Buy this DVD at Amazon.ca Buy this on VHS at Amazon.ca

---

Fire Down Below is about EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) agent Jack Taggart who is trying to find out about illegal dumping of hazardous waste in a series of coal mines in rural Kentucky.  He has to deal with vicious locals who are bought by the big business doing the dumping, a crooked sheriff, and distrustful townsfolk who generally get the shaft when the government is involved.  The story moves quickly in the dramatic sense but drags a little in the action preferring to parcel it out carefully in the beginning and leave the good stuff for the end.

The acting in this film is average.  Steven Seagal plays the part of Jack Taggart and Kris Kristofferson plays the financial mogul doing the dumping.  Seagal is his usual self who looks like his head might explode if he were to smile, and when he does manage it looks too evil for a good guy.  Kristofferson has a strong performance.  The directing is fair, nothing spectacular, nothing bad.  The writing for the parts of the locals isn't too hackneyed or redneck but has a proper backwoods feel to it.

This movie has some great exterior shots in the first half of the film with varied weather and then sort of settles down to normal levels.  Interiors are good but nothing to write home about.  There is no musical score to this film at all.  There is shot after shot with only the cast vocals and expected background sounds such as running water, or insects and animals.  Peppered lightly through the film though are lyrical soundtrack items that are mostly country and done by recognisable artists who appear in the film such as Travis Tritt and Randy Travis.  All in all a well made film.

( Thank you for reading my review.
Bob Male)

All ideas, opinions, and information are from the reviewer and are not representative of any company or group involved with the creators and/or staff of the materials being reviewed.