The Siege
Brad Watson’s “The Siege” is designed to be a vehicle for a muscular action star to cut loose, and cut through the villains. Yes, there is slightly more to Nicole Bartlett’s screenplay in terms of story, but not much more to add weight to a film that would fit right in with any number of direct-to-video releases in the ’90s and early aughts. For 88 minutes, we follow the main character- played by bodybuilder Daniel Stisen- as he goes from needing a new identity to helping protect two women, whom are being targeted by a shadowy organization. That’s all the plot there is- the question is whether Watson can deliver the action goods?
Stisen’s character, known as Walker, is an international assassin whom is on a job in the UK at the beginning when his cover is blown. This is the type of film that makes us reconsider our understanding of assassins, because when we think of assassins, we think of people who operate in the shadows, and take targets out at a distance. Walker doesn’t really seem to operate like that; he gets up close and uses his fists as much as he does a weapon. That might be why he gets his cover blown, and has to go to a safehouse to get a new identity made before he goes out into the field. One of the things I always find interesting in action films like this- it’s the same in the “John Wick” movies- is how there are layers and layers of shadowy networks and organizations, some of whom work together, others which operate on their own. (Is it unreasonable to look at these type of movies as “soft pills” for budding conspiracy theorists?) While he’s at the safehouse, a team of operatives come to storm the compound, and are looking for Elda (Lauren Okadigbo) and her charge, Juliet (Yennis Cheung). Of course they team up to survive.
Watson is also the composer on “The Siege,” and while- for the most part- I think it’s a serviceable score for a very basic action movie, there was one part where it felt as though it was trying to establish two emotional baselines at the same time that absolutely baffled me and hit my ears wrong. I will say, though, that that provided a point of interest in an otherwise generic film. Walker is not a complicated hero for a film like this- his actions are determined by what the plot requires- but Stisen does have screen presence, so it’s not a surprise to find that he’s made his way into mainstream Hollywood films (albeit as an uncredited extra in big action movies) as well as the star of movies like “The Siege.” He understands the assignment, and acquits himself well. Okadigbo and Cheung are far more interesting as Elda and Juliet, but their bond is so thinly written that you can’t really get a read on them. The action is well-staged, but the narrative doesn’t really engage us; we basically know where everything is headed. That said, if you want to watch a basic action movie, and just have it on in the background, “The Siege” is a solid one.
