Hostage

Name: Hostage
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: March 11, 2005
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 44
Cast: Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Serena Scott Thomas

2005

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 258 Ratings

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8.7

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8.7	User Score Universal acclaim based on 258 Ratings

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Hostage

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: March 11, 2005 | R

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 personalDevastated 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

Director: Florent Emilio Siri

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 min

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Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas

Made with energetic flair and no small dose of violence, mercifully handled with discretion, Hostage exemplifies taut, confident filmmaking. Read full review

Michael Rechtshaffen

If Hostage looks a lot like a state-of-the-art French "policier" minus the pesky subtitles, the effect is purely intentional. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Willis, who'll turn 50 a week from Saturday, has this kind of hero down pat. He may never again get or demand the complicated dramatic roles I think he could handle, but he's well-cast. Read full review

Scott Tobias

By the time the film escalates into a suitably ridiculous Grand Guignol finale, all connection to reality has been severed. Read full review

David Sterritt

The action is dynamically filmed and Willis is at his best. Suspense is soon hijacked by outright gore and grisliness, though. Read full review

Jack Mathews

Beyond the cliches, there's something deeply offensive about the way Hostage exploits our empathy for children in peril. Read full review

Stephen Holden

More than sad, it's slightly sickening to consider the technology, talent and know-how squandered on Hostage, a pile of blood-soaked toxic waste dumped onto the screen in an attempt to salvage Bruce Willis's fading career as an action hero. Read full review

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User Reviews

DarthM.

Mar 13, 2006

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!.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Lanyard980

Aug 9, 2021

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0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ci4o759tyg235p0

Jul 27, 2012

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.

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

Broyax

Dec 7, 2017

Quand un petit Français s'en va filmer à Hollywood, on peut souvent s'attendre au pire mais si Florent Siri délivre un thriller qui satisfait ici les préceptes très stricts du genre outre-atlantique, il parvient à garder sa touche personnelle, notamment sa mise en scène très soignée etQuand un petit Français s'en va filmer à Hollywood, on peut souvent s'attendre au pire mais si Florent Siri délivre un thriller qui satisfait ici les préceptes très stricts du genre outre-atlantique, il parvient à garder sa touche personnelle, notamment sa mise en scène très soignée et agréable et ce, malgré ou en dépit de Bruce Willis...

Ce bon vieux Bruce très crispant d'habitude et qui s'avère néanmoins tout-à-fait supportable dans le cas qui nous occupe. Il reste bien sûr énervant par son sur-jeu omniprésent mais sur-joue un peu moins que de coutume et ne balance aucune "joke" : sérieux, le Bruce.

Le scénario est assez malin avec son double enlèvement et laisse augurer quelque chose d'intéressant... pour mieux nous décevoir ensuite avec sa ribambelle d'invraisemblances et de rebondissements à la noix. Hélas, le thriller américain est coutumier du fait, usant et abusant de grosses ficelles et de ses clichés vus et revus dans toute prise d'otages, et à cet égard le réalisateur français ne peut rien y faire. Malgré toutes ses énormités, le film reste bien mené et distrayant... à condition encore une fois de mettre de côté tout espoir de crédibilité.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattBrady99

May 13, 2019

'Hostage' isn't a great movie, but whenever it gets nasty and brutal, it doesn't hold back, especially the opening scene.

When Bruce Willis cares, he can actually deliver a great performance.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

RayB.

Oct 19, 2005

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 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

0 of 0 users found this helpful

FrankO.

Jan 15, 2006

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.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

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