by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Who doesn’t love a great director AND actor collaboration? It’s great seeing two artists firing together and making great work. Many directors find a muse who can convey their words and directions into something special. Martin Scorsese was lucky enough to find multiple (De Niro and DiCaprio). But sometimes these relationships fly under-the-radar… and don’t deliver anything particularly great. Low budget science fiction and action director Edward Drake seems to have found his: Bruce Willis.
What does Willis bring to the proceedings in Drake’s latest film, American Siege? Willis is a former NYPD officer who is not the lethargic and unsuccessful sheriff of a small county. There is even a moment when his deputy all but references Willis’ knack for sleepwalking through roles. Unfortunately (like his other collaborations with Drake), Willis coasts through this one without much follow-up. Along with that, this plot is so convoluted and over stretched that they probably could have streamlined and gotten rid of his character.
But what is this thriller even about? It will take you a while to really gauge what the mission is. There are also quite a few moving parts that make it even harder to comprehend. Why are there three-plus different groups of people complaining or vying for attention? Willis is on one end as his connection with who is above him in the force is putting a lot of tension on me already that day. There is Timothy V. Murphy who really runs the town, and he is not interested in the timeline that Willis is trying to navigate. Murphy’s Rutledge is roped in the feds to help with an armed kidnapping. There are so many characters to keep straight and honestly, most of them don’t have a lot of personality. I never once felt for any of them and that is a problem.
But there must be some positives to speak of… right? With so much going on with so many motivations, there are moments that will surprise you and make you wonder what will happen next. Even if you don’t feel anything, there just might be enough intrigue to keep you wanting to resolve the plot. There are also a few moments throughout the film when the action and violence begin to heighten, and the thrill starts delivering.
What are your expectations going into the film? Do you want a quality action-thriller that will make you remember the good old days when Willis was a real star? If that is what you are hoping for, this really won’t deliver. There is even a moment where Murphy’s character just throws Willis out of the tense situation because he is not adding anything (which is honestly how he feels in the grand scheme of the film too). But if you can be satisfied with some action and some mystery, American Siege just might deliver enough for you.
Grade: C-
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