"The Siege" will hold you captive.

"The Siege"
Overall Rating: ****½


Based on the previews, I was expecting a lot from "The Siege." The film's plot looked intriguing. Director Edward Zwick has a great track record, most notably such movies as "Glory" and "Courage Under Fire." Denzel Washington is a top caliber actor who, among other great performances, is in one of my all-time favorite films--"Malcolm X"--though co-stars Annette Bening and Bruce Willis have some good films on their resumes, too.

I've seen about 30 new movies this year [1998]--including such highly promoted, big-name projects as "Godzilla," "Deep Impact," "Armageddon," "The Mask of Zorro," and "Saving Private Ryan." "The Siege" easily betters all of them. It's the best film I've seen this year--nothing else comes close.

At the start of the film, Ahmed Bin Talal (Ahmed Ben Larby)--a terrorist suspected of bombing an army barracks in Saudi Arabia--is arrested by U. S. forces under General William Devereaux (Bruce Willis) in the Middle East. The terrorists' response: a series of bombings to New York City. If Anthony Hubbard (Denzel Washington), the head of the FBI's anti-terrorism task force, didn't have enough to cope with from the bombers, he has to deal with a CIA agent (Annette Bening) who lies to him at every turn, double agents whose real sympathies are unclear, and inter-agency infighting. He is the right hand which doesn't know what the left hand is doing--and can't find out because of all the stonewalling. Add to that problem of prejudice--which runs right to Frank Haddad (Tony Shalhoub), his Arab-American second in command, and his job seems nearly impossible.

Few recent movies have had as strong a script (and an original script, at that). The film maintains suspense and/or action nearly throughout--you don't have a chance to catch your breath. Nor is the film predictable: when you expect a bomb to go off, nothing happens; when you think you can rest, another bomb goes off. There are plenty of memorable lines--ranging from the comic relief ("We're the CIA--something always goes wrong.") to the stirring (Hubbard's speech on what's wrong with the Army's approach--seen on the previews, which, sadly, somewhat dulls its impact). Perhaps the biggest strength (and the scariest part) of the script is the realism. The parallels between the fictional Ahmed Bin Talal and the real Osama Bin Laden are so numerous I thought that the fictional character was based on the real one--until I realized that the filming would have had to have been completed before Bin Laden's name hit the headlines. However, the government's rash actions--to declare martial law in response to desperate public pressure to do something--is also chillingly believable.

The excellent cinematography speaks volumes. After Hubbard's speech, the way General Devereaux (to whom he delivered the speech) and Hubbard are photographed echoes what happened seconds before. The aftermath of the bombings is haunting--typically done without a line being spoken. Pictures of police checkpoints at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge call attention to a big question: is the cure worse than the disease?

The film is not without its problems. The character of the CIA agent (Annette Bening) is a compulsive liar, but she lies unnecessarily, especially when you consider why she's interested in the case; it's implied that she almost can't tell the truth, but I think the film should have been a bit more explicit on this point. By far the biggest problem is the scene where Hubbard interrogates a suspect--giving him the third degree and intimidating him with a cigarette. Everything else in the film suggests that he is above that sort of behavior, and it hurts the film. You could make a case that he realizes it was wrong and reforms, but I still think it weakens the movie.

The problem the press has reported, however, isn't a problem at all. According to CNN, while some Islamic groups have claimed that the film encourages negative stereotypes of Muslims, director Edward Zwick has countered that one of the film's point is the danger of such stereotypes. Zwick is right; the film isn't racist. Some of the villains are Muslims; so are plenty of innocent victims, and some of the heros. The film seems honest about its portrayal of the Arab community. As the leader of the Arab Anti-Defamation League emphasizes in the film, most Arab-Americans love America and want the terrorists brought to justice. Palestinians are generalized as kind people who live under terrible conditions. One off-screen commentator says point blank, "Islam is a religion of peace." Ultimately, the theme of the movie is a warning: don't be hypocritical. Some villains claim to be Muslims, but limit their faith to window-dressing for bombings. Other villains claim to be defenders of the American way--but do it by practicing tyranny and racism. The comparison is poetic.

This is not a family film. There is graphic violence, strong language, and even some very brief nudity. Little is gratuitous (none of the violence is), but the film merits its R rating.

As great a film as it is, reviewing "The Siege" is frustrating. So many scenes in the film surprise the viewer. In many cases to specifically say "this is what makes `The Siege' great..." would be to cripple a scene whose dramatic impact comes from its element of surprise. The plot, the best lines, the most dramatic cinematography--all these feed on unexpected turns. I can't say more without spoiling the film. Go see the movie--you'll see what I mean and you won't be disappointed.


Title: "The Siege"
Release date: November 6, 1998

MPAA rating: R
Overall rating: ****½

Aprox. run time: 120 min.
Director: Edward Zwick
Writer: Lawrence Wright
Stars: Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Bruce Willis

Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/Siege.htm
Added to blog site: 8/4/09