History Film / SelfDefense

* AnAesop: The underlying message of the film is that violence is never an acceptable solution to life's problems, and also that we must all take a united stand against bigotry. As pointed out in [[http://www.canuxploitation.com/review/siege.html this review]], the whole thing plays out almost like an [[Creator/NationalFilmBoardOfCanada NFB]] anti-violence documentary.

* ViolenceIsDisturbing: The main [[AnAesop Aesop]] of the film. The violence in the film only causes misery for everyone involved, gets several innocent people killed, and is not glorified in any way.

* NotQuiteDead: One of the neo-fascists (the group's sniper) is blown up by a pipe bomb rocket early in the siege and spends a minute apparently dead before before waking up and the rest of the film trying to deal with the wounds to keep on shooting [[spoiler:and shoots Patrick before his rifle's scope finally kicks the bucket and he [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere decides to get out]]]]. [[spoiler:Cabe also withstands being knifed by Barbara and shot by Horatio and tries to shoot them when they are comforting each other, but is taken down by Daniel with an axe.]]

* PoliceAreUseless: The main source of tension in the film; the local law enforcement are completely unable to intervene on the protagonists' behalf thanks to their ongoing wage dispute.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The neo-fascist bullies are all dead, but so are Barbara and Horatio's roommates, and Daniel is mortally wounded. As for the whole police strike, the union disputes are eventually settled and the police return to active duty.]]

* ConservationOfNinjitsu: When the neo-fascists are a big group, they are fooled and routed by the tenants. When the group has been whittled down to just [[BigBad Cabe]] inside the building, it becomes a pseudo-SlasherFilm with his impressive stealth skills.
* CrooksAreBetterArmed: The neo-fascists are armed with sub-machine guns, assault rifles and sniper rifles with night vision. The people inside the house are armed with one semi-automatic rifle (with only two bullets) and whatever weapons they can [[MacGyvering MacGyver]] from the stuff inside the house (such as an AerosolFlamethrower).

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:The SoleSurvivor of the neo-fascists is the sniper, who manages to get away even if severely wounded by shrapnel and start working his day job once the strike is over: [[TheBadGuysAreCops a policeman]].]]

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:The SoleSurvivor of the neo-fascists is the sniper, who manages to get away and start working his day job once the strike is over: [[TheBadGuysAreCops a policeman]].]]

* NotQuiteDead: One of the neo-fascists (the group's sniper) is blown up by a pipe bomb rocket early in the siege and spends a minute apparently dead before before waking up and the rest of the film trying to deal with the wounds to keep on shooting [[spoiler:and shoots Patrick before his rifle's scope finally kicks the bucket and he [[ScrewThisIAmOuttaHere decides to get out]]]]. [[spoiler:Cabe also withstands being knifed by Barbara and shot by Horatio and tries to shoot them when they are comforting each other, but is taken down by Daniel with an axe.]]

* OnlyMostlyDead: One of the neo-fascists (the group's sniper) is blown up by a pipe bomb rocket early in the siege and spends a minute apparently dead before before waking up and the rest of the film trying to deal with the wounds to keep on shooting.

* CrooksAreBetterArmed: The neo-fascists are armed with sub-machine guns, assault rifles and sniper rifles with night vision. The people inside the house are armed with one semi-automatic rifle (with only two bullets) and whatever weapons they can [[MacGyvering MacGyver]] from the stuff inside the house (such as explosive arrows for a bow).