There is one particular movie that must have flown under my radar when it was out in theaters. When I saw that The Siege originally came out in 1998, I was really surprised as to how I missed this one. I’d like to say “Let me be the first to tell you…” something about this film but at 11 years old, I think most folks have come across this title before. With an all-star cast of Denzel Washington, Annette Benning and Bruce Willis, how could anyone miss (beside me, of course)?
Film 
Denzel Washington, one of the greatest acting talents around, assumes the role of FBI Agent Anthony Hubbard. With a string of taunting terrorist actions taking place throughout New York City, Hubbard and his crew are out to find who’s setting up the non-lethal events. That’s right, I used ‘terrorist’ and ‘non-lethal’ in the same sentence. How does that work, you may ask? Think of someone calling in a bomb threat with a dye pack as the explosive weapon. As head-scratching as that concept sounds, there was indeed a method to the madness.
Enter Elise Craft of the CIA. The story and that ensues from here is a brilliant play-off of one another as both Hubbard and Craft compete for information on who’s behind the different terrorist cells in NYC. Sadly enough, this was the state of things in the U.S. prior to 9/11. Different agencies, all supposing to be on the same side, worked against one each other for the big catch, keeping valuable information to themselves so the capture prize can be all theirs. This mentality is delivered in an impressively clear manner to viewers in The Siege.
The plot that is woven through the just-under-two-hour screen time is a masterpiece, keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout the film with an unparalleled buildup of tension. I guarantee you that you will encounter periods of unexpectedness in the film which is all part of its charm. I have to say, even through a second viewing, you’ll still find that same bit of tension taking over your body while you anticipate the next scene. And while I won’t give specifics away, you can bet a city block that there will be more kabooms than just exploding dye packs in this film. The addition of Bruce Willis as General William Devereaux is extremely well placed and adds volumes to the story. With Tony Shalhoub (of Monk fame) serving as the partner of Hubbard, you can bet the head of casting did a phenomenal job in assembling this group.
Video
Pristine. That is my best description of the film’s video. Though there is a little ‘dust’ here and there, I did not come across one bit of distracting grain and the quality is something to take notice of. From the profile detail on shards of glass to the lint on Denzel’s coat, The Siege will not disappoint. Flesh tones are consistent and there is even vibrancy to shots set amidst the backdrop of New York City’s gray skies. This, my friends, is just about a reference-quality Blu-ray when it comes to the category of video. With a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and its 1080p, MPEG-2 delivery, you are looking right at the crown on the king’s head.
Audio
Though the film was rubbish, I still say the best example of surround sound use on Blu-ray was the animé film Sky Crawlers. The only reason, and I repeat, the only reason I do not give The Siege a perfect score here is because it is still outdone by Sky Crawlers in the audio department, but only by a fraction. I thought there were some scenes when a particular sound, even though it was being utilized in the rear channels (raindrops for instance), was something that could have been brought to the ear with a little more ‘oomph.’ Even if those working on the film were aiming for subtlety, they missed their mark by underscoring the audio in the situation. Buy-buster? Hardly. Please, this film is rock solid in nearly every category. As for the dialogue, it’s clearly spoken and the sound effects are thrown from behind you with booming results.
Special Features 
If you don’t mind a disc without features, you’ll like this one. For those who are extras-seekers, I regret to inform you that The Siege on Blu-ray carries a measly five movie trailers and nothing more. I thought what was especially ironic is the fact that all the trailers listed below The Siege are displayed in standard definition. This is just plain weird considering the title on the menu says “Fox on Blu-ray.” If it’s Blu-ray you’re advertising for, why are you giving me the trailer in a lesser format??
- The Siege
- Broken Arrow
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- The Edge
- Flight of the Phoenix
Final Thoughts
During the course of this film, I kept mentally comparing it to The Kingdom. While both films bare several similarities in their content, I still have to give the nod to The Kingdom as the better film. Then again, that’s like taking two of the best pizzas in the world and saying one is better than the other. While that may be the case, chances are the margin is very slim. I did have to say it was quite eerie watching this movie while viewing the occasional scene with the World Trade Center towers in the background. It was very much a case of art imitating life or vice versa.
In the end, The Siege is a no-brainer buy for me. Denzel Washington carries himself as a very dominant and capable character while the rest of the cast impress in their own right. The story is one of gasp-inducing intrigue and the audio and video that carry this do so in spectacular form.
