Hostage (2005)

9.18.2005
DVD (owned)
Movie: A-
Audio: A-
Video: B+

Another cut and paste. What can I say, I'm lazy... I enjoyed it just as much the second time around, and I'm hard-pressed to find something to complain about. Other than the stereotypical characters across the board, Hostage is great.

As the title implies, Hostage is about, well, hostages. Bruce Willis's character, previously a hostage negotiator with LAPD SWAT, gets involved when a hostage situation occurs within his department's jurisdiction. Although portions of Hostage were predictable and many of the characters were stereotypical, the film as a whole was refreshingly original.

It's nice to see Bruce Willis returning to the "tough guy" role. His turn in Hostage may be his best performance ever. Willis shows some incredible emotions ranging from fear and anger to compassion and love. He shows just how far a man is willing to go to save his family. Willis has always been good at playing a character who takes charge of the action, and Hostage is no exception.

The direction and cinematography were great. Hostage was well paced, moving briskly toward an imminent showdown that was anything but disappointing. Hostage had some great use of slow motion that wasn't more cliched "Matrix-style" camera work. It blended suspense and action almost flawlessly and the end result is both nailbiting and exciting.

A few elements of the plot were a bit too predictable, and if you're thinking ahead you'll more than likely see them coming. A few of the characters were incredibly stereotypical, which was disappointing. How many times do we have to see "troubled teens" that look like they just walked out of a school shooting? Not every teenage lawbreaker looks like they're on their way to a goth-metal concert. But the interaction between the characters is what really counts, and in Hostage it was smartly scripted and well acted.

The audio mix did a wonderful job bringin the story to life. The surrounds were used frequently and effectively, creating suspenseful moments that otherwise would have been boring. The score was a pleasant surprise and fit the film well. The gunshots sounded harsh and real. The video was also good, although it didn't stand out like the audio did. Much of the movie was set at night or in low-light conditions, and the transfer's solid black levels handled this well. Colors were muted, although I believe this was intentional.

Hostage was smart and suspenseful with an action-packed ending. If you want to see Bruce Willis at his best, check this one out.