Aikido Looks Really Good On TV
Aikido is such a unique style of martial art. In this movie, you get to see it used in many scenes. I think it is a brilliant style for the silver screen because of all the dynamic throwing. It really has a cinematic presentation in its techniques. Like watching someone do Mantis style Kungfu or Drunken Boxing, you know it’s Aikido as soon as the big throws start happening. Because of the uniqueness of styles like Kungfu and Aikido, they work well in movies. Segal puts Aikido to use in many great demonstrations in Hard to Kill.
Comedy and Food for Thought
On a side note, there was a little bit of comedy in this movie. At one point someone makes a joke to the politician who is prison bound about being “anal retentive.” This is crude but, it was funny. Segal goes through this routine a few times in this movie where he suggests to people that the fight is not fair because he has a gun, and they don’t. Of course, he puts the gun down and they learn that they would have been better off being shot. My favorite though, and this really isn’t comedy, is the quote “Anticipation of death is worse than death itself” that he leaves for the senator find. This really is an interesting thought.
Hard to Kill Story is the Same but Stands Out
The story in this movie is better than most for Segal. Surprise surprise he plays a cop again who uncovers some dirty people. Once he won’t back down, his home is invaded, and his wife is killed. He is put in a coma and takes revenge via Aikido and a gun 7 years later. His son escapes and is hidden by a friend. He even has a senator thrown in jail. How great would it be if crooked politicians really went to prison? Honestly, you expect the cop or CIA deal, but the rest of this story was a good plot idea. It stands out from the other Segal films to me. As I’ve said before, they are all essentially the same movie but this one stands out to me as far as the story goes.
Interesting Background Things to Make Note Of
This movie had some interesting background things to make note of. For instance, in the mansion that Segal and his lady friend are hiding in there are a lot of old Egyptian and Asian artifacts to make note of. Appreciating cultural history is always fun to me. I’m not sure if any of these items are real or what, but they are cool to see. Old Camaros and Corvettes are in this movie too. Vehicles are one of my most favorite things to pay attention to in older movies. Looking at photographs of old parking lots compared to ones today, anyone can see an artistic change has taken place.
Hard to Kill Includes Excellent Training Routine for Real Life
I have practiced martial arts since I was in high school and am a huge fan of all of them regardless of style, origin, philosophy, etc. They all have something to offer a student. I have heard many times that the training sequence that Segal’s character goes through in this film is ideal. In fact, I intend to incorporate it into my own practice when my schedule allows. Really, the only thing I’m missing is the makiwara board. I just really don’t have a good place to mount one.
We’ll talk about that makiwara board first. This is a dense pad mounted on a board that is used to condition your hands, knuckles, feet, or whatever you are intending on conditioning. I’m not sure medically how it works but essentially it makes your weapon harder. Most people don’t realize that if you hit someone with an unconditioned hand, often you will get hurt too. Psychical strength and endurance training will benefit any martial artist. Some styles, BJJ and Tae Kwon Do for instance, require a lot more flexibility than some styles of karate for instance. All of them require endurance and good mobility though. A good exercise routine will get you this. Meditation is a good idea too. Training your mind sets your body up for success. It’s as simple as that. As a man thinks, so is he.
Closing Thoughts on Hard To Kill
Love this guy or hate him, I’m sure Steven Segal could take care of himself in the real world. I don’t know that things would play out like they did in his films but, I’m confident in his abilities. This movie isn’t any of his newer C rated stuff but from his early catalog and is certainly one of the good ones. Any fan of Segal or older martial arts movies should watch this one. Another fun fact is that his second love interest in this film is the lady from the show Weird Science. This was another popular television show from back in the day. Leave your thoughts on this film in the comments. Has anyone tried this training routine before? Any martial artists out there that want to add to it? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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