Foster upstages everyone, making you wish he actually played a bigger part in the movie's endgame. The rest of the movie is a by-the-book thriller, and ends up getting lost in too many subplots. Alfred said it best in 'The Dark Knight' when he said, "Some men just want to watch the world burn." That's Mars. A guy who doesn't care about anything other than annihilation. A guy who delights in death and devastation. At times you have to wonder how off his rocker Foster must have been to play a guy like Mars. He's able to utter lines like "You're my girl, and my girl comes with me," with terrifying resonance. Foster's performance is what really drives this movie.įoster disappears into a role that, if given to just about anybody else, would end up being cheesy as hell. While that plays an important part in the movie, it's an easily forgettable plot device. There's another side story where Walter Smith may not be the stand-up guy he appears to be, and may indeed be dealing with nefarious characters on the side. Talley was a seasoned hostage negotiator in Los Angeles, but after one of his negotiations went south, he moved out to the country and took command of a small town's police department. That's when Chief of Police Jeff Talley (Willis) assumes command. After Mars shoots the responding police officer a tense stand-off is triggered. Only they weren't counting on a silent alarm being tripped or the cops showing up. They target Walter Smith (Kevin Pollack) and his family because of their snazzy looking Escalade. He and his two friends Dennis (Jonathan Tucker) and Kevin (Marshall Allman) decide that they're going to steal a car. There's something creepy about him right from the outset. A reclusive teenager who lives for destruction. As far as I'm concerned this is Foster's movie.įoster plays Mars. He does his badass Willis thing and does it well, but the actor that really makes 'Hostage' such an unexpected treat is Ben Foster. Willis, although I like him in just about everything he does, isn't what makes this movie enjoyable. But, let's forget that for just a moment. ![]() He's the ultra-mega superstar whose involvement probably ensured that this movie was even made. Yes, he's the featured face on the cover. Let's forget for a minute that Bruce Willis is in this movie. Truthfully, I simply enjoy 'Hostage' for what it brings to the table. You know, I'm completely fine with its formulaic tendencies. It's a way to create an instant conflict that can carry on throughout the film. ![]() The hostage component is nothing new for movies. 'Hostage' is a pretty clichéd cop thriller, one which uses a formula similar to so many movies before it.
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