The SiegeTHE SIEGE came out at about the perfect time. Of course, it also came out at the worst time, because many people are sure to be offended by the film. It takes tough subjects and deals with them in a high-tension, action-packed way. It's similar to Apt Pupil which got lambasted by critics for using the Holocaust in an irreverent manner (I personally disagree with that). Here, instead of the Holocaust, it's present-day events, such as the World Trade Center bombing. Why people quibble over such things is beyond me. Grounded into reality, doesn't that make the film more intense?
What should be more objectionable is the one-dimensional character General Devereaux (Bruce Willis). For the first hour or so, Devereaux appears in about two scenes, and then when he does come into play in the final hour, there's no logical explanation for his actions. It's the film's only major flaw, and it's a rather ploying attempt by the filmmakers to make sure that people understand that Arab-Americans are not the enemy of the picture. And yet, despite all the effort, the film is still being protested by Arab-American groups. Again, it's a case of the protestors never giving a thought to watching the film they are protesting against. If they did watch the movie, they'd notice that the real enemy is a completely different group.
THE SIEGE begins with a bomb on a bus (Speed, anyone?), but it turns out to be a hoax. But it's not just any hoax... it's a warning. Messages are sent to the FBI, where Anthony Hubbard (Denzel Washington) and his partner Frank Haddad (Tony Shalhoub) try to figure out who blew the bus. Unfortunately for them, they're not the only one looking into the case. Elise Kraft (Annette Bening) shows up at the investigation of the bus, flashing a badge but never really saying who she is with. Elise is a mysterious woman. She can get information from anonymous sources, and she knows everything about Arabian culture. After she abducts a suspect in the bombing case, Hubbard arrests her. But another bus bomb is called in. "They aren't here to negotiate. They were waiting for the cameras. They want everyone watching," Elise announces. You know the bus will explode... it's inevitable. But when it does is another story, and it had people gasping when it finally did.
The further in I go concerning the plot, the more confused I get. The screenplay is a complex piece of writing, filled with twists and hidden character agendas. Exactly who does Elise work for? How does Devereaux fit into the puzzle? All these questions are answered, but with such subtlety that many will be confused. And yet, it doesn't matter. Director Edward Zwick is a very competent director, and if the screenplay gets too muddled, he adds tense action to relieve the viewer of too much thought. For me, it's a much needed relief. Your usual action film will have a very simple plot without too many surprises. This way, the action can take precedence and the viewers can watch, cheer, and boo. Here, it's too complicated to have those types of responses. Instead, audiences are likely to sit with a desperate look of confusion. This is the same problem that hindered Ronin's success.
I am making it sound worse than it really is, though. During the film, a lot of it makes sense. Afterwards, the specifics begin to fade, and the plot becomes a muddled mess. After a day, the plot will be a skeletal structure without any substance (kinda like my reviews). The questions that were raised will have lost their answers. Normally an action film will fade from the mind after a day or two, but here, it's more annoying, because the questions linger in the mind. It's like trying to fit pieces of a puzzle together when they don't have any picture on them. Have I made my point? I'll put it bluntly: THE SIEGE is confusing as soon as the credits roll.
Now that I've gotten through the bad elements, it's onto the better ones. The acting by Denzel Washington is terrific. My friend said it was just the same character as in Fallen, and I agree. But Washington has such charisma on screen that it doesn't really matter. Bruce Willis is given high billing, but his part is extremely small. Willis does his best at making this character come to life, but it's the writers who killed that one. Willis can act... we've seen him before. He just needs a good character to work with. But upstaging both her male counterparts is Annette Bening, who, frankly, deserves a lot more work than she's getting. Bening is one of the most consistently impressive and underrated actresses around. Hopefully this film will give her more options for work. Bening is the real reason to see THE SIEGE. Tony Shalhoub is also very good as the Arab-American angered that his son was abducted by the government. This is one of the best acted action films to come along in a long time.
The screenplay by Lawrence Wright takes real events of today and incorporates them into a smart (if confusing) story. He writes wonderful banter dialogue for Bening and Washington (they're encounters are always believable and entertaining). But Wright makes a big error during the final third of the film, as martial law is declared. The script changes from action-thriller to a commentary on society. Normally, this wouldn't seem to be a bad of an idea, but Wright makes the fatal mistake of focusing in on how Arabs are not the enemy. It turns political, and the subplot involving Devereaux is never explained enough for us to care. Instead, he's just as one-dimensional as the Arabic terrorists. Perhaps this was Wright's point, to show us that the United States government can be as ruthless and uncaring as terrorist groups. If so, the film never solidifies its arguments on the subject. It circles them, never hitting the mark.
Director Zwick is no stranger to political films. His name isn't well known, but his films are. Zwick has directed the fabulous Glory, the visually impressive Legends of the Fall (otherwise known as the Brad Pitt starmaker), and one of 1996's best films, Courage Under Fire. THE SIEGE is one of his lesser films, but his direction is top-notch. The tension is extremely high throughout, even up to the final moments. The terrorist acts are frightening and realistic, especially one occurring in a movie theater. If you ever want to feel uneasy while watching a movie, just watch as a movie theater gets bombed and countless numbers of people die.
THE SIEGE is rated R for violence, language, and brief nudity. Though not as bad as it could have been, it's also not as good as it could have been. The themes expressed are touchy, but the film uses them in a more exploitive way than seems necessary. With high-profile actors and good direction, THE SIEGE is entertaining during its duration, but afterwards, try not to think too hard about it. It gets too confusing.