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By STEVE PERSALL
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 15, 2001
Seagal sighting
Just when we thought the world was safe from Steven Seagal movies, here comes Exit Wounds to prove there's still a place in Hollywood for wooden acting and nonsensical violence. Seagal portrays -- okay, his character's name is -- Orin Boyd, a tough detective working in inner-city Toronto where corrupt cops are running the show. Not if this butt-whipping monolith has anything to say about it. Rap musician DMX co-stars, as if hanging with someone cool will rub off on Seagal. Come to think of it, Tom Arnold was also supposed to be a past annoyance, but he's here, too. Remember the title, then look for that word "exit" on those illuminated signs in the theater.
A different perspective on World War II marks Enemy at the Gates, a fact-based film by Jean-Jacques Annaud, best known for his thoughtful caveman epic Quest for Fire. The heroes are Russian, not American, and defending Stalingrad from Nazi invasion isn't going well. Crack marksman Vasily Zaitsev (Jude Law, The Talented Mr. Ripley) becomes a hero for his hits on German officers, hyped by a Soviet propagandist (Joseph Fiennes, Shakespeare in Love). In retaliation, the Nazis dispatch their own sharpshooter (Ed Harris, Pollock) to kill Zaitsev. Enemy at the Gate was screened too late for Weekend coverage. See Friday's Times for a review.