky about things you don't care about. Rather, let me just put it in the context of other Seagal films: it's better than "On Deadly Ground" but not as good as "Hard to Kill" and not even in the same league as "Under Siege". Hopefully that gives you a general idea for the level of quality you're in for. See it or don't, I don't care.

Action, romance, intrigue, and Marg Helgenberger.

[Wittmanntodd · 7/10 · 6 May 2001]

Yes, I am a Seagal fan. Yet, this was my first exposure to Marg Helgenberger. Finally, she has come of age in the TV series "CSI". Marg brings an innocence to the screen, yet not in a bimbo blond sort of way. She is smart, stand-off-ish, with not so quite hidden vulnerabilities. The attraction to her is total...not limited to looks, figure, or sexual prowess. Seagal's chemistry with her works (unlike the relationship with LeBrock in "Hard to Kill").

The story is consistent with the Seagal mystique. The environmental issues were not overdone (as they were done in "On Deadly Ground"). The romance had a good feeling to it, which was unusual for Seagal. Truly a good Seagal movie to watch with a woman who has a preconceived notion that she would hate any movie with Steven Seagal.

Segal is tough on polluters...and his fans

[starling-1 · 1/10 · 11 April 2001]

When the EPA means business they apparently send a bloated looking Steven Segal to beat up local cops in speeded-up fight sequences (possibly the first time this technique has been put to good use since the sixties). Some pleasant subplot involving incest gets a lot of screen time but the real story here is the last five minutes when Harry Dean Stanton plays a harmonica over the closing credits. I felt like dancing.

Better than I anticipated.

[Nimbo · 8/10 · 5 August 1998]

I was pleasantly surprised by "Fire Down Below". I am sure that locals played a large part in this film shot in Eastern Kentucky. It was well done and Seagal did just what he had to do in an action film.

The scenery was magnificent. The acting up to par. The special effects were much better than average.

And ugly men can appeal to young women. Marg Helgenberger certainly is a beautiful young woman. And as an actress she gave an adequate performance and I am sure will continue to improve.

I enjoyed the film.

Not exactly peak Seagal, but not all bad, either.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 23 May 2021]

Once again, Steven Seagal (playing EPA agent Jack Taggert) is out to save the environment (and avenge a friend in the process). He heads into Appalachia, using a job as freelance carpenter as his cover. He will go to war against filthy-rich, environment-destroying jerk Orin Hanner, Sr. (Kris Kristofferson) and his army of goons. In the meantime, he will begin a relationship with shy local Sarah Kellogg (an appealing Marg Helgenberger), who's treated like a pariah in town.

This is rather along the lines of "On Deadly Ground", Seagals' directing debut from a few years previous, except with not as much of the speechifying that turned some people off of that one. The topicality adds some weight to the standard-issue plot that often sees Seagal effortlessly manhandle any thug that dares to take him on. (Of course, they never gang up on him, because that might make some sense.). Anyway, the film also benefits from excellent folksy atmosphere, with a colourful supporting cast, superb scenery, a good soundtrack (Nick Glennie-Smith composed the score, and Seagal actually co-wrote a number of songs on the soundtrack), and a decent pace.

These filmmakers, led by director Felix Enriquez-Alcala, are smart enough to surround the typically underwhelming Seagal with actors who actually know what they're doing. Harry Dean Stanton is once again great value as a local named Cotton, who pretends to be slower than he really is. Stephen Lang gives another of his great creepy-antagonist performances as Sarahs' domineering brother. Fans of country music will note the large amount of recording artists who appear on screen, whether playing characters in the film (Kris, Randy Travis, Levon Helm of The Band, Alex Harvey) or making musical appearances as themselves (Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt). Kris is an enjoyable villain, very slick and confident and certain that he can't be touched. One treat for Harry Dean fans is that he does a rendition of "Kentucky Waltz" during the closing credits. The film does make an egregious waste of Hollywood character actors Richard Masur, John Diehl, and Robert Ridgely (Masurs' and Diehls' roles are finished with before the opening credits are done).

The action IS of course well-executed; a lot of stunt people get credited for this show. It's amusing to watch so many of these luckless chumps go up against Seagal and get their posteriors handed to them.

Overall, this isn't a GREAT Seagal flick, per se, but it's probably a safe bet that it's still better than a lot of the direct-to-DVD stuff he's been churning out for the last two decades.

Seven out of 10.

More killer action would've set the movie on fire.

[emm · 5/10 · 15 February 1999]

Our soft-spoken federal agent in a ponytail, Steven Seagal, gives a single blow to his enemies and takes care of business to keep us all happy. FIRE DOWN BELOW sounds like the ideal movie for middle-aged guys who grew up watching Clint Eastwood and don't want all the upbeat violence today can offer. The basic action sequences come around every once in a while, but it yearns for much more! It is both a regular old "run, shoot & kill" thing and a regular old martial arts flick wrapped up in one full package. You can sit around and get tired over some dramatic footage, and maybe miss out on that stellar Mack truck chase scene. Cameos by three country music stars help out a bit, including Randy Travis as a corrupt government officer. Seagal appears as if he's aging and can't do so much anymore. After all, Marty Stuart sure could use him in his guitar band.