Otage

Is this Die Hard 4? With a little exaggeration, I won't be far from the truth. Young, bold French director Florent Emilio Siri firmly seized his first Hollywood opportunity and created a visually slick spectacle that, in terms of content, slightly resembles the aforementioned cornerstone of the action genre, except that it is probably two or three shades darker. The innovative grandeur of John McTiernan and the youthful progressiveness of Renny Harlin meet in a unique blend, where Siri showcases his enduring admiration for noir films, exemplified best by the most original title, Panic Room. The script borrowed a lot from this Fincher film, but there is no point in lamenting the (sometimes) excessive inspiration in other works. Instead, let there be appreciative praise for the excellently crafted tense atmosphere, lavish yet not gratuitous action, and the measured performances of the actors. Among them, Bruce Willis stands out the most, reminding us of John McClane with every move, although some may miss his iconic lines. As another stone in the foundation of its genre, Hostage may not blend in (as there are already quite a few), but it serves as a more than worthy tribute. Keep it up, Director. (05/08/2005)

Average in every respect. The beginning is quite promising, but unfortunately it quickly gets into a very sleepy rhythm from which it never gets out. It's not downright bad or boring, but it doesn't grab you, it just flows. If a wanted a proper thriller of a seemingly similar nature, I'd go for The Negotiator. (07/01/2006)

Bruce Willis as a broken cop in a brilliantly directed film? Yes! Suffocating atmosphere, excellent performances, amazing camera work - and unfortunately, a stumbling screenplay, always taking one unnecessary detour or complication richer than necessary. I would have entrusted Sirimu with practically anything at one time, and even long after watching Hostage, I'm deeply saddened that he didn't settle in Hollywood and now only plays roles in his native France. With more straightforward scripts, he could have achieved so much. (27/04/2008)

Incredibly suggestive filmmaking that bypasses the current trend of action movies by several miles. We don't get any big action set-pieces, booming electronic music, or grand speeches. Instead, Florent-Emilio Siri serves a dark, relatively simple story about a caring father for whom family means everything. The action scenes are brutal, in order to sound as realistic as possible. However, in terms of the plot, it's not as gripping as it needs to be. (07/09/2005)