Details
Title: Half Past Dead
Release date: 3 April, 2003
Record label: Sony
Single:
Official website: Half Past Dead
Buy at: Amazon
Popular Songs
New Songs
Ja Rule - Half Past Dead
Home » v » VA - Half Past Dead » Album» Half Past Dead
Print this Page
Send to a FriendIt's 2002 and The California Penal Authority has reopened the most notorious prison in history - Alcatraz. Disgruntled Prison Bureaucrat-turned-criminal mastermind Donny (MORRIS CHESTNUT) has assembled a commando team to infiltrate the newly refurbished, high tech fortress in order to force a death row inmate to reveal the whereabouts of $200 million worth of gold.
|
Inmate Nick Frazier (JA RULE) must help Undercover FBI agent Sascha Petrosevitch (STEVEN SEAGAL) rally the other inmates to stop the invaders - before they murder the Supreme Court Justice who is present for the impending execution. Kurupt co-stars in this action thriller written and directed by Don Michael Paul and produced by Andrew Stevens, Elie Samaha and Steven Seagal.
To maintain his cover, Sascha is sentenced with Nick to the newly refurbished, high- tech Alcatraz, where inmates are fitted with a special implanted security chip to prevent escape. The prison also boasts a brand new, state of the art execution chamber, which will be used for the first time on legendary prisoner Lester, who is charged with robbing an armored vehicle and stealing $200 million worth of gold. The gold has never been recovered and Lester refuses to tell anyone where it is, including the Supreme Court Justice who sentenced him to die and who is now present to witness his execution. With one hour left to live, Lester summons Sascha from his cell to see him. Lester wants to ask him what it's like to be so near death, but the callous Sascha doesn't have much to share.
Moments before Lester's sentence can be carried out, a group of ten mercenaries, "the 49ers," wearing black combat gear break into the prison. Led by the psychotic and ruthless 49er One (MORRIS CHESTNUT), who has an in-depth knowledge of the prison's security and communications systems, they have come for one reason only: to find out where the gold is buried. When Lester refuses to cooperate and the 49ers begin taking hostages, including the Supreme Court Justice, Sascha must rally his fellow prisoners to take on the expertly trained commandos. Nick's loyalty is tested when he learns the truth about Sascha's identity, and he must choose sides for the final showdown with the 49ers...
In a blisteringly paced, action-packed battle of high tech criminals versus hardened prisoners, Alcatraz becomes a battleground with the sentenced men fighting for the system that put them there. When the 49ers escape, taking Lester and the Supreme Court Justice with them, Sascha gives chase with help from Agent E.Z. Williams. Sascha and 49er One go head to head to the bitter end, a breathtaking skydive rescue from a helicopter bound for freedom....Screen Gems and Franchise Pictures present HALF PAST DEAD, starring Steven Seagal, Morris Chestnut, Ja Rule, Nia Peeples, Tony Plana and Kurupt and written and directed by Don Michael Paul. HALF PAST DEAD is produced by Andrew Stevens, Elie Samaha and Steven Seagal and will be released November 15, 2002.
Ja Rule as Nick Frazier
Half Past Dead features rap sensation Ja Rule in the role of Seagal's buddy Nick Frazier.
The platinum-selling rap artist is at the top of the music world with an impressive list of number one hits under his belt for 2001 and 2002. While Ja Rule has propelled his musical ability into a multi-platinum music career, he has also steadily worked at the craft of acting. The talented lyricist was featured in a starring role in the music-themed Turn it Up and had a brief, but memorable cameo in the blockbuster The Fast and the Furious. But it was Half Past Dead that provided Ja Rule the opportunity to sink his teeth into a feature role with no musical ties.
Ja Rule describes his character Nick as "a debonair gangster." He continues, "My character is a slick kind of guy. He's got a little gangster in him. Basically, Nick is me in many ways. But, I try to bring a little of me to Nick as well, so I think people will like Nick's character. He's kind of a sentimental guy, you know. A sentimental thug, I would say. He's got a sense of himself. He's a good friend to his buddy Sascha, who betrays him." On working with Seagal: "Yeah, Steven's a cool dude. I like Steven. He's nothing like I expected. He's down to earth." Referring to his co-star's recent credits with African-American actors such as Isaiah Washington and DMX in Exit Wounds, "You'd think that Steven is that guy that you see in the movies. But he is very ethnically trained," chuckles Ja Rule.
Kurupt as Twitch
Half Past Dead features not one but two rap superstars with Kurupt joining Ja Rule as the character Twitch, a prison inmate with an itchy trigger finger.
Kurupt, whose career as a rapper began ten years ago on super-producer Dr. Dre's classic album The Chronic, begins his film career this fall with two meaty roles in action films. Besides his role in Half Past Dead, Kurupt will appear in Dark Blue, a film starring Kurt Russell and directed by Ron Shelton.
Kurupt personally embraced his role in Half Past Dead. "When I read (the role of) Twitch I was like, this is definitely me. It's like I felt the blood rushing through my veins. Any character I read for has to have characteristics that I can bring out of it. Twitch is funny, but he has a serious side. He is a trouble-maker, but he's not for play. And that's what I like about the Twitch character, his actions. It's like me in a different light. If I were in the pen, I could see that's how I would be. I'd be joking and clowning."
Do you also would like to share your opinion? If so, please register or login here.