The Sony Pictures Home Entertainment August 1, 2017 Blu-ray/DVD/VOD releases of the 2017 cop drama "S.W.A.T. Under Siege" fill the need for a non-stop thrill-a-minute summer film. Folks from the '70s will remember the adventures of the titular Special Weapons and Tactics team from the '70s cop show. their kids have the prior four 21st century feature-films as a primary point of reference.
The following YouTube clip of the Sony trailer for "Siege" verifies that the film provides plenty of action and adventure.
"Siege" awesomely borrows from the law-enforcement drama television series "24" in mostly presenting its suspenseful tale in condensed real time. This is after opening scenes in which hunky team commander Travis Hall (Sam Jaeger of "Parenthood") is pursuing an unseen bad guy, who remains off camera while ambushing our hero. As seems to be so in EVERY Hollywood movie these days, the action then shifts to the commencement of the events that lead to the action at the beginning of the film.
The relevant incidents begin with Hall being roused from his marital bed early on July 4th to go to work. He is called in because DEA agents require the help of his team related to a raid in response to a hot tip regarding a large drug shipment.
This next leads to effectively meeting the band as they gather, are briefed, suit up, and engage in pre-battle banter as they ride in their armored vehicle to the site of the imminent conflict.
The militaryesque video-game style battle begins soon on our team arriving on the scene; not everyone on both sides making it back further sets the stage for the action to come.
The spoils of the drug war that our hero bring back include a mysterious prisoner known only as Scorpion (Michael Jai White of "Spawn.") Another guest of the mayor cracking his head open to avoid spilling his guts is an early indication that Scorpion is an even bigger collar than the circumstances surrounding his capture indicate. This ultimate sacrifice additionally adds credibility to the claim of Scorpion that the folks who are responsible for his presence at the scene of the raid are coming for him.
These developments fully warrant a soundtrack of a very loud ominously ticking clock as Hall fully channels Jack Bauer of "24." This begins with Hall partially going rogue in terms of wanting to transport Scorpion away from the facility before the figurative deluge of a highly unpleasant substance commences. That failed effort leads to Hall and his prisoner returning to the relative safety of S.W.A.T. headquarters just ahead of the titular standoff that makes the Alamo look like a sit-in.
Plan B going awry only worsens things and leads to more video game style action as gun battles erupt in hallways and other areas of the headquarters. Just as in "24," having an unknown mole greatly erodes the home field advantage of the good guys.
This all leads back to the opening scenes; the events that build from that action provides the type of 11th hour twists that make films like this exciting. Another nice surprise is that everything going south for the team does not "coincidentally" coincide with that day being the last on the job for a veteran team member. No one who works with Hall is too old for the "stuff" that goers down, and no audience member should be of such an advanced (or tender) age that he or she does not thoroughly enjoy the latest adventure in this 40-plus year old franchise.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "S.W.A.T." is encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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