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Above the Law
Nico Toscani is an Italian immigrant, American patriot, ex-CIA agent, aikido specialist and unorthodox Chicago policeman. He is as committed to his job as he is to his personalized brand of justice—expert and thorough bone-crushing.
1988 · Directed by Andrew Davis · 99 min · Action · Crime · Mystery · Thriller · Screenplay in the scene database · 6 frames
Tagline
He's a cop who believes no one is above the law.
Plot
Nicolo "Nico" Toscani is an expert martial artist, who is recruited by the CIA during the Vietnam War. While serving in covert operations on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border, he became disgusted with agent Kurt Zagon, who tortured prisoners. A stand-off occurs when Toscani tries to stop him, and he leaves the CIA.
Years later, Toscani is now married and a detective in the CPD’s vice squad. Toscani and his new partner, Delores "Jacks" Jackson, are investigating a drug ring, and after busting two of the dealers, including Salvadorian kingpin Tony Salvano, Toscani finds C-4 explosives. Shortly afterward, the men that Toscani and Jackson arrested are released at the request of federal officials, and Toscani is ordered to stand down. Later, the priest of Toscani's parish is killed in an explosion during Mass. Toscani's old CIA handler, Nelson Fox, contacts him and tells him to move his family to a safer location, saying that he is in danger. Under pressure from the feds, Toscani is asked to turn in his badge. He eventually discovers that the dealers he busted are linked to Kurt Zagon, who is still with the CIA, and who is being accused of human rights violations by a Central American priest who was being sheltered by Toscani's priest. While Zagon is torturing the priest, Toscani bursts in, and a gun battle ensues. Detectives Jackson and Lukich are wounded during the shootout, and Toscani has to flee.
U.S. Senator Ernest Harrison is investigating Zagon's group to reveal their ties to drug trafficking. When Toscani finds out that Zagon killed the priest and is planning to kill Harrison, he goes after him. Fox confronts Toscani while the latter is doing surveillance on a rooftop, but they are later interrupted by Zagon's men. Fox is killed, and Toscani is captured. He is held in a hotel kitchen during a Harrison campaign rally. Before Zagon can kill Harrison, Toscani breaks free and kills Zagon and all of his remaining men. Afterwards, Toscani meets Harrison, who has been informed of everything. Harrison promises justice, and Toscani says he is now willing to testify about his experiences with Zagon and covert operations in the CIA.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Screenplay: Andrew Davis, Ronald Shusett, Steven Pressfield
- Cinematography: Robert Steadman
- Edited by: Michael Brown
- Music: David Michael Frank
- Production design: Maher Ahmad
- Produced by: Andrew Davis, Steven Seagal
Cast
- Steven Seagal as Nico Toscani
- Pam Grier as Delores 'Jacks' Jackson
- Henry Silva as Kurt Zagon
- Sharon Stone as Sara Toscani
- Ron Dean as Detective Lukich
- Daniel Faraldo as Tony Salvano
- Joe Greco as Father Joseph Gennaro
- Vince Viverito as Giuseppe
- Chelcie Ross as Nelson Fox
- Jack Wallace as Uncle Branca
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English, Spanish
- Studios: Warner Bros. Pictures
- Budget: $7,500,000
- Box office: $18,869,631
- Themes: chicago, illinois, martial arts, vietnam, central intelligence agency (cia), corruption, senator, cop, torture, drug lord
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