The Siege is a 1998 American action thriller film directed by Edward Zwick and starring Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, Tony Shalhoub, Bruce Willis, and Sami Bouajila. The film follows a fictionalized account of a series of terrorist attacks in New York City and the subsequent government response.
After a series of devastating terrorist attacks in New York City, the United States government declares martial law in the city and suspends civil liberties in the name of national security. The government also begins to round up and detain Muslim immigrants and citizens, suspected of being connected to the attacks.
FBI agent Anthony Hubbard (Denzel Washington) is tasked with investigating the attacks and finding the perpetrators. However, he finds himself increasingly at odds with his superiors, who are more interested in using the attacks as an excuse to crack down on civil liberties than in finding the real culprits.
Meanwhile, Defense Intelligence Agency analyst Elizabeth Ward (Annette Bening) is investigating a possible conspiracy within the government. She believes that the attacks may have been orchestrated by rogue elements within the government who want to use the crisis to justify a more authoritarian regime.
As Hubbard and Ward get closer to the truth, they find themselves targeted by the very people they are trying to expose. They must race against time to stop a plot to unleash even more devastating attacks on the city, and to restore civil liberties before it's too late.
The Siege is a suspenseful and thought-provoking film that explores the dangers of government overreach and the importance of civil liberties. It is a cautionary tale about the consequences of sacrificing freedom in the name of security.
Cast
- Denzel Washington as FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard
- Annette Bening as CIA Operative Sharon Bridger / Elise Kraft
- Bruce Willis as U.S. Army General William Devereaux
- Tony Shalhoub as FBI Special Agent Frank Haddad
- Aasif Mandvi as Khalil Saleh
- Amro Salama as Tariq Husseini
- Sami Bouajila as Samir Nazhde
- Ahmed Ben Larby as Sheik Akhmed Bin Talal
- Lianna Pai as FBI Agent Tina Osu
- Mark Valley as FBI Agent Mike Johanssen
- David Proval as FBI Agent Danny Sussman
- Lance Reddick as FBI Agent Floyd Rose
- Lisa Lynn Masters as Reporter
Director: Edward Zwick
Writers: Lawrence Wright, Menno Meyjes, Edward Zwick
Box Office Gross: $116,672,912
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
Release Date: November 6, 1998
Trailer: