American Siege (22021)

Under Siege looks of sieges in history and the nature and evolution of combat across the centuries.
In ancient world siege warfare was the most brutal form of war. Typically involving whole urban societies, siege warfare often ended in the sack of a city and the massacre or enslavement of entire populations.

This action saga takes place on the battleship USS Missouri, about to be decommissioned from service after a visit from George Bush. When Bush departs the vessel, a band of terrorists overcome the remaining skeleton crew and take over the ship, under the ruse of holding a surprise birthday party for the ship's commander, Captain Adams. Unfortunately, they had overlooked the ship's cook, Casey Ryback. Ryback is a much-honored Navy SEAL who, because of a minor scandal, is quietly completing his twenty-year tour in the galley of the Missouri.

Like most of Costa-Gavras' political thrillers, the French State of Siege is based on a true story. The incident dramatized herein is the kidnapping of a U.S. official somewhere in Latin America. The director's sympathies clearly lie with the kidnappers, especially since the official (played by Yves Montand), ostensibly an expert in traffic control, has been assigned as special advisor to the government's secret police, training these worthies in the art of the torturing of political prisoners. Uruguay was the country where this story actually took place; though no names are given, there's little doubting the identity of Costa-Gavras' fictional locale. Despite its up-to-date radicalism, State of Siege adheres to time-honored Hollywood formula, with ugly, vulgar bad guys vs. handsome, articulate good guys.

It began as a raid, turned into a 51-day standoff, and ended with the destruction of a five-story building and 75 people dead. The 1993 Waco siege of the compound belonging to the Branch Davidians riveted the nation and drew swarms of media from around the globe. Now, a quarter century later, we revisit the American tragedy through rarely seen footage and interviews with local journalists, federal agents, and former and current members of the sect.

It began as a raid, turned into a 51-day standoff, and ended with the destruction of a five-story building and 75 people dead. The 1993 Waco siege of the compound belonging to the Branch Davidians riveted the nation and drew swarms of media from around the globe. Now, a quarter century later, we revisit the American tragedy through rarely seen footage and interviews with local journalists, federal agents, and former and current members of the sect.

After the abduction by the US military of an Islamic religious leader, New York City becomes the target of escalating terrorist attacks. Anthony Hubbard, the head of the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Task Force in New York, teams up with CIA operative Elise Kraft to hunt down the terrorist cells responsible for the attacks. As the bombings continue, the US government responds by declaring martial law, sending US troops, led by Gen. Devereaux, into the streets of New York City.