This story is basically about how a terrorist group is being crushed. It contains a good number of action or fighting in this movie/film. A good recommendation to those whom are interested in this genre of movie/film. Enjoy....

No doubt the "BELLY" of the beast refers to Seagal's ever expanding body. With all the hype we hear these days of hollywood types starving themselves, hiring trainers so they'll look good, you'd think ol' Steve would get a clue and shove himself away from the trough occasionally.

Alas, that is soooo obviously not the case. Seagal lumbers through scene after scene displaying his mediocre acting ability to the fullest. If anyone else did the same freakin' movie over and over (just different titles, folks) he'd be really good by this time. Not Seagal.

Is his ego so big that he thinks no one will notice the stunt doubles? Oh, sure, I believe that is really him climbing up the side of the house....without the benefit of a derrick. The camera cuts away from his face so often a person could get whiplash. I remember oh so long ago when he did the stunts and it was worth watching. Now a really bad Jackie Chan (and there are some stinkers) has better action than anything Seagal does.

This "let's not even bother trying to sell it at the movies, but go straight to video" waste of film has Seagal as the same character he always plays. Doing the same illegal things he always does, but not as well. Trying to be THE macho hero, which is impossible considering what he's working with these days. The plot is thin, the dialog is worth muting, and the hero should retire while he still has some imagined shreds of dignity left.

Last night I watched OUT FOR JUSTICE. Pretty much the same storyline, but with some excellent action scenes. Add that with a couple of superb actors, William Forsythe and Gina Gershon, and you got a decent movie going. The camera backs up when Seagal goes to work and you see some good stuff going on. And, you know it's him doing the job. With UNDER SEIGE he had the basics for a great career in movies. Apparently that's over. He's just sliding along, taking the money, and not caring about the quality of work that is being done.

As for the BELLY, if you must watch this thing, keep an eye out for the monk. He is what even allows this movie to get a one star rating.

Ol' Slabface is back and still doing his thing, only recently it's all been downgraded to the direct-to-video market(like we didn't see this coming years ago). Steve plays an ex-CIA agent who has to jump back in action after a ten year......oh, hell, who cares? It's Seagal being Seagal, who gives a rat's behind if he's ex-CIA, a cop, a SEAL, a cook, a dance instructor, etc? In this film he gets bit by the Bronson bug as his daughter is kidnapped by terrorists in Thailand. He teams up with an old CIA buddy turned monk(actually a very cool character that upstages Seagal), and go on your typical B action film rampage to get his daughter back. You get the bad techno music, the good guy who's really the bad guy, Seagal's irritating way of cocking his head from side to side when he speaks, the gang of thugs who start a fight with Seagal in a bar(or in this case a dance club)for no real reason other than to show another Seagal action sequence. And speaking of Seagal action sequences, the process of film editing has become Seagal's best friend as it tries to hide his lack of physical speed. This is done by speeding up the film when needed as well as going into slow motion. By the climax of the film a supernatural element is thrown in at the last minute in the form of a Steven Seagal voodoo doll! The final fight scene has Seagal and villian shooting at one another(Seagal with gun, villian with bow) in a hallway and it's done with that crappy Matrix "bullet time" technique. I thought it looked silly in the Matrix, but this has to be one of the most inane things I've ever seen. If you can make it through the final battle without laughing, you're a much better man than I. But as much as I rip on Slabface, I have to love him or else I wouldn't bother watching these films. Just keep it under your hats, people.

If you ever had the morbid curiosity or even the love of Seagal films, then this entry should get a few laughs.

Seagal is now firmly in straight to DVD territory, now over 50 and with an ever-expanding face. He's getting paid quite well to make the same film over and over and over again, now with Asian directors and other assorted action hacks who are experienced at making the same film over and over and over again.

The story, plot, etc, are totally irrelevant. This one takes place mostly in Thailand, and looks to have been photographed there, so we have exotic locations as one drawing point. However, you may have difficulty figuring out where the action is happening because the direction and editing are appalling--the film is borderline incomprehensible, and probably for the better.

As for the action, it's quite funny. Seagal nows seems firmly dedicated to avoiding any and all stunts except for very amusing shots of him sliding across the floor (being pulled by wire hoisted by at least four men, I bet) or a quick tumble in the frame. The action scenes are all the same. A lot of constipated closeups of Seagal grunting, squatting, and moving his hands around martial-arts style that, though probably just a bit theatrical, is downright funny. People fly through the air like Crouching Tiger, making a lot of faces before being dispatched by Seagal, or rather his stuntman. The violence is not the brutal, wrist-snapping, bone-crunching spectacles of his American films, which seem like masterpieces of cinema compared to this, but rather the more fluid, theatrical fight scenes of a Jackie Chan, except everybody (presumably) dies after being sliced, smacked, and thrown through walls and other convenient pieces of the set. And there's always a nod towards Seagal's ridiculous ego and absurdity, which he is apparently unaware of. Go ahead and count the number of times Seagal's character is shown in a fight scene with his head cut out, followed by a closeup of Seagal, followed by a shot of his 'character' flying through the air, which only heavy duty wires could accomplish even if it was Seagal.

Seagal would actually be perfect for an hourly TV show like this, sort of a Walker Texas Ranger show with international spies as the gimmick. Your TV may have difficulty accomodating the countless closeups of Seagal's bloated, tanned face, but it would be good fun and many chuckles on a weekly basis.

Only die-hard and extremely morbid Seagal fans need apply to this one. There is too much to talk about here, from the cheap titilation to the absolutely unacceptable hints of a Seagal love-scene, with a Thai prostitute of all people. Oh, and don't forget the Buddhist sub-plot. The man should really be applauded for trying.

'Belly of the Beast' is clearly improvement compared with Seagal's past two films done by Michael Oblovitz (who seems to have no sense of coherence), but still is far from his best. Though I only give 'JUST OK' 2 stars, however, the film has its own merits, and perhaps die-hard fans of him would welcome this one heartily. And those good things are its director and Seagal's sidekick.

Steven Seagal goes back to his origin in a sense, for he plays an ex-CIA man Jake Hopper, whose daughter is kidnapped by a radical religious group in Thailand, and they demand that unless certain members of their group in jail are released, the daughter will be killed. The scene is uncannily (and perhaps unintentionally) reminds of the recent incidents in Iraq.

But Jake, or Seagal, is a man who deals with the situation single-handedly, and he again does so. With a help from his former buddy Sunti, he fights against the villains who attack them with guns, swords, and deadly fingernails (Not kidding).

Proably avid fans of Hong-Kong films know it, but the director Ching Siu Tung is famous for his groundbreaking action scenes in 'Chinese Ghost Stories' and most recently 'Hero' and 'House of Flying Daggers.' His rather unique action style is the one merit of the film, though Seagal, unlike Jet Li, is not ready for the task.

Yes, fans, please admit it. The use of double (who is much thinner) in action sequences is too clear, and the contrast between Seagal himself and the stunt is glaringly conspicous. He needs shape-up, and that has been said by many for these three years, but he is not listening to them.

Still, the film has another great thing in it: Byron Mann as Seagal's sidekick. Unlike someone else, he can act, and shows considerable skills for action. I will not be surpised if I see a film starring him, even though you have not heard his name yet. Check him out.

The location in Thailand (where movie industry is growing) is a good choice, and considering the derivative plot and still bad acting of Seagal, the film is pretty entertaining. Still, my advice is, Rent it before you buy it.