Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A COOL ACTION MOVIE FOR BRUCE WILLIS, 12 Aug 2007
rus Willis, in a departure from his previous roles in the last couple of years (movies i didn't even bother watching) plays a chief of police and a negotiator who, after a hijacking plan goes awry, is compelled to re-assume command of the situation (since his family has been kidnapped by terrorists, whose nature remains a mystery even at the end of the movie). Bruce in this role is absolutely EXCEPTIONAL! The one reason why i always liked him so much was his face, which has a very mysterious outline and it's never really completely obvious whether he is being serious, funny or just plain sarcastic, and that's what gives his character quiet the charm in this movie. While the plot itself is a beaten horse by now (take Samuel's the negotiator, pump it up with some special effects and add another subplot and you've got it) and has been firmly reestablished numerous times in the past, the commitment of the entire assemble of actors for this movie is astounding! Kevin Pollak plays the role of rich man, father of two young children (daughter Jeniifer and son Tommy) living in a Michael-Jackson type never-land house with sophisticated technology and a very large budget. The two baddies in question played by Ben Foster and Jonathan Tucker provide astonishingly down-to-earth and exhilarating performances, with Jonathan being a more traditional type of bad-ass gangster who got himself way over the hills and Ben being the more eccentric type of guy, who dynamically changes as the story unfolds (you can't really pinpoint what's he gonna do next) and as the last scene unleashes, it's really quiet a sight to behold how his deep and troubled past comes in contact with one of the family members (i wish they would elaborate more on that). Pollak was never really my cup-of-tea, until this movie that is... he's inadvertently conveyed in the beginning as a squeamish and soft-spoken type of guy, but the more i found out about him, the more he brought to me to a state of shock after seeing him blow the noggin of the bad-ass FBI decked lads back at their hide-out.
Overall, it would really take me about that many lines to express fully my opinion of this great movie! 2005 has barely begun, and i'm already eying this one as one of my favorite movies of the year! The cast is exceptional, the special effects (especially near the end) are mind-bending, the music is heart-rending and the plot twists, though clichés all the way, challenge the encrusted notion that it's better to reinvent the wheel rather than polish it some more (as the latest batch of movies attempt to do, some fail miserably, some take light-hits on their way down).
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Solid but unspectacular., 25 Aug 2006
Bruce Willis plays the action hero once more in this tense thriller and again he lives up to his reputation as the king of the action genre. He plays the role of a psychiatrist/negotiator in the film and finds himself in the uneviable position of trying to save a family taken as hostages whilst attempting to protect the lives of his own partner and children. The movie throws up moral dilemmas for Willis who must decide on whom his focus is to be placed. Does he perform his job and save the lives of the hostage family, or does he seek to rescue his own family risking the safety of those his job demands he protect?
The film is an interesting watch and keeps the viewers interest throughout however it does contain what could be perceived as minor flaws. The storyline itself is genuinley exciting, however, how we reach this scenario seems far fetched. Also Bruce Willis finds himself battling what appears to be an unbeatable opponent. Thrilling to watch but unrealistic when you realise you're merely watching a crazed man. Finally, though the makers of the film claim to have taken guidance from genuine hostage negotiators, Bruce Willis' character seems almost cavalier when dealing with negotiations in the film which seems unrealistic and undermines the drama that is unfolding.
Being another Bruce Willis action film many have compared this to his earlier 'Die Hard' trilogy films but i feel to do that would be an injustice to them. The 'Die Hard' films were almost the making of Willis and are easily some of his best work and where they exceed 'Hostage' is in the light humour which helps release the tension of the drama. You won't find any humour in 'Hostage' and the drama almost becomes exhaustive towards the film's conclusion.
Finally the DVD contains a few special features. You can expect a short documentary showing some of the stars of the film talking about the process of making 'Hostage'. You'll also find some deleted scenes and a commentary. A reasonable watch but far from absorbing. The film however is solid but unspectacular.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really enjoyable! , 19 May 2006
We watched this as a family and were really entertained on a night in with popcorn. Bruce Willis is really great in this. We loved the tension & excitement in this movie, it had us biting our nails. The cinematography is good too.
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