Hostage
2005
This well-made thriller harkens back to the gritty crime films of the 1970s. Bruce Willis plays Jeff Talley, a traumatized ex-LAPD hostage negotiator whose new career as small town sheriff doesn't turn out to be as restful as he had hoped; a hostage situation breaks out on 'low crime Tuesday' and he is thrown right back into .. Read more
| Starring | Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Jonathan Tucker, Ben Foster |
|---|---|
| Director | Florent Emilio Siri |
| Genres | Thriller |
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Critics' reviews (4)
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There's much to admire about this Bruce Willis outing, but precious little to really like about it. A slickly made if preposterously plotted thriller, it has Willis in dour mode as Jeff Talley, an LAPD hostage negotiator who quits his job to become a small-town police chief after an assignment ends in tragedy. Talley's past catches up with him, however, when three teenagers break into the hi-tech home of businessman Walter Smith (Kevin Pollak), taking Smith and his kids hostage. Smith's Mob connections result in Talley's estranged wife and daughter also being caught up in the drama. All this is watchable enough, but without the trademark twinkle and smug self-confidence that Willis brought to the Die Hard series, it becomes just another routine action thriller with delusions of grandeur. By and large, this is a film that misuses its star by taking him, and itself, far too seriously.
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Its almost nostalgic to see Bruce Willis approach Die Hard territory as a former LAPD negotiator faced with... read more on Time Out
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A real action cracker... easily as good as his Die Hard masterworks
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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69 out of 74 people found this review helpful
Hostage, Of Course!!!!
Bruce Willis plays an ex hostage negotiator who blames himself for the death of a mother and son during one of his negotiations.
As usual, as in any other film of his, his character as the present Poilce Sherrif is very well portrayed.
A hostage starts to unfold in a rich family's massive top of the range house, and on top of this Willis' wife and daughter are taken hostage by different people. Quite a few twists that you don't see coming. A thorough marvellous film that will keep you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
A definate one to watch for all. -
33 out of 40 people found this review helpful
Take me.. take me...
I really enjoyed this movie. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't been to the cinema for so long. Maybe it was the fact that Bruce Willis hasn't made a really decent film since Unbreakable. Maybe it was just the fact that, for pure popcorn pleasure, Hostage has all the ingredients of an entertaining night in.
A cross between Die Hard and Panic room, Bruce Willis is a little more respectful in his approach to this drama, come action movie. Okay, so it does see him wearing his dirty white vest again, but it also sees him struggling with his inner (more dramtic, darling) self. He's a proper actor now you know.
It's all been done before, but the movie rattles along at an electrifying pace and the cast are all on fine form. One has to feel sorry though for the daughter of our chief hostage.
As good as she is, most of the male attention will be focused on her more obvious charms and that's part of the reason why Hostage works so well.
Funbags or no funbags, Hostage still delivers on so many levels. It's not perfect of course, but it remains perfectly entertaining. -
17 out of 22 people found this review helpful
Great
This was a great film. It was bruce Willis at his best. Contained Suspense and twists. A Bit gorey but not mindless.
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Most recent members' reviews (2)
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Bullets cant stop our man Brucey
Very impressed by this relatively unknown film. Bruce Willis as per usual thrives in these type of films and the supporting cast were also sublime. The story is intriguing and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. My only critcism is that the film slowly builds you up for an exciting climax, but when the moment comes, it turns from a 5 star movie, to something that just a bit more than average. Overall i enjoyed viewing this movie, and highly recommend it, but i don't see me ever buying it for my collection. But would be more than happy to watch it again if it ever came on the box a couple of years down the line. 3.5/5
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6 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Thoroughly recommended!
Bruce Willis at his finest and doing what he does the best; family man in perilous circumstances roles. He cries, he kills people, he takes his shirt off. The film found me grasping my chair and really caring what happens to the characters. Thoroughly recommended!
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69 out of 74 people found this review helpful
Hostage, Of Course!!!!
Bruce Willis plays an ex hostage negotiator who blames himself for the death of a mother and son during one of his negotiations.
As usual, as in any other film of his, his character as the present Poilce Sherrif is very well portrayed.
A hostage starts to unfold in a rich family's massive top of the range house, and on top of this Willis' wife and daughter are taken hostage by different people. Quite a few twists that you don't see coming. A thorough marvellous film that will keep you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
A definate one to watch for all. -
33 out of 40 people found this review helpful
Take me.. take me...
I really enjoyed this movie. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't been to the cinema for so long. Maybe it was the fact that Bruce Willis hasn't made a really decent film since Unbreakable. Maybe it was just the fact that, for pure popcorn pleasure, Hostage has all the ingredients of an entertaining night in.
A cross between Die Hard and Panic room, Bruce Willis is a little more respectful in his approach to this drama, come action movie. Okay, so it does see him wearing his dirty white vest again, but it also sees him struggling with his inner (more dramtic, darling) self. He's a proper actor now you know.
It's all been done before, but the movie rattles along at an electrifying pace and the cast are all on fine form. One has to feel sorry though for the daughter of our chief hostage.
As good as she is, most of the male attention will be focused on her more obvious charms and that's part of the reason why Hostage works so well.
Funbags or no funbags, Hostage still delivers on so many levels. It's not perfect of course, but it remains perfectly entertaining. -
17 out of 22 people found this review helpful
Great
This was a great film. It was bruce Willis at his best. Contained Suspense and twists. A Bit gorey but not mindless.
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13 out of 15 people found this review helpful
Hostage situation resolved ? just
Fans of Willis? brand of wise cracking action have been left out to dry of late, with an influx of more cerebral work taking up his time. However, with ?Hostage? Willis seems to be reverting back to the sort of film that made him one of the best paid actors in Hollywood.
Seems is the right word as this film is more intelligent than your average action film mixing elements seen in various bank heist films, ?The Panic Room? and a touch of the new wave of movies coming from the East.
Willis plays a hostage negotiator who decides to take an easier Sheriffs job after a bungled hostage situation. However, things are not as relaxed as would seem when 3 lads break into the wrong person?s house and reveal a conspiracy that will get Willis? family kidnapped too.
The film has some good ideas and the tension in strong. Scenes of extreme gore mean it warrants its 15 certificate, not one for young children. The elements of pantomime villainy and plot holes are countered well enough by Willis? gritty character and the spectacular pay off. One for thriller fans. -
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
FANTASTIC!
better than i expected .... being a die hard fan i thought this film would be good but it was better ... on the edge of my seat from beginning to end!
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8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
113 min of my life I can never get back
I hired this purely on the strength of other reviews and I have to say I was unpleasantly surprised. Yes, it is a typical Bruce Willis role but there’s only so much he can do with the material. Right from the outset it's easy to see which character is going to be the bad guy, because he tries so hard to be menacing its laughable. Kevin Pollak comes out from this movie without looking too bad but he does spend a quarter of the movie unconscious. And then the 'twist' at the end of the movie seems to be so out of character for him it seemed almost tacked on. I went in with an open mind but came out baffled and disappointed. If you're looking for a good Bruce Willis movie try Sin City instead.
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9 out of 14 people found this review helpful
Awsome
As the heading says; Awesome!
This is really gripping stuff from the start. Kevin Pollack (The Usual Suspects), is always great and doesnt disappoint here. Even the younger actors are good. Willis is back to his best with this, very similar to the Die Hard series though he is obviously older here. He plays a former hostage negotiator turned small town sheriff. A family is taken hostage in their own home. Willis and his local police colleagues are called in for assistance and all hell breaks loose. A rollercoaster from beginning to end. I loved it! -
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Lots of action, but a bit of a mess really
It started well and kept the pace going until the midsection and then dramatically fell apart, culminating in archetypal Hollywood gunplay sequences and pyrotechnics. Contemporary film-makers obviously can't make a movie nowadays without a gun battle in it.
Bruce Willis does well enough as a hostage negotiator re-directing his career after a bad hostage experience. He's a flawed character, emotionally ravaged and just on the edge of totally breaking down. He makes mistakes and loses control. Didn't seem too professional, given his negotiator background, by hey! He's had a rough time. A far cry from the highly confident quipping John McClane of the Die Hard movies who could seemingly do no wrong. A refreshing change really.
But, the film loses it's way and becomes a bit of a mess in the end. There's lots of shooting and action sequences, so I'm sure many will be happy with that, but what did it amount to in the end? The final showdown with the "FBI" officials is somewhat mystifying. What's all that about and what is the accountant doing at that point? It just seemed to wander off and then fizz out and I was left feeling unsatisfied with how the plot had played out and wondering what had been going on for the last two hours. -
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Thoroughly recommended!
Bruce Willis at his finest and doing what he does the best; family man in perilous circumstances roles. He cries, he kills people, he takes his shirt off. The film found me grasping my chair and really caring what happens to the characters. Thoroughly recommended!
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5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Die Even Harder
Whilst the world waits (or Not) for ‘Die Hard 4’, you could do much worse than this. The first hour is the best filled with twists and turns as the characters converge together.
The final hour is pure Hollywood Clichés but you kind of go with it because the set up is so good. Worth the two hours of your time.
Critics' reviews (4)
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There's much to admire about this Bruce Willis outing, but precious little to really like about it. A slickly made if preposterously plotted thriller, it has Willis in dour mode as Jeff Talley, an LAPD hostage negotiator who quits his job to become a small-town police chief after an assignment ends in tragedy. Talley's past catches up with him, however, when three teenagers break into the hi-tech home of businessman Walter Smith (Kevin Pollak), taking Smith and his kids hostage. Smith's Mob connections result in Talley's estranged wife and daughter also being caught up in the drama. All this is watchable enough, but without the trademark twinkle and smug self-confidence that Willis brought to the Die Hard series, it becomes just another routine action thriller with delusions of grandeur. By and large, this is a film that misuses its star by taking him, and itself, far too seriously.
-
Its almost nostalgic to see Bruce Willis approach Die Hard territory as a former LAPD negotiator faced with... read more on Time Out
-
A real action cracker... easily as good as his Die Hard masterworks
-
Bruce Willis blazes back on top form
Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop
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Hostage - BLU-RAY Version
This well-made thriller harkens back to the gritty crime films of the 1970s. Bruce Willis plays Jeff Talley, a traumatized ex-LAPD hostage negotiator whose new career as small town sheriff doesn't turn out to be as restful as he had hoped; a hostage situation breaks out on 'low crime Tuesday' and ...
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Hostage
This well-made thriller harkens back to the gritty crime films of the 1970s. Bruce Willis plays Jeff Talley, a traumatized ex-LAPD hostage negotiator whose new career as small town sheriff doesn't turn out to be as restful as he had hoped; a hostage situation breaks out on 'low crime Tuesday' and ...
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