S.W.A.T.: UNDER SIEGE
US, 2017, 89 minutes, Colour.
Sam Jaeger, Adrianne Palicki, Michael Jai White.
Directed by Tony Giglio.
This is a brief action film, popular and the style of a television episode about. S.W.A.T. there had been a number of higher budget films on these themes in the early 2000s and later a full television series.
The setting is Seattle, 4 July. The film opens with the hero, Travis Hall (Sam Jaeger) called early to work. The agency has a message about an expected delivery. The squad is briefed, armed, strategy prepared, going out to the expected location. The delivery is not what was expected. And there is an extended shootout with some deaths, especially of the attacking thugs.
The package, in fact, is an individual, former partner of the gangster trying to capture him because of the information he holds, especially in a microchip. He is interrogated by the team, eventually revealing the truth, collaborating with the team as they are besieged in the S.W.A.T. headquarters. There is a vast number of mercenaries because the gangster had built up his own private army. He also has some thugs posing as FBI agents.
The chief of the headquarters seems rather unbelievable, Adrianne Palicki looking more like a model than a police officer. Which, of course, makes her very suspicious, even in her manner and dealing with the others. But, although another member of the team is revealed as in the pay of the gang, our suspicions are not without justification, especially in the final fight and confrontation.
The film also has a whole lot of technical detail, an expert in the headquarters, but the attacking force having even more expertise, leading to entrapments, shielded doors opening, infiltration…
Audiences should not put high expectations on the film, rather see it as the equivalent of a television episode, a lot of incident excitement, shootouts, betrayals, confrontations.
Sam Jaeger is a rather serious hero leader. Michael Jai.White is an imposing presence as the prisoner with the information.
