What I find so fascinating about Seagal ; Above The Law was his very first movie and imo it stands as his most impressive work . The action sequences , the hand to hand combat , the handling of firearms , the supporting cast are all fantastic , and I never understood why he could not capture that brilliance in another film ???
People joke about his "unrealistic" use of firearms but to be fair he is a legit great shot and he does use those weird gun holds and stances in real life.
Describing Seagal's finer years- 'Honestly my, my, I , I don't know anything.... about him, ah past a certain point.... like, I, I, I, I don't know what went on there.... umm?' *LOL*
Guys theres a difference between a movie that someone likes because its a fun movie and then them saying that the actor is a legitimate fighter. Yes Rogan says that Segal is a legit aikido master. He was actually teacher in a dojo in japan. Not only the first white man to do so, but also achieved this in his 20s. This is nearly unique in history. It may only be important in its own context, but it is none the less true. Now, if you've seen any of the other opinions that Joe puts forth about Segal, and or aikido, you will also see what he feels about the entire matter. 1. Aikido isnt a complete competition ready discipline. Its simply not. Even many aikido masters will tell you that aikido isnt for competition, nor is it for using against skilled and trained fighters. 2. Segal, while being an aikido master is not a legitimate martial artist based solely on aikido nor even is his prime would he have stood a chance against anyone in his weight class in an legitimate mixed martial arts competition. Its perfectly sane to be able to appreciate and enjoy segal in a movie and enjoy the exhibition that he puts on screen without also believing that he in anyway has any high level martial skill or is in any way a competition grade fighter. The two positions are not even related to people who understand both fighting and movies much less are the two mutually exclusive.
@@metamorphicorder Yup, that's what people don't get. Movies are pretence, they aren't real. The problem with Seagal is that he takes himself too serious and believes he's this bonafide wrecking machine in real life. Which is highly contestable, to say the least. Doesn't mean you can't appreciate his better action movies though.
Edward Norton is an amazing actor, one of the best of our generation, all the reason why I wouldn't take everything he says about Steven Seagal as absolute truth. Afterall he is an actor.
He's a student of Aikido and BJJ for many years. I think he's got a black belt in Aikido and at least a brown belt in BJJ. He also boxed for more than a decade. If people think that's a guy they should mess with...good luck. He's a close friend of Rickson Gracie that trains with him for years, and they teach their own martial art to each other, like some trade off ritual.
Segal had a very, very limited range, but those films played into that range. He just has zero range and when he couldn't even walk anymore at a fast pace, he was done.
Above the Law was decent, though I liked Code of Silence more. Both good 80's action flicks. Both directed by Andrew Davis, who not only directed Under Siege as well, but The Fugitive and Holes. Strange that the guy who directed Seagal's first big movie aslo directed a film that won Tommy Lee Jones an Oscar.
Joe bashes Steven Seagal every chance he gets. He's repeatedly called him a phony and a fraud in the past. But today, I guess he's just entertaining Ed Norton, who is apparently a fan.
@@lesgeorge9166 Yep you are right. Joe was defending Segal in another podcast... Saying that in Segal's prime he did some good moves but later got a little phony. He recognizes that the front kick to the face that Segal "taught" Anderson Silva was a bunch of nonsense. Overall Joe has been pretty consistent in his opinion of Segal.
I vaguely remember Marked for Death. My cousin who was probably between 16-18 at the time used to rave about it all the time. I should go back and watch it.
We are talking Steven Segal and that’s a piece of film History. First we need to ask ourselves a question. He’s the first Aikido practitioner to ever become involved in the Hollywood game and the only one. Now, he’s gone on to make many films based on his merit. I remember his first 5 films being brilliant. That’s were it ends.... so ok, we get it, he’s not an actual movie man. But he created a genre of the art into itself. More so than these 2 pipe steeling defomats. That’s a new word for sure. But hey, I respect these 2 guys. But sometimes, you need to show a bit of respect to someone who established a new art form to the masses. He’s probably responsible for the growth of Aikido to the western world and tell me, other than Bruce who introduced a form of Kung foo, has ever done that. I’m a little bit ashamed of our impressive duo. Regardless........
The only reason Segal was a teacher in Japan was because his ex wife and father in law owned the dojo, when the father died steven started teaching the classes. It was a big controversy.
@@altergreenhorn combination of not being Japanese and not having high enough rank. Aikido was very strict on who could teach back then . His aikido is actually really good but he is just such an A Hole in real life.
Steven Seagal's Aikido is more in the style of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. Morehei Usheba' s bullshit would never work in a fight or on the Hollywood Screen. Sukaku Takeda would have disapprove I'm sure, get Segal on the show Joe Rogan!
What's weird is that Seagal took Aikido, a defensive hippy martial art, and spruced it up with some obscure offensive variant of Japanese Jujutsu that the samurai used and a bunch of Karate. Also, while other martial arts were moving more towards sports & competition-oriented fighting, Seagal gravitated towards the dirtier side that doesn't play by rules. That starts to explain the contractor work after Japan and before the movie career, and then the police stuff after the movies.
Look you could say Steven seagal is fat and useless martial artist !!!,but one thing you have to mention and thank him for ?,is how he taught Anderson Silva that brand new kick,the front kick pure genius,
If it wasn’t for Sensei Seagull both Anderson and Loyoto would have never became UFC champions. Sensei shared a technique with both of them known as the “Front Kick” which propelled both men to Champion as well as Legend status. In a showing of tremendous appreciation for taking all that time to teach him this rare kick Anderson supposedly placed his UFC belt at Sensei’s feet backstage moments after winning it.
I don't know. Lately, Rogan has been showing a lot of respect to aikido, acknowledging it's limitations but respecting it as something useful in self defense. It is weird. I wonder what shifted his perspective.
In a fight Steven Seagal is hands down the only guy who could be a potential threat to Chuck Norris especially if it took place in a convenience store.
No, Joe Rogan talked bullshit in the past about Seagal that he was choked out by Gene LeBell. As a matter of fact Seagal was never choked out by LeBell. Stuntman Steven Lambert told the truth in his new book and said that LeBell is a dear friend of him but he lied on the whole thing.
According to the 1993 Spy magazine article, the dojo was founded by Seagal's father-in-law, owned by Seagal's mother-in-law, and managed by Seagal's wife (who had a black belt). At least Seagal did in fact teach there. Can you get a black belt in exaggerating?
People talk shit about seagal, no one talks it to his face in a parking lot, bodega or a mall. If he’s so fake simply walk up to him and see what happens. I have a family member who was a serious martial artist and competitor and has been to his house. I asked him is he really that good ? He said he would be the worst person to be cornered by in the world . Too fast too precise . Nobody seen Richie?
Ed's a student of Aikido and BJJ for many years. I think he's got a black belt in Aikido and at least a brown belt in BJJ. He also boxed for more than a decade. If people think that's a guy they should mess with...good luck. He's a close friend of Rickson Gracie that trains with him for years, and they teach their own martial art to each other, like some trade off ritual. Joe didn't invite him just for being an actor, trust me.
*Edward* "I was totally fas... I mean it's like... it really.. like.. like me, right? Like ac... like like 'serious actor' 'thoughtful actor' I'm like... what didja... y'know, but I like" *Norton*
I like the way they left it with, 'it's a cautionary tale'. Seagal was the legit westerner and really could of been so huge. Whether it was ego and his compulsive lying he just became nothing more than a joke and broke our dreams.
the segal movie with dmx! I had that on DVD when I was finishing high school a thousand years ago. it was stupid then and stupid now. but if it was on i would fall right to sleep like a baby. that and VERTICAL LIMIT. Anyone remember that one? Oh good times.
He liked 2 Seagal films back in the day. Before Seagal, Martial Arts were mostly dances and didn't look like they were really violent. Seagal was breaking arms left, right, and center. He had zero range and after a couple decent films made nothing but crap. It's like liking Nicolas Cage films like Gone in 60 Seconds and The Rock.
Amen!!!!!!!!!!!! "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." -Proverbs 16:18 (ESV). if you're too conceited or self-important, something will happen to make you look foolish.
the Barbarian Brothers were the closest I ever came to a Steven Seagal-type. (Big in the later 80's - early 90's.) David and Peter Paul were behemoths/power lifters from my neck of the woods (CT). Initially football players at URI - but came to Hollywood seeking Arnold/Sly-status. Great to pal around with, great to write with - but the Barbarians were just THIS in their own minds - Neanderthals. The scripts that Cannon et al gave to the Barbarian Brothers were just terrible. but the "Twins" were building houses in Topanga Canyon - HADDA take anything/everything they were given. -funnier in real life than is possible to DESCRIBE here. .
I really don't get the hatred and contempt for Steven Seagal. Seems like a cool guy. Joe has looked at footage of him and said the martial art is for disarming someone with a sword, but Seagal is a black belt in it. And it has its uses. Deal with it.
Fuck the haters! Steven Seagal made amazing movies back in the late 80’ early 90’. Out For Justice and On Deadly Ground are my two my absolute favourites of his. Why can’t Joe just see them as great male action movies and forget the “might be fake, martial arts” bit.
The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. Third rule of Fight Club: Someone yells "Stop!", goes limp, taps out, the fight is over. Fourth rule: Only two guys to a fight
It only works for highly skilled people in real fights. Not like jujitsu. Like boxing but worse than boxing. Only high level boxer can look like sparring in the gym in real fight. Most will get bruised and beaten in fights. Like that but worse in Aikido.
In everything there are the purists and the second are called many things... Elaborating on technique can evolve it to be better or worse but it will always be wrong in the eye of a purist. Bruce Lee didn't change what was already perfect but evolved everything thought to be perfect into something greater than it was and put it to test. And he was ridiculed by all the masters only to beat them and crumble their foundations.
Steven Segal movies are so funny. I have seen 10-15 Segal movies but I don't think I have ever seen anyone even land a single blow on Segal. Besides for the opening scene in Hard to Kill where he gets shot like 500 times, he never gets injured at all.
yeah right Joe, above the law wasn't one of the most realest martial arts movie ever. Blood Sport was the best martial arts movie ever in those days ask any fighter in the ufc that was born in the 80's or early 90's.
