"The CIA didn't know the Berlin Wall was coming down until bricks started hitting them in the head."

Not exactly what I expected but not a bad one at all. Bruce Willis being kind of the bad guy here was great, Denzel Washington almost never disappoints, Tony Shalhoub was my favorite in this one and Annette Bening should've known better.

Anyway The Siege is a decent thriller but to me feels very mid. Which isn't bad but when something stars Denzel Washington, Tony Shalhoub and 90's Bruce Willis I expected a bit more. But in the end I was entertained which is all that counts and I was happy that Frank Haddad was reunited with his son in the end!

Ps. Kind of brutal to hear that gunshot and Bruce Willis walking out wiping his hands clean.

I started writing this review and ended up starting a whole essay about terrorism, the reactions to terrorism, and of course what happened in September of 2001, but then realized that I ended up not talking about the movie at all, so...I'll try and keep this short and brief.

The Siege is about extreme terrorist attacks in New York pre-9/11, and if that brings back stuff you rather not relive, stay away. If that's not the case you'll be treated to one of the better movies about the topic. Especially the reactions of law enforcement, the government, and the common man in the street, to attacks such as this. The acting borders on excellent, and you are on the edge of your seat throughout. However...it derails somewhat at the end. You'll know what I mean when you watch it.

The Siege is worth the watch, but be aware, it's absolutely not perfect. Enjoy the good acting, but take it for what it is and don't put too much into it.

The Siege is a prolific political thriller about Islamic terrorism and the price of liberty. When New York City is besieged by terrorist bombings the government declares martial law and brings in the military to root out the terrorist cells responsible. While the plot goes to a few implausible extremes, overall it’s a smart and compelling story that’s quite relevant. Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, and Bruce Willis lead the cast and deliver strong performances. Additionally, the action sequences are especially well-done and have the look and feel of actual terrorist attacks; which adds a level of realism to the film. Captivating and provocative, The Siege is an intense and riveting film.

While some are calling it visionary or ironic (I wish people would look that word up in a dictionary and see it DOESN'T mean coincidence), that isn't enough to make this a good movie. I'll agree it is somewhat eerie that the plot line does involve a terrorist attack on NYC 3 years prior to the saddest day in US history. Denzel has turned into a pompous overacting smug character in all his movies. Way over the top here like he was in _Crimson Tide_. I did like his chemistry with Monk and thought they did the partner thing pretty well. What was it with Bruce Willis and the phase he went through for a few years there where he had to be in the military in all his flicks? It did make me stop and think each time they showed the World Trade Center in this movie. Just makes we wonder why. WHY?