8 Best Steven Seagal Movies of All Time

Machete is a 2010 exploitation action film that is an expansion on a fake trailer of the same name published as part of the promotion of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s 2007 Grindhouse double-feature and also follows the style of the movie, including some footage from the original. The film stars Danny Trejo as the title character along with Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, and Robert De Niro.

The movie follows the title character after being set up and betrayed by the man who hired him to assassinate a Texas Senator. The ex-Federale launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss, with Seagal being the main, brilliant, villain.

IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

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Exit Wounds is another one of the best Steven Seagal movies. The action film starring him and DMX is based on a book sharing the same name by John Westermann, however, the book is set on Long Island while the film is set in Detroit. Seagal plays Orin Boyd, a tough cop in an inner-city precinct who discovers a web of dirty cops and corruption and will stop at nothing to dish out justice.

It’s the second of three films by Andrzej Bartkowiak that focuses on the martial arts aspects of action in an urban setting with a hip-hop soundtrack. Even though the film received mixed reviews, it’s still a top contender for Steven Seagal movies.

IMDb Rating: 5.6/10

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Another one of the best Steven Seagal movies that he’s starred in is Fire Down Below, an action film that was directed by  Félix Enríquez Alcalá and was his directorial debut. The film features cameos by country music performers Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, and Ed Bruce.

The film follows a federal agent, played by Seagal, who uncovers lucrative toxic waste dumps in Appalachia and must deal with the locals who want to keep their secrets.

IMDb Rating: 5.1/10

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In the 1992 action movie Hard to Kill, Steven Seagal plays a police detective named Mason Storm, who specializes in taking down organized crime. As it turns out, he has acquired evidence from a big mafia meeting that takes place before joining his fellow officers for lunch at their favorite bar. They leave him behind; however, when he gets jumped, nobody comes to his aid.

Mason is left for dead but manages to live against all odds, only to fall into a coma after sustaining serious injuries stemming from a car accident while defending another officer’s life as they attacked Karo and his cronies. Hard to Kill is by far one of the best Steven Seagal movies to put on your watchlist.

IMDb Rating: 5.8/10

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The movie Above the Law was Steven Seagal’s first writing credit. The plot revolves around a former CIA operative and martial arts expert, Nico Chanel, who is now a cop in Chicago. Despite being new to undercover work, he wants to make a difference and teams up with Jax Jackson.

Together, they plan on taking down “Majestic”, an international drug ring. However, Nico soon discovers that Majestic is a part of something bigger – a conspiracy even his superiors don’t know about. Now it’s up to Nico and Jax to stop whatever is going on, no matter what it takes or who they end up hurting.

IMDb Rating: 6.0/10

Marked for Death is one of the best Steven Seagal movies, especially with the prominent display of his martial arts knowledge. Seagal plays an ex-cop who decides to help out his hometown during a gang war. It features big action sequences, sword fights, and a wicked twist.

If only Seagal’s acting was up to the standard of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, Marked for Death would easily rank alongside Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. If you haven’t watched Marked for Death, it is definitely a recommended watch.

IMDb Rating: 5.9/10

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In Out for Justice, Steven Seagal plays a cop named Gino Felino. Yes, another cop. Seagal worked with real police officers from the late ’80s in Louisiana, teaching them martial arts, and eventually became a reserve deputy. Ultimately leading to the TV reality show Steven Seagal: Lawman.

Having watched his best friend and family gunned down, Gino is out for justice. This time, the bad guy is an old friend of Gino. Gino isn’t the conventional good guy in this movie, he has an unstoppable arrogance, strutting around with no regard for the rules. Which gets him into a lot of trouble.

IMDb Rating: 6.1/10

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Under Siege is by far the best Steven Seagal movie of all time. He stars as Casey Ryback, a chef aboard a battleship who is suddenly attacked by a group of terrorists led by Tommy Lee Jones.

What makes this movie so fun, is that it is big, brash, over-the-top, and Seagal gets to be his usual action-hero self, while Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey bring huge amounts of character and personality. Out of all the movies listed, this is the one you have to watch if you want to explore his roles.

IMDb Rating: 6.5/10