Another week, another Seagal flick on telly – at least that's what it feels like, given the prolific nature of the star's direct-to-DVD output in the past few years. The good news is that RENEGADE JUSTICE manages to be more purely entertaining than at least three recent Seagal films I can name (ATTACK FORCE, FLIGHT OF FURY, OUT OF REACH) although I still think it's pipped to the post by PISTOL WHIPPED, a film I like for some reason. The reason this film works is that it offers the sort of pure, pared-down entertainment Seagal films want to see: namely mucho ass-kicking and violence throughout.Things kick off with an innocent man gunned down on the streets and soon Seagal's in town, whupping backside wherever he goes. There's some kind of drugs war going on between rival gangs, but Seagal's not interested in any of that – he just wants to kill the man responsible for his son's death. His quest follows the likes of TAKEN as he single-mindedly works his way through anybody who might remotely be connected to the crime, and he also takes time out to give a gang of skinheads a beat down along the way, too.This film works because it's action packed. There are lots of fight scenes, and the good news is that Seagal's present for all of them (he's occasionally doubled in long shots, but at least it's his own voice here, too). They're exceptionally violent, brief and vivid, and usually involve our hero kicking the criminals in the groin, breaking their wrists, noses and sometimes their necks, too. Along with the hand-to-hand combat, there are some shoot-outs here too, which seem to have taken inspiration from Robert Rodriguez's PLANET TERROR in terms of the amount of blood that sprays from somebody's body when shot. These are some of the most gruesome blood sprays seen outside of Japanese cinema, and I admit I wasn't expecting that.The story is kept simple and the dialogue is a detraction; this is the most profane film I've seen, even more so than a Tarantino movie, and not in a good way. It just shows a lack of creativity. Still, Seagal is on good film, making an effort to act for a change, and there's a nice one-scene cameo from Danny Trejo thrown into the mix too. Add in some attractive ladies and a cheesily hilarious car chase and you have RENEGADE JUSTICE.

Simon Ballister (Steven Seagal) has certain skills. He arrives in L.A. to investigate the death of his son LAPD Vice cop Max. He was double-crossed and gunned down. There is a war between the Hyde Park Gang led by El Chivo (Danny Trejo) and the East Side Gangsters led by Armand Tucker (Eddie Griffin). Simon rents a room in the area where his son was killed from Alice Park (Carmen Serano).This is a run-of-the-mill Steven Seagal action movie. He's hand fighting a lot. I don't think he's doing much moving nowadays. He never really had the stunt action credential. There are some car chases and some fun fights. Eddie Griffin and the gangsters are borrowing a playbook from the 90s. At least, he's not shooting in Toronto although non-descript New Mexico as L.A. may not be that much better. This is strictly for Seagal fans. You get exactly what you expect.

I don't understand all these positive reviews. In my view this is one of Seagal's worst (though not his very worst). I didn't feel like Seagal was "back" at all. Many confusing, close edits, and poor lighting, obscure the fighting. Speaking of lighting, there wasn't much used, so the whole film is extremely dark and grainy, and not in a stylized way, just in a "we didn't care enough to use lighting" sort of way. Often characters appear backlit on the screen as well.The story is simplistic to the point of being laughable. Seagal still can't act. I feel 4 stars is generous, but I WAS entertained, so mission accomplished, from that point of view.

That says a lot actually, because I have disliked a lot of them. Urban Justice may have some clichéd characters, a derivative plot, a really lagging pace particularly in the middle, mediocre acting and some jarring dialogue. However, while hardly high art the photography and editing are a step above other Seagal films, same with the soundtrack and sound effects. The action is short but decently choreographed and has a tinge of excitement, the direction is not incompetent as it can be and while Steven Seagal himself is not great he is not as lazy and unintelligible as he can be. All in all, one of his better recent releases, but could've been better. 5/10 Bethany Cox