SummaryDevastated 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 fore... Read More
Directed By:Florent-Emilio Siri
Written By:Robert Crais, Doug Richardson
Hostage
Metascore
Mixed or Average
44
User score
Generally Favorable
6.3
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Metascore
Mixed or Average
33% Positive
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
39% Mixed
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
27% Negative
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
80
Made with energetic flair and no small dose of violence, mercifully handled with discretion, Hostage exemplifies taut, confident filmmaking.
70
If Hostage looks a lot like a state-of-the-art French "policier" minus the pesky subtitles, the effect is purely intentional.
User score
Generally Favorable
44% Positive
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
53% Mixed
34 Ratings
34 Ratings
3% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Jan 31, 2026
9
A watchable crime - thriller with a good casting and superb even of Bruce Willis , wel crafted plot and in spite of the double plot and violence, plus a predictable ending, worth your time.
Aug 8, 2015
7
The acting was not that bad, the visuals were okay and overall the movie was **** you are looking for a big movie with a lot of action you will probably be disappointed but it stays a good movie.
60
Certainly delivers violence and heroics, but not in a way everyone is going to enjoy -- it's brutal and harrowing.
50
By the time the film escalates into a suitably ridiculous Grand Guignol finale, all connection to reality has been severed.
40
Director Siri has a stylish eye that makes this film resemble a film noir outing, but the script (by Doug Richardson) is at first routine before growing increasingly outlandish.
30
The movie as a whole is nonsensical. And long. And slow. And head-poundingly loud as it culminates in slavering horror.
10
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.
Jul 27, 2012
7
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.
May 13, 2019
6
'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.
Dec 7, 2017
6
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 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.
Production Company:
- Stratus Film Co.
- Cheyenne Enterprises
- Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG II
- Hostage GmbH
- Syndicate Films International
Release Date:Mar 11, 2005
Duration:1 h 53 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Every Second Counts
Awards
Golden Trailer Awards
• 1 Nomination
Taurus World Stunt Awards
• 1 Nomination
International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)
• 1 Nomination




























