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Movies / Upcoming / The Siege
The Siege

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The Siege (1998)

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43 %
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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

US Box Office: $0

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

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Siege

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21 - 40 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/24/02
Boston Phoenix

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.

Full Review Source: Sight and Sound | comment Comment
03/05/02
Ken Hollings
Ken Hollings
Sight and Sound

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.

Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies | comment Comment
02/28/02
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies

It was like eating celery - crunchy and loud and tasty - then zero caloric content after all that trouble chewing it.

Full Review Source: Cinerina | comment Comment
06/14/01
Karina Montgomery
Karina Montgomery
Cinerina

It's difficult to sustain a responsible subtext when you're delivering the jolts required to keep butts in the seats.

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
05/11/01
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone

The Siege is a good idea that is never quite executed as it should be.

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
02/27/01
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

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.'

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
02/14/01
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

While the ending was pure Hollywood, and there was too much cute spy stuff, most of the film was suspenseful, engaging and thought-provoking.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
01/01/01
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

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.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
01/01/00
E! Online

A flawed melodrama that gives itself a self-important weight it cannot sustain throughout.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
rec.arts.movies.reviews

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.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bob McCabe
Bob McCabe
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

In all, quite a disappointment.

Full Review Source: Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus

The Siege is clumsily put together. Zwick is careless about plot details, so the movie is often needlessly confusing.

Full Review Source: Salon.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor
Salon.com

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.

Full Review Source: DustinPutman.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman
DustinPutman.com

A cartoonish open-air version of Crimson Tide.

Full Review Source: NUVO Newsweekly | comment Comment
01/01/00
Edward Johnson-Ott
Edward Johnson-Ott
NUVO Newsweekly

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Erik Childress
Erik Childress
eFilmCritic.com

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.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
01/01/00
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

With gritty cinematography and taut editing, the film maintains its energy and offers a palatable reality as the tension tightens.

Full Review Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jack Garner
Jack Garner
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

The Siege is many things at once: tense, exciting, disturbing, and thought provoking.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

The movie is more successful at creating tension than in building credible characters.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Sanford
James Sanford
rec.arts.movies.reviews
 
 
21 - 40 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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