It was set and filmed in Chicago, Illinois, over 60 days between April 27 and June 26, 1987. It has been reported that Seagal was asked to make the film by his former aikido pupil, agent Michael Ovitz, who believed that he could make anyone a movie star.

Mark Boone Junior as Man In Window (uncredited).

Nydia Rodriguez Terracina as Bomb Woman.

Rafael Gonzalez as Carlos Abandano, Salvano's Lawyer.

Daniel Faraldo as Bautista 'Tony' Salvano.

Thalmus Rasulala as Deputy Superintendent Crowder.

Joseph Kosala as Lieutenant Fred Strozah.

Gregory Alan Williams as FBI Agent Halloran.

Pam Grier as Detective Delores 'Jacks' Jackson.

Steven Seagal as Sergeant Nicolo 'Nico' Toscani.

Harrison promises justice and Toscani says he is now willing to testify about his experiences with Zagon and covert operations in the CIA. Afterwards, Toscani meets Harrison, who has been informed of everything. Before Zagon can kill Harrison, Toscani breaks free and kills Zagon and all of his remaining men.

He is held in the kitchen of a hotel during a Harrison campaign rally. Toscani confronts Fox, but they are interrupted by Zagon's men. When Toscani finds out that Zagon killed the priest and is planning to kill Harrison, he goes after Zagon. Senator Ernest Harrison is investigating Zagon's group to reveal their covert operations and drug dealing. Detectives Lukich and Jackson are wounded during the shootout, and Toscani has to flee. While Zagon is torturing the priest, Toscani bursts in and a gun battle ensues. He eventually discovers that the dealers he busted are linked to Zagon, who is still with the CIA, and who is being accused of human rights violations by a Central American priest who was being sheltered by Toscani's priest. Under pressure from the feds, Toscani is asked to turn in his badge. Fox calls Toscani and tells him to move his family to a safer location, saying that he is in danger. Later, the priest of Toscani's parish is killed in an explosion during Mass.

Shortly afterward, the men that Toscani and Jackson arrested are released at the request of federal officials, and Toscani is ordered to stand down. Toscani and his new partner Detective Delores 'Jacks' Jackson are investigating a drug ring, and after busting two of the dealers, including Salvadorian drug lord Tony Salvano, Toscani finds C-4 explosive. Toscani returned to Chicago, joined the police department, and got married. A stand-off occurred when Toscani tried to stop a torture session, and he left the CIA.

There, he became disgusted with DCI Kurt Zagon, who tortured prisoners. In 1969, Toscani was recruited to join the CIA by Nelson Fox and was involved in covert operations on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border during the Vietnam War. At an early age he had become interested in martial arts, and moved to Japan to study them. Sergeant Nico Toscani, who traces his roots to Palermo, Sicily, is a detective in the Chicago Police Department's vice squad.

Endonesia above the law