Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 33 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 57 Ratings

  • Starring: Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Serena Scott Thomas
  • Summary: Devastated by an unspeakable tragedy while on the job as a hostage negotiator for the LAPD, Jeff Talley (Willis) resigns and accepts a low profile job as the chief of police in a sleepy town. On a slow Monday morning Talley's job becomes anything but quiet and sets him on a course that could change not only his professional but personal life forever. (Miramax) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 33
  2. Negative: 9 out of 33
  1. Made with energetic flair and no small dose of violence, mercifully handled with discretion, Hostage exemplifies taut, confident filmmaking.
  2. Certainly delivers violence and heroics, but not in a way everyone is going to enjoy -- it's brutal and harrowing.
  3. Reviewed by: Staff (Not credited)
    60
    Right from the intriguing opening sequence, which hints at the bleakness which envelops the movie, Willis’ Talley is an interesting character.
  4. Beyond the cliches, there's something deeply offensive about the way Hostage exploits our empathy for children in peril.

See all 33 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 34
  2. Negative: 3 out of 34
  1. DarthM.
    10
    This movie is very interesting. It starts a simple hostage situation and it gets more complex and more thrilling than most movies. It has suspense all the way and keeps wanting to see how everything will end. Its a great experience and thats all that matters!. Expand
  2. This is such a great action packed movie with a great deal of suspense, good acting, and an overall decent plot. Pay no attention to the horrible review that the good for nothing critics gave this movie. Expand
  3. RayB.
    5
    This film is really difficult to judge. The film itself is a good old fashioned Bruce Willis action movie. But and it's a big BUT the novel it is based on by Robert Crais is one of the best crime thriller books ever written and the movie decided to pick parts of the story to follow and not always the best parts i.e. the discovery in MARS home which is not in the film. Expand
  4. FrankO.
    5
    I was looking forward to viewing this movie because it was based on a novel by Robert Crais who I admire as a mystery writer. Needless to say, it was too much over the top with special effects and way too long. Expand

See all 34 User Reviews

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