'Siege' wastes time, talent, money

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Denzel Washington and Bruce Willis are up in arms over "The Siege."

By Chris Cousino
Daily Arts Writer

An indication of problems astir should have been the numerous renaming games that Twentieth Century Fox played - "Against All Odds," "Martial Law" and "Holy War" - before settling on "The Siege." For that matter, Edward Zwick's "The Siege" is one of the dumbest films of the year, and it seizes Denzel Washington and Bruce Willis for its long, tireless tirade.

Zwick, director of the "Courage Under Fire" and the long, overwrought "Legends of the Fall," makes another lengthy attempt this Fall with "The Siege." Although it clocks in at around two hours, it seems endless. As seen in "Legends," Zwick has a tendency to keep his audience sitting in their chairs for a while. But dare I suggest, that one do so if and only if one has a point to make.

With "The Siege," Zwick finds himself trapped between making a fast-paced action, FBI thriller and a resounding political statement about fear, prejudice and freedom in America. By taking on such a large premise, however, he fails miserably at both.

"The Siege" focuses on the New York FBI squad, headed by Anthony Hubbard (Washington), and its attempts to prevent and uncover several terrorist attacks in New York City. And can you guess what ethnic background the terrorists might be? Arab, perhaps?

While Washington does a fine job in his role, he may have faltered in his choice. Granted 'ol Denzel is an Academy Award winner, but his acting may start to come into question if he continues these boring, familiar stints as the same straight-laced government somebody in every action thriller he's in. His recycled character Hubbard (like in "The Pelican Brief" and "Fallen") is a by-the-book leader who is courageous and idealistic.

Hubbard finds initial problems when he butts heads with agent Elise Kraft, played by Annette Bening. Bening attractively develops her enigmatic character of Kraft, who acts as the go-between the Arab community and the U.S. government. What's even more enigmatic is the film's final explanation of Kraft, or her alias Sharon Bridger, and what she really does. It never makes complete sense with dozens of lines filled with dull government talk.

Since Kraft, or Bridger, or whoever, is somehow part of the U.S. government, she begins working with Hubbard to stop the terrorist groups after bombings of a bus, a Broadway theater and, of course, a federal building. After continuous attacks, the government declares martial law on New York City and sends in the U.S. military to get the job done. A suggestion for the - count 'em - four screenwriters it took to write this drivel: Take one of those two-week screenwriting courses that will teach on the first day that you don't start a major conflict with just 45 minutes left to your film.

As Arabs throughout Brooklyn are rounded up, assaulted and persecuted, I wonder if it was just a boyhood fantasy of Zwick's to see military troops marching down the Brooklyn bridge or people in barbed-wire cages on the third baseline in The House that Ruth Built. Spielberg always wanted to see a dinosaur running down Sunset Boulevard, making a stupid movie even stupider. Maybe it's the same kind of boyish dream for Mr. Zwick.

It is obvious that Zwick wants to create a resounding emotional reaction. When the camera pans up from the steps and looks out over the Yankee Stadium infield to see prison pens filled with the entire Arabic community, Zwick does have interesting ideas here. The problem is he tries too hard, making "The Siege" just formulaic and pretentious.

Worst of all, he opens the film with stock footage of President Clinton's speech about the terrorist bombings in Africa this past summer. This neither adds to the film nor gives it any credibility, and works more as an insult to the President for including him in such cinematic trash.

Along with Mr. President, there's everyone's favorite unshaven hero: Bruce Willis. He must be completely crazy if he continues to star in such critically pisspoor productions, not to mention losing Demi. After a string of reprehensible films such as "Last Man Standing," "The Fifth Element," "The Jackal," "Mercury Rising" and "Armageddon," he decides to enlist in such a torpid mess as "The Siege." C'mon, Willis epitomizes the '90s American rebel. To see him as fascist General William Devereaux is just sadly unbelievable.

"The Siege" is a waste of time for such talent as Washington, Bening and Willis. At least the special effects team succeeds in creating wonderfully realistic explosions while Zwick utterly fails at making a worthwhile film. At any rate, follow the protesters and boycott "The Siege."

11-12-98