Robert Burns (Steven Seagal), former master thief and now a professor of archeology runs afoul of Chinese gangsters after stumbling on their smuggling operation. When his wife is killed in a failed attempt to kill him Burns strikes back with a pair of DEA agents one step behind.

The only things missing from Out for a Kill are the words “Above,” “Marked” and anything resembling a complete and coherent film. This all too desperate amalgam of Hard to Kill (1990) and Out for Justice (1991), two films from Seagal’s better days borrows heavily from Hong Kong filmmaking of a decade ago. It even features a few stylishly shot images of its own, but the script is as dumb as they come, the clumsy editing a disaster, and Seagal is trying even harder to be the kung fu hero he never was.

The biggest problem with this film is the approach its filmmakers take. Okay, an idiotic script full of fortune cookie proverbs and acting that becomes unintelligible mumbling are the worst problems. But in the approach there is clearly a strong trend with Seagal’s recent efforts to tie him in with the hip-hop culture, exploit on the latest trends in action choreography, and to keep producing films no matter how dismal the scripts are. Out for a Kill appears to steer away from the first trend by focusing on China and a bevy of Asian actors including the lovely Michelle Goh. But then rapper MC Harvey makes a pointless cameo appearance in a border prison in Western China, complete with his gangsta speak. He and Seagal bond and another record company executive goes to sleep counting dollar signs.

This is by far the most unusual Seagal film when it comes to fight choreography. His Aikido moves are in place, but Seagal picks up a sword on two different occasions and engages in extended kung fu sparring. Gangsters dressed as shaolin monks break out into wire fu attacks and a monkey fist expert scurries along the walls of a dingy room. I see where the filmmakers were trying to go. Imagine Chinese triads combining to create a single organization under one leader with a dozen specially-trained fighters under him. Unfortunately they spend more time sitting around a table and talking about killing Seagal then they spend actually doing it. Tattoos written in Chinese characters on their arms provide clues leading to their leader that only an expert in ancient Chinese text and artifacts can decipher. It’s Seagal versus the entire Chinese underworld and their best fighters. Too bad the choreography is dated, clunky, and cut up by heavy editing. Really, this just isn’t Seagal’s style and he certainly isn’t convincing as a man capable of taking on wall-climbing kung fu fighters half his age.

The film’s greatest strength are its visuals, particularly the rich colors and grimy Chinatown back alleys with their neon signs, red lanterns, and steam that mildly evoke Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. The camerawork is also quite animated and makes good use of odd perspectives and tilts. No doubt, credit should go to A-list cinematographer Mark Vargo whose previous visual effects and photography work includes Ghostbusters and The Green Mile. But then these shots get spoiled by amateur CGI bullet-time effects and explosions, in addition to extremely erratic cuts and fades. This appears to be an effort to incorporate hip MTV-style editing for effect, but it mostly fizzles.

Out for a Kill is an example of style over substance where the style gets botched. And that means there’s not much left to recommend. But still, for a Hollywood direct-to-video actioner, this isn’t all bad. Seagal engages in some of his nastiest, most involved fights in a long time, albeit they’re unrealistic. The film’s colorful visuals, plentiful dance girls, strong violence, and occasionally successful stylizations also make this a good B-movie rental.

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