Seagal's 1988 breakout hit: Seagal stars as an ex-CIA police detective investigating a drug ring that turns out to be something far more deep and sinister than it appears... Also stars Pam Grier ("Jackie Brown") and Henry Silva ("The Manchurian Candidate"). Though only a modest success, the film received general acclaim and led to Seagal being offered a contract by Warner Bros.

As a newly-retired police agent, Seagal returns to his hometwon to find it overtaken by Jamaican drug-dealers, headed by a mysterious and sadistic voodoo cultist (Basil Wallace, "Blood Diamond"). Also stars Keith David ("The Thing") and Tom Wright ("Dumbarton Bridge"). Seagal reportedly studied voodoo rituals vigorously to prepare for his role. The film made about $58 million.

Seagal's most successful film to-date, grossing over $156 million worldwide: Seagal plays an ex-Navy SEAL as the last resistance of a hijacked battleship. Also stars Tommy Lee Jones ("Men In Black"), Gary Busey ("Lethal Weapon"), and Erika Eleniak ("Baywatch"). Though decried somewhat as a "Die Hard" ripoff, the film garnered critical acclaim and is regarded by many as Seagal's best outing.

The sequel to Seagal's biggest hit: the ex-SEAL returns and moves to liberate a hijacked train from ex-government agents seeking to take control of a military satellite. Also stars Eric Bogosian ("Law & Order") and Katherine Heigl ("Grey's Anatomy"). Though it was more successful than "Deadly Ground", it made signifigantly less than its prequel - about $104 million, worldwide.

Also starring Keenan Ivory Wayans ("Most Wanted") and Brian Cox ("Troy"); an ex-government operative (Seagal) teams with an unlikely partner (Wayans) to track down a notorious serial killer, only to find out that there may be more than one murderer behind the slayings and more than one motive. Directed by John Gray ("Ghost Whisperer"). The film made a profit of less than $2 million.

A Montana native races against time to locate a cure for a deadly virus unleashed upon his hometown by a revoutionist militia; loosely based on William Heine's novel "The Last Canadian". Though the film (financed by Seagal himself) was released theatrically in most of the world, it was Seagal's first direct-to-video release in North America.

Starring alongside Tom Sizemore ("Saving Private Ryan") and Dennis Hopper ("Speed"), Seagal plays a bomb-defuser tracking a relentless demolitions-expert. Directed by Albert Pyun ("Nemesis"). The film was Seagal's second direct-to-video outing, and is largely considered one of his worst due to lousy acting and a listless production.

Seagal's third entry into his straight-to-video stay; he plays freelance operative Jon Cold, hounded by enemies who attempt to keep him from delivering a secret package from France to Germany. Also stars Max Ryan ("Death Race"). Though the film arrived without much publicity in most countries, it received a theatrical showing in Kuwait, Bahrain, and South Korea.

Seagal's only Hong Kong film: set in Thailand, ex-CIA agent Jake Hopper (Seagal) is on a quest to rescue his kidnapped daughter from Thai militants. Co-stars Byron Mann ("Street Fighter: The Movie"), Monica Lo ("Legacy"), and Tom Wu ("The Mutant Chronicles"). Directed by Siu-Tung Ching ("A Chinese Ghost Story").

A covert agent-turned-survivalist (Seagal) follows a human-trafficking ring through Poland to rescue his thirteen-year-old pen-pal. Also stars Matt Schulze ("The Transporter"). Directed by Po-Chih Leong ("The Wisdom of Crocodiles").

Financed in-part by Seagal himself, this never-to-be-rework of Sydney Pollack's "The Yakuza" stars Seagal as an ex-CIA agent tracking down the assassins of a Tokyo governor. Also stars Matthew Davis ("Below"), Takao Osawa ("Crying Out Love"), and Ken Lo ("Legend of the Drunken Master"). Features the songs "Girl It's Alright", "War", and "Don't You Cry" from Seagal's musical album.

Stars Seagal as a steal-from-the-rich, give-to-the-poor thief who seeks to track down his double-crossing ex-partner. The film's producers reportedly filed lawsuits against Seagal, claiming he arrived and left the set whenever he wanted to and re-wrote much of the script without permission. Seagal denied all of this and counter-sued, claiming fraud and contractual breaches.

John Seeger (Seagal) is an ex-military mercenary who's been forced to undertake a controversial operation. When he's double-crossed, he aims to get even. Co-stars Luke Goss ("Hellboy 2"). Directed by Don FauntLeRoy ("Today You Die", "Urban Justice"). Set in South Africa, the film is criticized by fans for featuring the hero killing policemen and other non-villains.

Seagal is a military commander whose investigation of the assassination of his team leads him to find that a dangerous drug is to be unleashed upon Paris, France. Directed by Michael Keusch ("Shadow Man", "Flight of Fury"). The film was universally panned for substandard production and extensive dubbing of Seagal's voice; it is often hailed as Seagal's worst film ever.

A remake of fellow action hero Michael Dudikoff's "Black Thunder": after being wrongfully imprisoned, Seagal's ex-Air Force character is sent to Afghanistan to recover a stolen prototype X-77 stealth fighter, in exchange for his freedom. Also features Steve Toussaint ("Shooting Dogs") and Alki David ("The Bank Job").

Seagal appears as a parody of his action-hero persona in the movie version of the satirical "Onion" publication: to fight injustice, a martial artist (Seagal) must master an "ancient technique" of combat, which earns him the title of "Cock Puncher”. The film remains one of the few examples where the usually-adamant Seagal has poked fun at his abilities and reputation.

A legendary detective (Seagal) meets his match when he tracks an astrologically-obsessed serial killer (Michael Filipowich, "Charlie Jade") into the Memphis underworld of sex and violence. Also features Holly Dignard ("Whistler"), Chris King ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?"), and Isaac Hayes ("South Park").

A Russian mobster-turned-novelist (Seagal) must return to his violent ways when his family is endangered through his daughter's (Laura Mennell, "Watchmen") marriage to his arch-nemesis' son (Dmitry Chepovetsky, "ReGenesis"). Also stars Igor Jijikine ("Kingdom of the Crystal Skull") and Robert Wisden ("Da Vinci's Inquest"). Directed by Jeff King ("Kill Switch").