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Steven Seagal, Morris Chestnut, Ja Rule, Nia Peeples, Tony Plana ... see more see more... , Kurupt , Michael "Bear" Taliferro , Claudia Christian , Linda Thorson , Bruce Weitz , Mo'Nique , Stephen J. Cannell , Kelly Lange , Hannes Jaenicke , Michael McGrady , Don Michael Paul , Ross King , Richard Bremmer , Eva-Maria Schoenecker , Alexandra Kamp-Groenveld , Matt Battaglia , William T. Bowers , Yasmina Filali-Bohnen , Jed Sutton

Action hero Steven Seagal goes behind bars -- though don't worry, he isn't really a bad guy -- in this action thriller. Sascha Petrosevitch (Seagal) is an FBI agent working undercover to infiltrate a ... read more read more...gangland kingpin's operations. While Petrosevitch is able to gain the trust of one of the gangster's lieutenants, Nick Frazier (Ja Rule), things go haywire during an FBI raid, and Petrosevitch takes several slugs in the back as he struggles to maintain his cover. Eight months later, Petrosevitch and Frazier are serving time together in the newly refurbished Alcatraz Penitentiary, as Petrosevitch secretly continues his investigation. Prison warden Hubbard (Stephen J. Cannell) is arranging for the execution of convicted killer and thief Lester (Bruce Weitz), and U.S. Supreme Court justice Jane McPherson (Linda Thorson) has announced she will attend as a witness. But Hubbard's assistant Donny (Morris Chestnut) has devised a secret plan -- it seems Lester stole and stashed away 200 million dollars in gold before he was arrested, and Donny, along with an underground SWAT team, takes control of the prison and takes Hubbard, McPherson, and the other assembled dignitaries hostage, demanding to be told where Lester has hidden his fortune. Now Petrosevitch must drop his cover and persuade his allies within the prison -- including Frazier and Little Joe (Michael "Bear" Taliferro) -- to join him in a desperate bid to foil Donny and free the hostages. Half Past Dead also features Nia Peeples, Kurupt, Tony Plana, and Claudia Christian. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

50% liked it

17,970 ratings

Critics

2% liked it

86 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Don Michael Paul

Release Date: November 15, 2002

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DVD Release Date: March 4, 2003

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Stats: 570 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (570)

  • sanjurosamurai
    November 30, 2009
    sanjurosamurai
    this was a decent watch because its seagal and im a sucker for that guy. really, this was a silly movie that shows how far seagal has fallen since he was making average movies.
  • middleeasternfilms
    July 22, 2009
    middleeasternfilms
    Pitiful acting, even for a later Seagal flick. What happened to the action in his films, especially the actual hand-to-hand fighting? They actually made a sequel to this one and even though that one stars Bill Goldberg in it, it still can't be as bad as this piece of shit.
  • DerekA101
    January 11, 2009
    DerekA101
    "The rumor is you went half past dead and came back."

    Let's get this out of the way: YES, Steven Seagal does break someone's neck in this film. You just knew he would....

    Half Past Dead is a film that suffers from atrocious acting. Ja Rule is one of the most lau... read moreghable actors in Hollywood. He's unconvincing as a hard-ass tough guy standing at a measly 5'7" 150lbs. One of the most comical attempts at a serious standoff was in the beginning of the film when Ja Rule and his gang are confronted by a single female FBI agent. What ensues is a ridiculous exchange of words that included the line "Today looks like a great day to die" and then followed by an asinine shoot off.

    It's a shame that this film centers around two awful actors (Ja Rule and Seagal) because the plot wasn't half bad. It was intriguing, yet predictable. Morris Chestnut makes an incredibly convincing and chilling bad guy. And Nia Pebbles looked smoking hot for a lady in her 40's.

    Half Past Dead has pretty spectacular action, full of gun fights and martial arts. But overall, it's just a really really lame flick. With better leads than an overrated rapper and a fat black belt fighter, this could've been a good popcorn flick.
  • bhobbs1985
    June 14, 2007
    bhobbs1985
    I always enjoyed Seagals abilitys in Martial-arts more then acting, as well as Ja Rules ability too rap over acting - but other then that, it wasnt TOO bad. It's worth seeing, and maybe even buying - but, not a favorite.
  • garyX
    May 26, 2007
    garyX
    A round of applause for the person responsible for that title. No, seriously. It's poetry. More brainless thuggery from the tubbiest martial artist this side of Sammo Hung. It's absolute crap, of course, but Nia Peeples looks great in it!
  • deano
    March 28, 2007
    deano
    This action flick has lengths to obscure Steven Seagal's bulk, while the plot suffers from familiarity and lack of conviction.
  • mndsawas
    January 24, 2011
    mndsawas
    " Half Past Dead " Actually I enjoyed this movie.really had a blast.
    It may be full of plot holes and illogical moments,but i never really thought about it.
    It was fast paced and fun.lots of action,a few fight scenes that were adequate,not great but not horrible.lots of gun batt... read moreles.there were some funny moment,some of which might have been unintentional,but some were intentional.I don't think this was trying too hard to be a serious movie.sometimes you just need to shut off your brain for awhile and allow yourself to be entertained.But you have to been in the mood.
    If you're not,you won't enjoy it
  • husky10000years
    January 5, 2008
    husky10000years
    This action flick has lengths to obscure Steven Seagal's bulk. Steven Seagal and Ja Rule worked good together. No complex story lines just pure action and some cheesey lines.
  • xxdebxx
    January 18, 2011
    xxdebxx
    Half Past Dead has Steven Segal as an undercover agent masquerading as a bad-ass criminal type in Alcatraz when it just so happens that a genuine gang of semi-pathological villains break in, to free the guy on Death Row (Rap stars Ja Rule) who holds the key to the whereabouts of ... read more£200million dollars in gold bars. Apart from our hero looking woefully out of shape, the prison they are in is one of those odd slammers where convicts can actually get in fist fights with guards and suffer no repercussions.
  • muveekween
    May 9, 2012
    muveekween
    One of Ja Rule's BETTER movies. If you don't know who Ja Rule is-he's a rapper or shall we saw WAS.

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Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
January 6, 2007
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

The title of this dismal action flick refers to the Seagal character's having suffered a near-death experience, though he's returned from the other side with a remarkable lack of insight. Full Review

David Germain
January 6, 2007
David Germain, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Half Past Dead may be the year's funniest unintentional comedy for its inane plot, repetitive, unimaginative stunts and dreadful dialogue. Full Review

Walter Dawkins
November 19, 2002
Walter Dawkins, Village Voice

Corny, nonsensical buddy flick. Full Review

Richard Roeper
November 18, 2002
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

This is so bad. Full Review

Michael O'Sullivan
November 15, 2002
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

Here, common sense flies out the window, along with the hail of bullets, none of which ever seem to hit Sascha. Full Review

Mike Clark
November 15, 2002
Mike Clark, USA Today

First-time director Don Michael Paul can't make the action move, though he wisely keeps the lighting dark and murky so we can barely see whether withering star Seagal really can keep up. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
November 15, 2002
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

Divertingly ridiculous, headbangingly noisy. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
November 15, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

About as weak a movie as can be made without actively trying. Full Review

Jan Stuart
November 15, 2002
Jan Stuart, Newsday

Ear-splitting exercise in formula crash-and-bash action. Full Review

Wesley Morris
November 15, 2002
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

Wildly incompetent but brilliantly named Half Past Dead -- or for Seagal pessimists: Totally Past His Prime. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Half Past Dead Trivia

  • who is the actor that is in all these movies?? Out for justice, submerged, exit wounds, half past dead and fire down below....  Answer »
  • What movie stars Steven Seagal and Ja Rule?  Answer »
  • who was the main character in half past dead  Answer »
  • In Half Past Dead, which actor starred as Nick Frazier ?  Answer »
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