The Siege attempts to update the bluffs and counterfeints of the Cold War spy thriller, not to advance any ideological point but to obscure the fact that it doesn't have one.
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
The Siege raises a lot of important questions about racism, free speech, and the power of government. It doesn't deal with them particularly effectively.
It was like eating celery - crunchy and loud and tasty - then zero caloric content after all that trouble chewing it.
It's difficult to sustain a responsible subtext when you're delivering the jolts required to keep butts in the seats.
The Siege is a good idea that is never quite executed as it should be.
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.'
While the ending was pure Hollywood, and there was too much cute spy stuff, most of the film was suspenseful, engaging and thought-provoking.
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.
A flawed melodrama that gives itself a self-important weight it cannot sustain throughout.
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.
The Siege is clumsily put together. Zwick is careless about plot details, so the movie is often needlessly confusing.
The Siege is constantly heavy-handed, not entertaining or insightful, and just goes to prove that not even the best actors can save a film that lacks a satisfactory screenplay.
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.
The movie is more successful at creating tension than in building credible characters.
Washington and Ms. Bening play smart, interesting characters who never quite connect, while Willis turns himself into the loosest military cannon this side of Dr. Strangelove.
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