A thought came up to me as I was watching Hard to Kill (1990). After I watched the film, I was reminded of the Kill Bill movies, and I wondered if Hard to Kill's plot inspired Quentin Tarantino to make the series. It looks so. Both Hard to Kill, and the two Kill Bill movies are all revenge pictures, but with two very different characters. Both characters are shot dead and put into a coma, and both wake up several years later to exact revenge on their enemies. And while I prefer the bloody entertaining Kill Bill movies more, I will say that Hard to Kill is a mildly entertaining action flick.

The film stars Steven Seagal, who plays L.A. cop Mason Storm, who videotapes a mobster being contracted by thugs to kill someone. Storm can't get a clear image of the man who has hired the mobster, but recognizes the voice. But then Storm is caught, and a hit is put on him. More thugs are sent to his home, where they kill him and his wife and kid.

But there's a catch. Storm isn't quite dead, but in a coma, and after seven years, he wakes up in a hospital, where the thugs arrive to finish him off. How they manage to find out that he's alive and well is unknown to me. Storm manages to save himself and a cute nurse, Andy Stewart (Kelly LeBrock), and they decide to take shelter in Andy's cottage, where Storm heals himself by inserting fine needles into his skin, and practices his Aikido.

He soon realizes that a corrupt senator (William Sadler) put the hit on him, and he decides to take him down, along with a crooked cop (Andrew Bloch) who's involved in the scheme.

Seagal is effective here as the cop-turned-crusader, but his character is less convincing, than his Nico Toscani in his earlier feature film, Above the Law (1988). Perhaps, the best fight sequence happens at a liquor store robbery where Seagal takes on four thugs.

There are some strong performances, from the supporting actors. But Kelly LeBrock, who gets second billing, needed more in her role as the nurse, but it is quite obvious that she was placed into the film, because she was Seagal's wife at the time. We don't get to know much about her character, and we almost feel like she has a thankless role here.

William Sadler is hateful in his role as the corrupt senator and Frederick Coffin is convincing as Seagal's ex-partner who holds something dear to Seagal. Something I feel I should not reveal.

Hard to Kill is not up to par with the earlier Above the Law, or Under Siege (1992). Seagal's first two films were good efforts, but then he shifted down to less enjoyable roles in movies, that considered placing large amounts of graphic violence and martial arts combat into his movies, in order for them to become a big hits, like his later film, Marked for Death (1990).

Hard to Kill works as an entertainment (the martial arts sequences are convincing), in spite of its preposterous plotting (hero wakes up in a coma and defeats the bad guys). It's mildly entertaining, but compared to some of his worst efforts, it's one of Seagal's best.

Seagal's second film after his excellent debut NICO: ABOVE THE LAW isn't in the same class as that film – but then it doesn't feature Andrew Davis's assured direction or the same level of realism when it comes to the scripting. Instead, this is more of a by-the-numbers B-movie, similar to dozens of such films that populated '90s era video rental shelves, usually starring the likes of Jeff Speakman and Lorenzo Lamas. However, it's far from a lost cause and I'd define it as one of Seagal's better outings, certainly more enjoyable – and latterly, well-made – than most of the films he's made during the 2000s. Director Bruce Malmuth is a sporadic talent at best, having started out with Stallone thriller NIGHTHAWKS back in 1981 and finished with 1994's Lundgren actioner PENTATHLON, but he has a certain flair for visuals and well-staged martial arts bouts.

Even this early on in his career, Seagal's acting is sub-par, and he seems quite wooden – probably on the same level as an actor like Sam Jones or Roddy Piper. He doesn't have the same level of intensity that we saw in NICO: ABOVE THE LAW or OUT FOR JUSTICE, or it may be that he's playing a weak character who we learn nothing about – apart from his coma (check out the amusing false beard). Still, Seagal looks like a thespian when compared to his then-wife Kelly Le Brock, here playing a love interest. Le Brock is absolutely awful, and that's being kind.

The film is fairly well placed and contains plentiful action, kicking off with a store robbery and then mixing it up with shoot-outs, the odd car chase, and some hand to hand combat. Seagal breaks a few arms and legs here and there, although the violence isn't dwelt upon as it was in the same year's MARKED FOR DEATH. Still, this is a film with a formula that follows a simple pattern: action-lull-action and so on. William Sadler makes for an effective bad guy, even if he is underutilised, and Frederick Coffin is sympathetic in support as the loyal cop buddy. It's not a great film by any means but those looking for solid if undistinguished thrills won't be disappointed.