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Features: DVD, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, French, Spanish, Subtitled, Sensormatic
When a crowded city bus blows up in Brooklyn and a campaign of terror begins to make it's bloody mark on the streets of New York, it's up to FBI special agent Anthony "Hub" Hubbard (Denzel Washington) and U.S. Army General William Devereaux (Bruce Willis) to find out who's responsible and put an end to the destruction. Together, they face explosive danger at every turn when they team up towage an all-out war against a ruthless band of terrorists.
"A political film in the form of a thriller, rather than a garden-variety potboiler..." Andy Klein, Dallas Observer
"Exciting and compelling!" Gene Siskel, Siskel & Ebert
"Tense and nerve-wracking!" Los Angeles Times
"Action-packed!" The Courier Journal
"...Washington is perfectly cast...Shalhoub, in a more dramatic turn than usual, is surprisingly convincing and effective..." Wade Major, Box Office Magazine
Editor's Note
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.
Plot Summary
In Edward Zwick's THE SIEGE, New York City becomes the target of several terrorist attacks after the U.S. military captures a Muslim leader. Government officials try to contain the escalating madness, but when it spirals out of control, martial law is declared.
| Features | 2 Theatrical Trailers | | Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Audio: French Dolby Digital Stereo | | Dubbed: French | | Feature Audio Commentary By Producer/Director Edward Zwick & Executive Producer Peter Shcindler | | Featurettes: The Siege - Taking New York & Martial Law - Freedom Is History | | Interactive Menus | | International TV Special (1998): The Making Of The Siege | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: French, Spanish |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Foxvideo |
| Release Date: 1/5/2010 |
| Running Time: 115 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1998 | | Catalog ID: 2243304 | | UPC: 00024543433033 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English, French Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew | Annette Bening | | Bruce Willis | | Denzel Washington | | Tony Shalhoub | | Chris Shriver - Art Director | | Edward Zwick - Director | | Edward Zwick - Producer | | Graeme Revell - Original Music By | | Lawrence Wright - Based On Story By | | Lawrence Wright, et. al. - Screenplay | | Lilly Kilvert - Production Designer | | Peter Schindler - Executive Producer | | Roger Deakins - Cinematographer | | Steven Rosenblum - Editor |
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| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
"...A provocative, incendiary subject....Points the way for Bening as a soulful nerotic siren of the Faye Dunaway school..." 11/13/1998 pp.47-50USA Today
"...Denzel Washington is fun to watch..." 11/27/1998 p.6E Box Office
"...Washington is perfectly cast as the film's conscience and voice of reason. Shalhoub, in a more dramatic turn than usual, is believable and effective..." 12/01/1998 p.42 Los Angeles Times
"...THE SIEGE is a political thriller with more plausibility -- and yes, more thrills -- than most....It's a pleasure to have actors of this caliber working together....THE SIEGE also benefits from being well-crafted..." 11/06/1998 p.C1 Premiere
3 stars out of 4 -- "A film that was an interesting concept in 1998 and quickly became astoundingly prescient after 2001 06/15/2009 ReelViews 9 of 10
"[Zwick's] name will not sell tickets, but his work speaks for itself: Glory, Legends of the Fall, Courage under Fire...Nevertheless, most people seeing The Siege will be there because of Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis, Annette Bening, or a provocative ad campaign. But those few who go in anticipation of another fine outing by Zwick will not be disappointed. This is one of the best films of the year to be released by a major studio...The Siege is many things at once: tense, exciting, disturbing, and thought provoking. Zwick uses every element at his command -- fine performances, effective special effects, substantial location shooting, and a well-written script -- to craft a compelling movie that keeps the audience in thrall. Many of The Siege's plot twists are actually surprising, and this is a rare motion picture that justifies a two hour running length. With The Siege, Zwick can add another highlight to a short-but-scintillating resume." - James Berardinelli
Chicago Sun-Times 7 of 10
"Watching the film, I felt uneasy. Events like those in the film are familiar. The World Trade Center was blown up in real life, not in a thriller. We've recently fired missiles at suspected terrorist centers. ``The Siege'' opens with actual footage of President Clinton commenting on TV about those missiles, and the film implies that he is the president during the events in the story...By the movie's end, the filmmakers can truthfully say they tried to balance out the villains. But most audiences won't give it that much thought...True, at the present moment most of America's enemies in the world are Arab. But at one time or another, this country has been at war with the home nations of most of the major ethnic groups in America. And it was ``we'' who were at war--all of us. Japanese-Americans who fought in U.S. uniform in World War II (or were in U.S. internment camps) will not have to have the buried message of ``The Siege'' explained to them." - Roger Ebert
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