Hostage, directed by Florent Emilio Siri, has an interesting display of the opening credits through a vignette portraying the city of Los Angeles in black and gray while the sky is crimson red.  This suggestively induces a notion of darkness and despair that suddenly cuts into a hostage situation where an extremely disturbed man has taken a woman and her son hostage who is also screaming out his demands over a phone.  On the other side of the line rests Jeff on his back under the scorching L.A. sun located on top of a parking garage talking to the hostage taker with the cool calmness of a kindergarten teacher.  During his conversation with the hostage taker the S.W.A.T. team informs him that they are ready to strike, but he holds them back.  However, the situation begins to slip Jeff's grip and it is the violence of these working conditions that makes Jeff seek relocation in a more serene community.

The relocation takes its toll on his family.  His daughter thinks they are getting a divorce while she feels the tension between her mom and dad.  Jeff's wife even complains that she does not know what is going on, as Jeff keeps everything bottled up inside and does not share his thoughts or feelings. Yet, the job has its benefits compared to his previous job.  It is a safer and more peaceful job for Jeff, as his biggest problem is speeding and maintaining the dress code among the police officers.  However, somewhere in this low-crime background a dark and more sinister situation is about to boil into a deadly stand-off with the local police force.  Three teenagers decide on trying to steal a luxury SUV from a richer family, but something goes wrong and the three adolescents become hostage takers.

Initially, it all seems like an ordinary break-in that went wrong and led the hostage situation to Jeff, but when some other factors come into play he finds himself being a hostage.  His position turns into a race against time and the other police officers in charge at the lavish mountain top home where the hostages reside.  It is crucial that Jeff remain cool and collected while trying to find an answer to his tough situation which calls for extreme measures.  However, he cannot plan for the unexpected elements that might occur in a highly stressful circumstance and how it might affect others in this situation.

From the opening credits until the end of the film viewers will most likely sit glued to the edge of their seat.  The story is highly engaging and it throws several different ideas at the audience to make the situation captivating, and it does so with much success.  There are however, some elements in the story that feel awkward and far-fetched, yet somehow Florent Emilio Siri keeps the audience's attention until the very end.  The cinematography touches on the borders of psychosis when it extravagantly spreads its black and crimson shades across the screen, which artistically elevate the level of suspense.  Bruce Willis's performance balances well with Ben Foster's dark persona that brings another intriguing element to the story.  All of the different aspects of the story prepare the audience for a thrilling journey that quickly changes direction with clever side plots and moments of surprise.

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COUNTRY

USA

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