Steven Seagal

Holly Dignard

Chris Thomas King

Michael Filipowich

Isaac Hayes

Phillip Mitchell

Alison Araya

Karyn Michelle Baltzer

Aliyah O'Brien

Daniella Evangelista

Mark Collie

Philip Granger

Finn Michael

J. Anthony Pena

Andrea Stefancikova

Apollonia Vanova

Jerry Rector

Jeff King

Janene Carleton

Owen Walstrom

Kirk Shaw

Laura Toplass

Katrina McCarthy

Steven McMichael

Thomas M. Harting

Judy Lee

John Sereda

Eric Fraser

Jamie Alain

Lindsay MacAdam

Shannon McA'Nulty

Kim Arnott

Robert Crippen

Avi Lerner

Phillip B. Goldfine

Michele Futerman

Clint Carleton

Nesta Chapman

Garvin Cross

Loyd Bateman

La Vonne Girard

Joanne Kinchella

Julie Beaton-Pachauer

Toby Lindala

Kyla Rose Tremblay

Rosemarie Maldonado

Lance Webb

Scott J. Ateah

Ryan Kosmynka

David Barkes

Brad Kelly

Rob Hayter

Larry Lam

Lani Gelera

Ryan Ennis

Mike Desabrais

Chad Bellamy

Trevor Addie

Fraser Aitcheson

Nicholas Harrison

Lars Grant

Cody Laudan

Dian Hristov

Brad Loree

Ronald Robinson

Walcott E. Morgan

Todd Scott

Ryan Schroeder

Sylvesta Stuart

Hugo Steele

Marcus Young

Vencislav Stojanov

John Ulmer

Action

Thriller

Crime

Adventure

Kill Switch

Nu Image

Insight Film Studios

CineTel Films

Peace Arch Entertainment Group

Steamroller Productions

Two 4 The Money Media

Canada

United States of America

**_A serial killer of serial killers_**

A sleuth in Memphis (Steven Seagal) eschews Liberal leniency as he goes after two separate murderers (Mark Collie and Michael Filipowich). His methods and character are defended by his partner in the war on crime (Chris Thomas King) while a snooping FBI agent seriously questions both (Holly Dignard).

“Kill Switch” (2008) was made at the start of Seagal’s third decade of filmmaking. Long gone are the days of mega budgets and theatrical releases. This was a $5 million direct-to-video action flick and people generally lambaste it as “the worst move ever made,” etc. The question is, does it work for what it is, a detective thriller? It did for me. 

The action sequences are drawn-out and feature snazzy quick-editing accompanied by a kick-axx soundtrack. Some critics decry the use of a body double, but such cannot be discerned unless you slow the speed down and look at the sequence frame-by-frame (and, even then, I could hardly tell it was a stuntman). As for the repeat edits, it struck me as dynamic cinematic artistry.

Thankfully, the energetic thrills are counterbalanced by fleshed-out characters and quality drama in a script exclusively written by Seagal. Detective Jacob King (Seagal) is a likable protagonist and his friendship with his partner is developed. You WANT to see them apprehend the thug scum while the FBI agent creates further interest (for reasons you’ll see).

On top of this, there are several creative bits thrown in, like the arcane clues left by the key serial killer, the ‘hip’ librarian, the edgy bar band, the inexplicable girl in the apartment, the amusing clown story, and the revelational close, which creates an almost ‘wow’ moment if you reflect and realize what’s really going on.

Seagal’s “The Glimmer Man” had a similar story and ten-times the budget, but this is the more entertaining film. Unfortunately, armchair critics nitpick it to damnation.  

It runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot in British Columbia (Vancouver, Coquitlam and Langley).

GRADE: B

English

Kill Switch- (2008) Trailer