FILM REVIEW OF ''ATTRITION" (2019)

Surprisingly, the latest Steven Seagal actioneer "Attrition" (**1/2 OUT OF ****) qualifies as a notch above the last 36 movies he has starred in since "Half-Past Dead" (2002). Basically, a standard-issue abduction yarn, with a dash of fantasy, "Attrition" benefits from Seagal's above average but formulaic screenplay as well as "Borderland" French director Mathieu Weschler's polished helming. Weschler's touch permeates this by-the-numbers crime melodrama and makes everything palatable. He imparts a sense of spontaneity rarely seen in Seagal's quickly made, contrived, cookie cutter sagas. Jordan Dieselberg's editing, Vincent Vieillard-Baron's widescreen cinematography, and Can Aydin's dynamic stunt work--involving at least 33 Asian stunt men--are all impeccably forged into a unified whole. You don't witness this level of craftsmanship in most run-of-the-mill Seagal shoot'em ups. Predictably, the star casts himself as another durable, but conscious-stricken government Black Ops agent who renounces violence. He hangs up his guns and disbands his unit. Axe (Steven Seagal of "Under Siege") pledges to atone for the lifetime of death and destruction that he has inflicted over the years. Genuinely contrite, he channels his energies and expertise as a doctor to serve the people of a poor, remote, jungle community.

Mind you, with its human trafficking, narcotics smuggling, and martial arts faceoffs, you've seen variants of "Attrition" with other genre stalwarts, such as Jackie Chan. Seagal plays the tall, dark, bearded Axe as a truly sympathetic fellow in this gritty, homicidal thriller. The scene where he persuades a desperate dad to refrain from committing suicide so his young son will not face an orphan's future is incredibly sentimental. Furthermore, "Attrition" boasts two other scenes where different characters break down and gush tears of gratitude for the compassion shown them. In another scene, a character learns his Master is his own father! Reportedly, Seagal planned a scene about Chinese girls mud wrestling in the nude, but Weschler convinced him to remove this objectionable scene since it would have been incompatible with the film's somber tone. The genius of Weschler's direction is that he doesn't wear out either his welcome or Seagal's with this nimble, atmospheric, 85-minute, R-rated actioneer. Naturally, the despicable villains are no match for our invincible heroes, and the final assault on Qmom's lair is staged with both flair and efficiency. Nobody gives a bad performance, and the sprawling Thai scenery is breathtaking. None of this, of course, will matter to most Segalites, but they will be rewarded amply with a firefight at the outset and even greater one during the third act.

Our conscientious hero and his Black Ops team mount a rescue operation during the murky pre-credit sequence of "Attrition," with Axe providing some insightful, voice-over narration that reflects his philosophy. "The weight of war is a heavy burden to bear. Some say it's a necessity, a stage on which good can triumph over evil. But sometimes, the cost is too great to justify the means. For all the lines that have been crossed in the name of justice, taking a life for a life will only perpetuate the cycle. The war must be fought from within. It would take a lifetime to make amends for the terrible things I've done." As Axe and his heavily armed team blast their way into a dilapidated factory, they slaughter the opposition without a qualm. Their triumph over evil is short-lived. Axe discovers that the object of their mission, a beautiful young girl, has bled out from a chest wound. Three years later, our hero settles in the Far East, abides by the teachings of Buddha, and uses his medical skills to alleviate suffering among the destitute in the jungles of Thailand. Axe turns away nobody from his non-profit clinic.

Inevitably, Axe's serenity is shattered after the sinister villain, Qmom (Kang Yu of "Kung Fu Jungle"), dispatches his gimlet-eyed henchmen to kidnap a twenty-year-old girl, Tara (newcomer Ting Sue), who refuses to accept Qmom's hospitality. An open-air market scene with hundreds of sheets draped across corridors of makeshift clothesline scaffolding demonstrates Weschler's flair. Qmom's men pursue Tara through this colorful maze. Nevertheless, the best efforts of our damsel-in-distress to elude the villains proves futile. The bad guys catch her and deliver her to Qmom. This tense scene bristles with kinetic energy and dazzling flashes of color. The freshly dyed, rectangular sheets hanging up on display break up the monotony of the humdrum settings. Later, Tara's brokenhearted father appeals to Axe for help. He explains his oldest daughter was born with an amazing gift to heal. Apparently, Qmom has kidnapped Tara because he believes she can heal him. This unsavory opium dealer lives in luxury in a nightclub/fortress, because he doesn't feel safe enough to venture out of it into the sunlight. He learns about Tara from a street gambler who owes him a bundle. The only derivative scene that stands out "Attrition" is Qmom's entrance. Our villain is shown sparring vigorously with a bloody punching bag. The bag splits open after Qmom concludes his workout, and out dangles a dead man's arm. Presumably, the James Bond extravaganza "Die Another Day" (2002), where the North Korean villain beat an adversary to death who was sewn up in a punching bag, may have inspired Weschler.

Since thirty-eight minutes has elapsed in "Attrition," you know that Axe cannot refuse the grieving father. Indeed, our hero has been awakened from his sleep by a winged angel who converses with him on more than one occasion about the forthcoming confrontation. Reluctantly, Axe reassembles his elite team of troubleshooters, in a flavorful homage to Sylvester Stallone's "Expendables" franchise as the heroes gather. They set out to rescue Tara. Unlike the opening scene with its ill-fated hostage, Axe resolves to see that the same outcome doesn't occur twice. Staunch Steven Seagal fans won't be disappointed with the slickly orchestrated "Attrition." The finale at Qmom's heavily guarded stronghold has everybody either tackling or killing bad guys. Watching Seagal give the arrogant opium dealer his just comeuppance is swell stuff.