Line #4 Film/MarkedForDeath


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/markeddeath_3791.jpg]]
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3	->''"One thought he was invincible, the other thought he could fly. They were both wrong."''
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5	'''Marked for Death'' is a 1990 action film with Creator/StevenSeagal in his third starring role.
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7	Seagal plays DEA agent John Hatcher, who has just retired and returned to his home in UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} following a drug bust in UsefulNotes/{{Colombia}} in which his partner was killed. His experiences have left him disheartened; he believes that there is no way the drug flow could ever be stemmed. Alas, a confrontation breaks out between him and some goons of the Jamaican drug-dealing ring Jamaican Posse who are flooding the streets with drugs.
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9	The next day, some members of the gang including its leader, Screwface (Creator/BasilWallace), shoot Tracy (Creator/DanielleHarris), the daughter of John's sister Melissa (Elizabeth Gracen), in a drive-by shooting. Screwface then returns to Jamaica. John, alongside old friend Max (Creator/KeithDavid) and Jamaican cop Charles (Creator/TomWright), embarks on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge through Chicago and eventually Jamaica to take Screwface out.
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11	Though not quite so famous as ''Film/AboveTheLaw1988'' or ''Film/HardToKill'', this film is one of Steven Seagal's better ones; a fine example of his brand of action and which showcases him at his limb-snapping, wisecracking best.
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14	!!This film provides examples of:
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16	* BackupTwin: [[spoiler: After Hatcher decapitates Screwface, he learns Screwface had a twin brother.]]
17	* BadBoss: Screwface.
18	* BondOneLiner: [[spoiler:"I hope they weren't triplets."]]
19	* TheCameo: Reggae singer Music/JimmyCliff is performing in a Jamaican club performing the song "John Crow". [[CelebrityParadox Bizarrely]], the song was written for the movie, and actually includes the lyrics ''"Screwface you know that your time has come! [[{{Foreshadowing}} You don't live right, you gonna die tonight!]]"''. Is Jimmy Cliff omniscient??
20	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: It's a Seagal movie, and Seagal ''loves'' doing these. [[spoiler:Screwface #2 gets his eyes gouged out, is thrown through a wooden wall, has his back broken (with a SickeningCrunch) and then is thrown down an elevator shaft, where he is [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impaled on a piece of steel]].]]
21	* CrypticConversation: Hatcher has this with Screwface's mistress when he seeks out information on the drug lord's whereabouts.
22	--> '''Mistress:''' Screwface have [[spoiler:two head and four eyes]], and ''that'' is the secret to his magic.
23	* CurbStompCushion: Unusual for a Steven Seagal flick, [[spoiler:Screwface #2]] is able to hold his own against Hatcher, disarms him twice, and gets several hits in before going down.
24	* DoItYourselfThemeTune: Seagal actually wrote the reggae song (and sang the opening lyrics) "John Crow" which plays over the end credits.
25	* DreadlockRasta: The vast majority of the baddies sport the hairstyle.
26	* DrugsAreBad: The main villains are vicious drug-dealers.
27	* EyeScream: [[spoiler: Screwface #2.]]
28	* FanService:
29	** There are a bunch of naked women scattered in it for no reason.
30	** Basil Wallace even does MaleFrontalNudity at one point. Mrs. Wallace must be very satisfied.
31	* FruitCart: In the opening chase scene, a cart gets tipped over.
32	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: The mook who gets his arm broken during the jewelry store fight can be seen at the climax hanging around in the background with his arm in a cast.
33	* GroinAttack: [[spoiler: Hatcher turns Screwface #1's own katana on himself.]]
34	* HeWhoFightsMonsters: During his confession Hatcher admits he's done questionable things in the line of duty and fears he's become no better than the people he's trying to bust.
35	* HollywoodVoodoo: Played with. While Screwface is never shown to have any actual magical powers, he likes to maintain the illusion that he does in order to keep his {{Mooks}} loyal, and his enemies confused and fearful.
36	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler: John throws Screwface #2 down an elevator shaft, where he lands on a pipe.]]
37	** Seagal himself said in an interview that this was his favorite "kill."
38	* MandatoryUnretirement: Averted. John turns down the offer to return to active duty when Screwface's territory starts spreading into the suburbs.
39	* TheMobBossIsScarier: That Screwface is feared by his soldiers is a constant theme throughout, but it gets taken to an extreme in one scene where a mook named Nesta throws himself out a window rather than help Hatcher take down the boss man. {{Justified}} since Screwface has convinced his gang that he has supernatural powers and isn't an ordinary mob boss.
40	-->Screwface give me a thousand deaths worse than you. Go find him your-fucking-self. (Jumps out window)
41	* MoreDakka: Hatcher's friend Max brings along a [=M60=] light machinegun when the good guys assault Screwface's compound in Jamaica.
42	* ObviousStuntDouble: When Hatcher is beating up the Jamaican goons at the store, in the shots where they are thrown into a glass cabinet they're clearly replaced by white stuntmen wearing wigs.
43	** Also, several times during the final showdown with [[spoiler: Screwface #2]], Seagal himself is replaced with a much shorter double wearing a really bad wig. Interestingly, this only happens when Hatcher is on the losing end, which suggests that the sequence was initially filmed in the usual Seagal CurbStompBattle fashion, and tinkered with later (when Seagal wasn't around) to make it more of a back-and-forth affair.
44	* OffWithHisHead: [[spoiler: Screwface #1.]]
45	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Screwface's gang ''really'' should have left Hatcher's family alone.
46	* RuthlessForeignGangsters: Screwface.
47	* ScaryBlackMan: Screwface and his goons.
48	* ShoutOut:
49	** The name "Screwface" comes from a Music/BobMarley song.
50	** When Screwface learns that the hit on Hatcher failed and one of his lieutenants is dead, he angrily declares that he [[Film/TheUntouchables wants Hatcher dead, wants his family dead...]]
51	* SwordCane: Screwface employs one as his weapon of choice.
52	* VillainsOutShopping: In one scene, Screwface is playing dominoes with some of his boys and is wearing what can only be described as a [[Series/TheCosbyShow "Cosby sweater"]]. [[VillainousBreakdown Then he gets word that]] [[BerserkButton one of his major henchmen has been killed by Hatcher]], and goes on a psychotic rampage against his mooks, including viciously beating one who can't get out of his way quickly enough.
53	** The sweater isn't quite innocent. If you look closely, you'll see handgun patterns.
54	* TheYardies: [[ScaryBlackMan Scary Jamaican Gangster]] Screwface and his men.

Context Film / MarkedForDeath