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In the original Die Hard, erstwhile TV star Bruce Willis made the transition to big-screen action hero by convincingly portraying an average man who races against time to overcome almost insurmountable obstacles by virtue of his courage, determination, and resourcefulness. Audiences love him in that kind of role, which is why Hostage works so well. Bruce plays Jeff Talley, a former Los Angles Police Department hostage negotiator turned small-town police sheriff. He's called upon to find and apprehend three teens who, following their robbery of a convenience store, have taken refuge in a private home that's a veritable fortress. These kids don't realize what they've stumbled into: The owner (Kevin Pollak) is connected to New York mobsters who are out to recover the large sum of money he's stolen from them. Adapted from a complex novel by Robert Crais, Hostage is no less intricate than its source, and newly minted director Florent Emilio Siri -- previously the designer of edgy video games -- rates kudos for juggling several subplots while maintaining nail-biting suspense throughout. Talley is no superman, and his already difficult job is further complicated when masked interlopers capture his wife (Serena Scott Thomas) and daughter (Rumer Willis, one of the star's real-life offspring). At the same time, the most sociopathic of the three teens (Ben Foster in a blood-chilling performance) plots to murder his two buddies and escape with the homeowner's daughter ({|Michelle Horn|}). Siri shifts focus from one subplot to another with admirable dexterity, all the while keeping audience attention riveted on the time element. Once the major plotlines are established, we are made keenly aware that, at a certain point, they will converge with deadly results. The violence is genuinely shocking, and there's an air of sexual menace in Foster's attitude toward Horn that lends even more urgency to Willis's predicament. Lurking in the background is Talley's fear that, having failed miserably in a career-altering L.A. incident, he won't be up to the challenge. Hostage is well written, vividly acted, ingenious, and intense. But more than that, it's a triumphant return to form for Bruce Willis, whose post-Die Hard roles haven't always capitalized on his ability to convey strength and vulnerability at the same time. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A cop looking for a quieter way of life is thrown into the most dangerous crisis of his life in this thriller based on the novel by Robert Crais. Jeff Talley (Bruce Willis) used to be a hostage negotiator with the Los Angeles Police Department, but after a standoff goes horribly wrong, Talley moves himself and his family to a small, quiet town of Bristo Camino, where he serves as chief of police. When three young criminals attempt to steal a car from a wealthy accountant, the situation quickly spins out of control and the thieves are trapped inside the heavily fortified home, taking the accountant and his family hostage. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department soon arrives on the scene, and Talley eagerly hands over the situation to them, but when he unexpectedly finds himself in telephone contact with one of the children inside, he begins to suspect that the cops are in over their heads. After he's approached by a masked stranger who has an agenda of his own, Talley is forced to decide if he should protect the safety of the family in the house or his own wife and kids. Hostage was the first English-language film from director Florent Emilio Siri. Mark Deming

Chicago Sun-Times

The mechanics of the final showdown are unexpected and yet show an undeniable logic, and are sold by the acting skills of Willis and Pollak. Roger Ebert

Product Details

• UPC: 786936298390
• Source: MIRAMAX
• Region Code: 1
• Editions: Subtitled
• Time: 1:53:00
• Sales Rank: 55,877

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Hostage/Ransom

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