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Reviews
The Siege (1998)
The Siege is a half of a good movie.
The first half of "The Siege" is an excellent action film with a good interaction between FBI agent Denzel Washington and CIA agent Annette Bening. Each knows things about a terrorist attack, but neither are willing to share information. We know up front that an Arab sheik has been kidnapped and the US military led by Bruce Willis is somehow involved, but that thread doesn't come into play until late in the second half. Unfortunately, the action story that starts in the first half gets weighed down by political plots and half-baked themes of military intervention and internment camps for Arab Americans, including the son of Washington's partner, Tony Shalhoub. When the military action starts, the movie action virtually ceases and attempts to provide thoughts for the viewer become plodding. There are also a few other plot points that are also weak, including the sexual involvement between Bening and an Arab counter-spy that are never reasonably explained.
Ronin (1998)
Spectacular scenery and action sequences just don't make a movie.
Frankenheimer has crafted a meticulously put together film with spectacular French scenery and equally spectacular car chases and crashes through the narrow streets of French villages. However, as seems to be common with many films today, ultimately the film is all splash and no substance. De Niro and his co-stars are hired by unknown people (eventually revealed to be the Irish) to steal a case with unknown contents (weaponry of some sort is assumed) from an unknown group who is trying to sell it to the Russians. Considering that all of this group is supposed to be some kind of superspies, they all are found awfully easily when they are supposed to be in hiding. Double crosses occur which add a wrinkle to the film. But in the end, the revelations that are offered do not seem worth the time the viewer has expended in the theatre. Lots of violence seems to be the major appeal of the film.
Rounders (1998)
Good film fails to deliver any emotional punch.
The film works very well as a psychological profile of a man obsessed with gambling and the edge he uses to read people's mannerisms. However, the film fails to provide any emotional core that the viewer can grasp onto. It tries with the relationship between Matt Damon and Gretchen Mol, but the two are already emotionally separated themselves. Edward Norton comes off as the user he is intended to be, so the viewer only is interested in seeing Damon freed from his grasp. In the end, it is that lacking item that keeps the film from being as impressive as Damon's Will Hunting.
The Avengers (1998)
The Avengers is a major letdown.
As one of the films that I had really been looking forward to all summer, I left the theater feeling bitter disappointment. There was no charisma between Fiennes and Thurman. The film dives into the plot without ever giving the viewer any feel that there is a real threat, although because we have seen it all before we know what is going on. It feels like there are action sequences missing from the film at the beginning. Particularly ridiculous is the disguise of the conspirators in multi -colored teddy bear outfits and the introduction of an invisible man who does nothing to help drive the story.
Fiennes does make a good Steed and Connery tries to give the film some energy, but altogether things just seem too disjointed. Definitely not worth full price admission and questionable for even discount prices.