Exit Wounds

Steven Seagal (sans trademark ponytail) returns to the screen after a three-year absence in Exit Wounds, an action-crammed cop thriller that cannily appeals to Seagal's core market--the urban demographic--by co-starring him with rapper DMX. There isn't a scintilla of originality to the story, but Joel Silver's extravagant production brims with explosive action, including fight scenes carefully choreographed to conceal the fact that former akido master Seagal is no longer the lithe, catlike combatant he once was. The widescreen transfer is nice, but the few supplemental features don't add much to this DVD presentation. The making-of featurette offers plenty of sound bites from cast and crew, but they're all talking the usual publicity pap. Comedic supporting player Anthony Anderson is trailed by videographers for a day-on-the-set featurette, which is tedious and unfunny. A directorial commentary or a behind-the-scenes look at the staging of the action set pieces would've added a lot to this sadly mediocre package. --Ed Hulse