Double Willis Double Hostage Negotiation

Hostage (2005)   

In recent years the name Bruce Willis has become synonymous with action movies mainly down to his performance as the hardened cop John McClane in the "Die Hard" movies. So when I read the synopsis for "Hostage" which once again sees Bruce Willis playing a cop I was expecting a movie in the same manner of "Die Hard". But whilst "Hostage" does have some similarities with Bruce Willis's former films, it is also an adequate thriller which although suffering from various flaws makes it not just another "Die Hard" rip-off.

In "Hostage" Bruce Willis plays Jeff Talley a former hostage negotiator for the LAPD who having lost a young mother and child in a failed hostage negotiation situation has ensconced himself away as chief of police in a low crime town in Ventura County. When three delinquent teenagers take a father and his children hostage in their million dollar mansion they have bitten off more than they can chew as the father works as an accountant for a mysterious crime organization. Thrown back into a world of hostage negotiating, Talley finds himself facing the demons he hoped he had left behind.

"Hostage" starts out well and in the opening salvo of scenes we are introduced to Jeff Talley and the failed hostage situation which caused him to seek a quieter life. This introduction carries on as within the first 15 minutes we have been introduced to all the main protagonists and it all works reasonably well as it sets up the initial premise. But once the necessary introductions are done with things do start to get a little messy and extra plot elements are introduced which although make "Hostage" much more than it seems on the surface are not executed effectively.

Part of the issue with "Hostage" and probably the main flaw is that in a house with a huge amount of hi-tech security and surveillance equipment not only could the 3 delinquents break in so easily but that once they have taken control of the house the youngest of the hostages manages to move around it undetected. At times I half expected this young hero to start going on a "Home Alone" style crusade against his captors, but thankfully he didn't. Even so this is one of just many of the elements which causes "Hostage" to be slightly ridiculous in it's premise.

Ignoring the flaws "Hostage" does have plenty going for it, mainly that of Bruce Willis in the role of Talley and Ben Foster who plays the psychotic Mars, one of the teenage hostage takers. It is the performance of these two which make "Hostage" better than it should be. Bruce Willis returning to action duty actually calms down his persona and displays his ability as a dramatic actor. Okay so we are not talking Laurence Olivier but his display of emotional turmoil makes the character of Jeff Talley more than just a one dimensional action figure. Ben Foster's performance as Mars is one of the highlights of the movie and although again is not in the league of say Anthony Hopkins Hannibal Lecter, is in itself really chilling. You get a real sense that the character of Mars gets a sense of real pleasure from torturing people and watching them die.

Despite there being many other characters throughout the movie, including one which sees Bruce's daughter Rumer Willis playing his onscreen daughter, they mainly seem to be there just to add depth. The one character that should have made more of an impact is that of Tommy Smith the young hostage who spends a lot of the movie crawling round air ducts undetected. Instead of giving the movie that emotional element which draws you into his plight he comes across as fake and quite annoying.

Then of course we have the action side of the movie and Bruce Willis returning to form when in the climax calls for it. Yes it's over the top and in many ways visually impressive but just lacks that killer edge which gets you shouting "Yipee Kay Aye". It does feel that despite endeavouring to create a thriller for most of the movie the producers behind "Hostage" bailed out and resorted to type just to satisfy those who were drawn to it because of it being a Bruce Willis movie.

What this all boils down to is that "Hostage" could have been so much more, it could have been a really tense thriller which benefits from Willis's charisma and ability as an action hero. But instead it comes across as adequate, never really pushing the boundaries, except those of believability, and although enjoyable is not really up to the impressive "Tears of the Sun" when it comes to the impact it leaves on you.