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It�s not easy to keep secrets in a small town, where everyone seems to know everyone else�s business. But in the thriller American Siege, the powerful, influential people of one small Georgia town have been keeping one very big secret�one that they�ll kill to keep.
American Siege follows small-town sheriff Ben Watts (Bruce Willis) as he�s called in to handle a hostage situation. A recently-released convict and two troubled siblings have taken the town�s pharmacist hostage in his home, demanding answers regarding a 10-year-old missing person case. The town�s wealthy, powerful mayor, Charles Routledge (Timothy V. Murphy) tells Ben to take care of the situation�and the three gunmen�while, at the same time, calling in his own team of armed men. And Ben begins to wonder what his boss is trying to cover up.
Of course, if Ben were a capable, straight-laced cop, he probably would have noticed years ago that the rich, entitled mayor was hiding something. But he�s clearly phoning it in for a paycheck (and maybe a little extra on the side)�much like Bruce Willis seems to be phoning in many of his roles lately. Ben is a likable generic tough guy of questionable morals�the kind that Willis can (and seemingly does) play in his sleep. And the other characters don�t have much more depth.
There are definitely a lot of characters at play here�from the trio of hostage takers and their hostage inside the home to Ben and his deputies outside to Routledge, his motley band of small-town mercenaries (who are called in like volunteer firemen), and the FBI agents who are apparently on their way. There are shooters everywhere�and a secret that most of them are trying to keep hidden�and that certainly gives the film plenty of building tension. But it also tends to make the film feel overstuffed and overcomplicated.
As the standoff continues, it�s often difficult to watch: the awkward lines delivered in equally awkward performances, the perplexing accents, the shocking discovery that�s entirely laughable. No matter how hard he tries (which he doesn�t), even Bruce Willis and his tough guy smirk can�t turn it into a memorable thriller.
To be fair, American Siege isn�t really any worse than the average action film released this time of year. January definitely isn�t known for its must-see new movies�and this one actually has some kind of a story. But the story it does have doesn�t really make it worth seeking out. If anything, it�s late-night TV viewing.
American Siege will be released in limited theaters and on demand on January 7, 2022.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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