Segal was under SIEGE, but he still managed to file this report with Geek Headquarters. He had to fight his way through 100's of EMAIL's with questions about LOTR addressed to Peter Jackson, but he was spotted by Father Geek and has made his way from the front to this update.
Hello Harry
Here is a review of a sneak I went to recently for the upcoming "thriller" The Siege. The most interesting thing about it was watching the film makers stress out and discuss what worked and what didn't...I think they will need some reshooting!
Ripped out of today's headlines comes Fox's The Siege. This "reality" flick stars Denzel Washington, Annette Benning and an over inflated cameo by Bruce Willis.
Denzel stars as a stiff FBI agent tracking down terrorist attacks in New York City. The terrorists bomb buses and Broadway(I think a bomb goes off during a performance of Cats-which may actually have been a good thing…). As the violence escalates Benning rears her head as a supposed CIA operative with her an unknown agenda. Is she working for or against the terrorists ?
There is some chemistry between Denzel and Annette, however she has her eyes on a possible accomplice to the terrorists. As the attacks continue Willis steps in as a jaded by the books Army General who declares martial law in New York.
Bruce and Denzel butt heads, but Bruce burrows his tanks and troops into the Big Apple. Denzel and Bening team up to try to find the head terrorist in what will go down as one of the most underwhelming climaxes in film history. (My guess is that the ending will be reshot!)
Overall the film wanted to be "serious" film in the vein of Courage Under Fire(also directed by Edward Zwick and also featuring Denzel). However the film pretty much fails on all levels. There is not enough action to satisfy hardcore Bruce Willis action fans, and the film fails as a drama dealing with a city on the edge being invaded by the US Army.
The film also struck me as being a bit racist. The villains were Arabs, and the characterizations were pretty one-dimensional. They were portrayed as bomb wielding suicide bombers. Of course the filmmakers had one Arab as one of the "good guys", at least he got all of the funny lines in the script.
In light of current headlines it will be interesting how Fox will handle this one. In theory it is a very hot topic and its pro American tone makes it controversial from a global standpoint. However, the film is a yawner. Bruce Willis looks like he was sleepwalking. He is getting a bit old to be running around with guns blazing, but he was unconvincing as a General. Denzel tried to carry the film, but it is difficult to do in a film when the film makers are not always clear as to what kind of film they are making. Some scenes have him playing a stiff by the book FBI agent, then there are scenes torn right out of a John Woo flick. And Annette Bening was just dull, but at least she was in a sex scene. So maybe there may be something exciting in this flick if you are into older women.
Even "B" Movies like Red Dawn are more interesting accounts of a "home invasion" on American soil. View The Siege at your own risk.
agent Segal signing out...
