THE SIEGE 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
2 out of 4 for marshal law in the city
Cast: Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Bruce Willis, Tony Shalhoub, Sami Bouajila. Screenplay: Lawrence Wright and Menno Meyjes & Edward Zwick. Director: Edward Zwick
In this tedious movie about terrorism and counter terrorism, we have little to keep us interested throughout the movie except for the constant berating of Denzel Washington as FBI agent, Anthony Hubbard. The unconvincing, pretentious, smug role of Bruce Willis as a questionable, unfeeling General or the silly, unintelligent part of Annette Benning as CIA agent Elise Kraft who makes one too many wrong calls, does not make this movie any better. When there are too many security agencies involved in any single plot, one runs the risk of spoiling the broth – and the result is this movie suffers from too many people trying to get in on the act.
The Siege makes a point at the end about the misuse of power, and the abuse of human rights when a city is placed under marshal law. However, I feel the only thing this movie promotes is fear in people's heart. With scenes that would no doubt encourage and inflame, Islamic extremist fundamentalist groups to further terrorise the free world. With images of buses, theatres, schools filled with innocent people blown to pieces, one can only wonder why one would want play out such possibilities! I'm sure someone like Bin Laden is probably somewhere in Saudi Arabia thinking, that's a great idea – why don't we just blow up the FBI headquarters in New York by driving a truck full of TNT through the front entrance.
Timothy Voon
e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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