When I saw "The Siege" in the theater in 1998, I thought it was a flawed, but entertaining what-if thriller. It had a very good performance by the always dependable Denzel Washington, an underrated performance by Bruce Willis, and a somewhat disappointing performance (perhaps because the role was underwritten) by a slightly miscast Annette Bening. Who would've known that something tragic like the attacks in New York City, the Pentagon and the plane crash in western Pennsylvania.
Some reviewers dismissing the film thought the film's good ideas became muddled and confused in the end. Seeing what's happening in the world right now, I don't think the confusion was way off. I felt before the tragedy and afterward that it was pretty accurate.
The one performance that really impressed me was Tony Shalhoub as Frank Haddad, the Arab-American police detective who's partnered with Washington's character. I hope screenwriter Lawrence Wright (with Menno Meyjes) and co-writer/director Edward Zwick, didn't create Haddad as an afterthought. There was some major controversy on how Arabs were portrayed in the film. (Note the U.S. running time compared to some other countries.) What stood out for me when I first saw the movie and still lingers is Shalhoub's character. His character seemed human. We see him at work and at home with his wife and children. We see him and his family practicing the Muslim faith. There's a pivotal moment when Haddad is trying to find his son in an internment camp. He's angry and confused and frustrated. I really felt sympathy and empathy toward his character. With all of the explosions, I still feel that Shalhoub, despite being what is, essentially, a supporting character, was the truly human aspect "The Siege".
Some reviewers dismissing the film thought the film's good ideas became muddled and confused in the end. Seeing what's happening in the world right now, I don't think the confusion was way off. I felt before the tragedy and afterward that it was pretty accurate.
The one performance that really impressed me was Tony Shalhoub as Frank Haddad, the Arab-American police detective who's partnered with Washington's character. I hope screenwriter Lawrence Wright (with Menno Meyjes) and co-writer/director Edward Zwick, didn't create Haddad as an afterthought. There was some major controversy on how Arabs were portrayed in the film. (Note the U.S. running time compared to some other countries.) What stood out for me when I first saw the movie and still lingers is Shalhoub's character. His character seemed human. We see him at work and at home with his wife and children. We see him and his family practicing the Muslim faith. There's a pivotal moment when Haddad is trying to find his son in an internment camp. He's angry and confused and frustrated. I really felt sympathy and empathy toward his character. With all of the explosions, I still feel that Shalhoub, despite being what is, essentially, a supporting character, was the truly human aspect "The Siege".