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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:
