Hostage (2005)

Memorable, crazy movie

How sad is this?

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

A rare Bruce Willis movie that I have never seen.Willis plays a ex hostage negotiator burnt out from failing his last case. Now he's a chief of police in some small hick town where crime does not happen. So guess what happens? crime. Three rowdy ruff boys (One played by a younger Ben Foster), get flip the bird by a rich chick and of course they can't let that go and end up taking her and her family hostage, in what turned out to be the most dramatic gun fight I've seen, and now I'm totally invested in watching this movie, which is worth it when it turns they pick the wrong family to mess with, and Willis has to get his head back into the game to get it all under control.The movie is cleaver in it's delivery. Trying not to fall into the heroic clichés we see in movies. Bruce Willis plays a man completely dedicated to his family and not the job, but unfortunately the job is dedicated to him, and as such, twist and turns within the film keep pulling him back into the mix just when he was close to getting out.This is a really good Bruce Willis movie too. Not really what you expect and yet everything you need from Bruce Willis. Lots of Drama and suspense and very action packed. Some of the action is a little corny as it goes over the top, but still it does the trick. Bruce gets to play a dramatic role as he goes crazy trying to get the job done because as the movie progress he has more invested in the whole thing.Very surprise that I've never seen this one before, it's actually a really good picture.http://cinemagardens.com

Upon first glance, Hostage looks like one in the long line of Bruce Willis action flicks that are formulaic, and just a bit repetitive. But as the surreal, comic book style opening credits unfold, preceded by the absolutely harrowing prologue that will chill you blood, you know you're in for something unique, something worth sitting through. Although the film is set plot - wise like a generic actioner, the execution is anything but. There's a brutal, shadowy, agonized aura to the proceedings, accented by intense, bulldozing performances by the eclectic cast, and a fairy tale like vibe that soars the film to epic heights. Willis is Jeff Talley, a hostage negotiator with a tortured past, relocated to small town California for some peace and quiet. Of course that's the last thing he gets, when a trio of white trash scumbags (Jonathan Tucker, Ben Foster and Marshall Allman) stage a reckless home invasion on a single father (Kevin Pollak) with shady ties to people you just don't want to mess with. From there the film kicks into high gear with some theatrical set pieces, jarring violence and super intense acting. Tucker and Allman are two idiot brothers who don't realize that their buddy Foster is a full blown cop killing psychopath, and are in over their heads before the choppers even arrive. Tucker gives his trademark breathless frantic desperation that's so great to watch, while Foster is a slinking demon of a prick. Before Willis knows it he's being blackmailed by a ruthless associate of Pollak's (the venomous Kim Coates) and the pressure is on him to resolve thing as quickly as possible. Willis anchors the piece with his world weary sarcasm and infrequent emotional outbursts, proving once again how well he can carry an action opus like this. The film has an almost European flavor, showcasing vivid, broad characterizations amidst a hostile, threatening and off kilter atmosphere where the violence comes fast, the resolution isn't easy, and the style is wonderfully overbearing. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

If you haven't seen Hostage, a 2005 film staring Bruce Willis, you have to watch. Man I had to go to the bathroom, but could not leave my seat! I could not miss a moment of this film no matter how painful it was to stay.This film had all the action and excitement of Die Hard and Willis was fantastic as a hostage negotiator that was trying to - well I won't tell you because that it part of the excitement that makes this movie what it is. Just look for it on cable and enjoy, but please go to the bathroom before it starts. You'll thank me later.

I recently wrote a review on 'Hostage' for an English assessment. Here's the finished product.Hostage is a crime thriller released in 2005. The movie is directed by Florent-Emilio Siri and is an adaptation of Robert Crais's novel. The main star is Bruce Willis accompanied by Kevin Pollack, Jimmy Bennett, Michelle Horn, Ben Foster, Jonathan Tucker and Marshall Allman. Each character is so unique and portrayed in a very believable manner, with the coarse language heightening the intensity of the situation. Foreshadowing has been written into the plot and allows for many twists and turns that leave you taken aback.Los Angeles LAPD negotiator Jeff Talley (Willis), is shattered by an unsuccessful hostage situation which results in him taking a job as Chief of Police in a small town in California with a low crime rate, however the past has come back to haunt him as three delinquent teenagers take a family hostage, only intending to steal their car. What the three young teenagers do not realize is that they are walking into a much larger situation that they definitely have not planned for. The youngest of the three, Kevin(Allman) is the one being dragged into it all; he does not want to take any part in it but his older brother Dennis (Tucker) gets him to do his dirty work while he figures out a plan to get them all out of this situation with a little extra cash on the side. The menacing character that is Mars (Foster) and his unpredictable nature leads to events that quickly spiral out of control. As the hostage situation progresses into the night, things turn for the worse for Chief Talley which is certainly not expected.The film score for Hostage is created by Alexandre Desplat featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. There is a feeling of eerie suspense which is done by using discordant strings, piano, guitar, recorder, electronic cello and his daughter's haunting vocals which occur throughout the film. Since the majority of the film is shot at night, Florent- Emilio Siri uses backlighting and shadowing which creates very atmospheric scenes. The extreme long shot used when the three teenagers are following the family home emphasizes just how secluded the location is. Close up shots intensify the emotions and reactions of the characters while the full shots allow us viewers to read the characters body language. One of the main special effects they use for this film is flames for the raging fire. Costumes and make-up are made to portray very believable characters. The blood, the bloodied clothes, the sweat and tears and the police uniforms convey a sense of reality.Since Florent- Emilio Siri has only directed five other projects (one being a video game) which are all in French it is hard to compare Hostage to them, although Doug Richardson who wrote the screenplay for Hostage has worked with Bruce Willis before. Looking at Doug's filmography it clearly shows that he likes to work on Action/Thriller and Action/Comedy movies. Some movies similar to Hostage in the way that the main character/s is held captive are Firewall, The Call, Red Eye and Disturbia. Florent and his team of directors, writers and actors are very successful with this movie; it is extremely difficult to find any fault with it. Thriller fans everywhere must think along the same lines since it has accumulated over $77 million.Hostage is a dark, intense, edge of your seat thriller that will leave you guessing till the very end. The cast is outstanding, the plot is original and is just downright one of Bruce Willis's best performances. This movie is recommended to movie-goers aged 15 or over, thriller fans or not, who will appreciate what this dark drama has to offer. The rating this movie is going to receive is 5 stars. This is a must see!