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The Siege (1998)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:58
Fresh:25
Rotten:33
Average Rating:5.8/10
Consensus: An exciting, well-paced action film.
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: When the U.S. military abducts a Muslim leader, New York City becomes the target of several terrorist attacks in this gripping political thriller ripped from newspaper headlines. Denzel Washington... When the U.S. military abducts a Muslim leader, New York City becomes the target of several terrorist attacks in this gripping political thriller ripped from newspaper headlines. Denzel Washington stars as Anthony "Hub" Hubbard, the head of the FBI terrorism task force who is charge of investigating the bombings. Ironically, Hub's partner, Frank Haddad (Tony Shalhoub), is Arab-American and must fight for his family's rights as the citizens of New York become increasingly paranoid about the Arab-American population. Elise Kraft (Annette Bening) is an undercover CIA official and Middle East expert who is also investigating the terrorist attacks and joins Hub and Frank as they search for the terrorists. As Hub, Elise, and Frank work to uncover the source of the terrorism, the city erupts in escalating madness, spiraling out of control until the government sends in General William Devereaux (Bruce Willis), who takes over the city and declares martial law. Ultimately, the government seizes the male Arab-American population of New York in makeshift internment camps in this incredibly relevant and cautionary thriller that examines the real dilemma of how a democratic society can uphold the rights of its citizens while under military protection. Director Edward Zwick's film features excellent performances from an all-star cast and includes real footage of President Clinton addressing the problem of terrorism. [More]
Starring: Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Bruce Willis, Tony Shalhoub
Starring: Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Bruce Willis, Tony Shalhoub, Sami Bouajila, Liana Pai
Director: Edward Zwick
Director: Edward Zwick
Screenwriter: Edward Zwick, Menno Meyjes, Lawrence Wright
Producer: Lynda Obst, Edward Zwick
Composer: Graeme Revell
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Reviews for The Siege
There's a lot of high drama, and Zwick pushes the Big Moments a little too hard -- but solid performances and plenty of shattering explosions conspire to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The Siege may well be based on a huge 'what if?' premise, but it's smart, taut and knows exactly what the hell it's doing. And it does it well.
Zwick (Courage Under Fire) has fashioned another ethical tour de force that reveals his dedication to serious filmmaking.
Denzel Washington, the great crowd-pleaser who will likely make The Siege number one in the first weekend's box office, is easily the big reason to see the movie.
With gritty cinematography and taut editing, the film maintains its energy and offers a palatable reality as the tension tightens.
The Siege is many things at once: tense, exciting, disturbing, and thought provoking.
Even at its most unbelievable, The Siege has the performances of Washington and Bening to fall back on, and a theme that understands that what's difficult is not choosing right from wrong but 'choosing the wrong that's more right.'
The Siege demonstrates just how easy it is for a movie to divide people into 'good' and 'bad.'
The beginning of the movie was slow, but the middle and the end were exciting and suspenseful.
This movie has a very strong and compelling narrative thread running through it, and it benefits from expert direction that elevates the tension to a pitched height.
While not especially clever or creative, The Siege ... grabs the audience by the intellect and doesn't let go for 120 minutes.
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