The Siege (Martial Law Edition)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
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A special agent of the FBI, a case officer of the CIA, and a general in the U.S. Army have all taken the same oath--"to support and defend the Constitution." But when a bus blows up in Brooklyn and campaign of terror begins to make its bloody mark on the streets of New York City, the men and women who have sworn to protect the country must now reckon with the many implications of their oath. Anthony "Hub" Hubbard, the head of the Joint FBI/NYPD Terrorism Task Force, is the man charged with keeping the city safe from an array of threats that seem to grow more terrifying with every headline. Elise Kraft is a CIA operative, now undercover, with important sources in the Arab-American community and ambiguous ties to the suspects. Her agenda, like that of her government's foreign policy, is more complex than Hub's. And yet these two are forced to work together, forging an uneasy alliance, as the incidents of terror threaten to paralyze the city under siege.

When it was first released in 1998, The Siege was simply a solid and tense thriller with a bunch of big stars anchoring it. Then the attacks on the World Trade Center happened and the world changed. Now The Siege is a charged look at the world that explores issues and themes that make it more relevant now than when it was first made.

The Siege is still a gripping film, although I found the politics of it have actually taken away some of my initial fondness of the film. That, and Anette Benning is, sadly, miscast. Still, the film has become important if only to make the politics of terrorism and war accessible to a broad audience.

There are plenty of moments of very tense action and surprises. Just when you think the film is going to take one turn, it goes another. The Siege raises many questions about the rise in terrorism in the Western world and explores different ways we could react. It's almost scary how true some of this film has become.

Video: How's it look?
The Siege looks excellent. This DVD is sharp. The picture is in anamorphic widescreen with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

Audio: How's it sound?
Audio is in the form of a great 5.1 Dolby Surround English track. You really notice it during the multiple action scenes. French and Spanish Dolby Surround tracks are also included.

Extras: What additional goodies are included?

• Producer/director Edward Zwick and executive producer Peter Schindler offer up a commentary track that is pretty soft. It looks largely at the making of the film and the meaning it has today.
• "The Siege -- Taking New York" is a featurette that is similar in tone to the commentary track in that it looks at the events that inspired the film and the lasting impressions it has in the today's world.
• "The Siege -- Freedom is History" talks about how the film is still topical today. It includes interviews with cast, crew and a military leader.
• "The Making of The Siege" is a behind-the-scenes featurette that has a decidedly promotional feel to it.
• Two theatrical trailers.
• English and Spanish subtitles.
• Full-colour booklet with liner notes.

Closing Thoughts
More political than entertaining, The Siege is a reflection of our heightened awareness and sensitivity to terrorism and the price of freedom. Often tense, occasionally tedious, it's a film that's more important for its ability to raise questions than to provide entertainment. The "Martial Law" DVD release also adds some topical extras that lie outside of the film, making it a very thoughtful release from the folks at Fox.


Review brought to you by our friend Ryan @ Movie-Views.com