Hostage (2005/I)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Florent Emilio Siri

Writers (WGA):

Robert Crais (novel)
Doug Richardson (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 March 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Every Second Counts

Plot:

A failed police negotiator turned small town cop, must save the lives of a family held hostage, which draws him into a much more dangerous situation.

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Negotiator | Police | Lapd | Accounting

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 11

3:00 PM

USA

Cast

Bruce Willis	...	Jeff Talley
Kevin Pollak	...	Walter Smith
Jimmy Bennett	...	Tommy Smith
Michelle Horn	...	Jennifer Smith
Ben Foster	...	Mars Krupcheck
Jonathan Tucker	...	Dennis Kelly
Marshall Allman	...	Kevin Kelly
Serena Scott Thomas	...	Jane Talley
Rumer Willis	...	Amanda Talley
Kim Coates	...	The Watchman
Robert Knepper	...	Wil Bechler
Tina Lifford	...	Laura Shoemaker
Ransford Doherty	...	Mike Anders
Marjean Holden	...	Carol Flores
Michael D. Roberts	...	Ridley
Art LaFleur	...	Bill Jorgenson
Randy McPherson	...	Kovak
Hector Luis Bustamante	...	Officer Ruiz
Kathryn Joosten	...	Louise
Johnny Messner	...	Mr. Jones
John Ingle	...	Gray Hair Man
Jamie McShane	...	Joe Mack
Jimmy 'Jax' Pinchak	...	Sean Mack (as Jimmy Pinchak)
Glenn Morshower	...	Lt. Leifitz
Chad Smith	...	Bobby Knox
Scott Allan Campbell	...	Police Psychologist
Jane McPherson	...	Nurse
Phil Shuman	...	News Reporter
Christina Cabot	...	News Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Elias	...	Town member (uncredited)
Sven-Ole Thorsen	...	Hooded Thug Guarding Hostages (uncredited)
Scott L. Treger	...	SWAT Lieutenant (uncredited)
Peter Weireter	...	Ventura County Sheriff Sniper (uncredited)

Directed by
Florent Emilio Siri		(as Florent Siri)

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Crais		(novel)
Doug Richardson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Susanne Bohnet	....	co-producer
Stephen J. Eads	....	associate producer (as Stephen Eads)
Mark Gordon	....	producer
Manfred D. Heid	....	co-producer (as Manfred Heid)
Hawk Koch	....	executive producer
Gerd Koechlin	....	co-producer
Josef Lautenschlager	....	executive producer
Arnold Rifkin	....	producer
Josef Steinberger	....	co-producer
Andreas Thiesmeyer	....	executive producer
David J. Wally	....	executive producer (as David Wally)
Bruce Willis	....	producer
David Willis	....	co-producer
Bob Yari	....	producer

Original Music by
Alexandre Desplat

Cinematography by
Giovanni Fiore Coltellacci

Film Editing by
Richard Byard
Olivier Gajan

Casting by
Scot Boland
Victoria Burrows

Production Design by
Larry Fulton

Art Direction by
Keith P. Cunningham

Set Decoration by
Cindy Carr

Costume Design by
Elisabetta Beraldo

Makeup Department
Katalin Elek	....	makeup artist: second unit
Zoltan Elek	....	assistant makeup artist
Annette M. Jones	....	hair stylist: second unit
Erma Kent	....	assistant hair stylist
Gerald Quist	....	key makeup artist
Kenneth Walker	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Lynn Andrews	....	production supervisor
Brad Goodman	....	post-production supervisor (as Bradley M. Goodman)
Robert Katz	....	executive in charge of production
Hawk Koch	....	unit production manager
John Portnoy	....	post-production executive

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William H. Burton	....	second unit director (as Billy Burton)
Dieter 'Dietman' Busch	....	second assistant director (as Dieter Busch)
Mark Carter	....	second second assistant director
Mark Cotone	....	first assistant director
Mathew Dunne	....	first assistant director: second unit
David Kelley	....	second assistant director: second unit
Brandon Lambdin	....	second second assistant director: second unit (as Brandon W. Lambdin)
Kelly Stevens	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Gregory P. Alcus	....	on-set dresser
Ron Ashmore	....	paint supervisor
Jennifer Blair	....	art department coordinator
Peggy Casey	....	lead buyer
Kevin Cross	....	set designer
Perry E. Ellis	....	second gang boss/swing gang
Joe Elvington	....	set laborer
Tim Fassino	....	set dresser
Luke Freeborn	....	set designer
Lance Gunnin	....	general foreman
Steve A. Hagberg	....	construction coordinator
Sarah Harwich	....	construction purchaser
Bill 'Kauhane' Hoyt	....	stand-by painter
Sean Lyons	....	stand-by painter: second unit
C.J. Maguire	....	property master
Bryan McBrien	....	greens foreman
Steven O'Bannon	....	hod carrier
Nick Papac	....	assistant property master
Tyler Patton	....	gang boss
Rick Polikowski	....	propmaker
Edmond Scott Ratliff	....	set dresser
Rudy Reachi	....	assistant property master
Shane Reed	....	leadman
Karen Teneyck	....	graphic designer
Todd Wolcott	....	stand-by greensman
Tony Wright	....	labor foreman
Michael A. Casey	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steven J. Berger	....	assistant sound
Peter Brown	....	sound effects editor
Richard Burton	....	sound effects editor
Derek Casari	....	adr engineer
David M. Cowan	....	dialogue editor (as Dave Cowan)
Peter J. Devlin	....	production sound mixer
Paula Fairfield	....	sound effects editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound designer
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound supervisor
George Flores	....	sound utility
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley artist
Eric Harwood	....	sound re-recordist (as Eric Hardwood)
Jason W. Jennings	....	sound effects editor (as Jay Jennings)
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Peter V. Meiselmann	....	sound mixer: second unit
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Carla Murray	....	sound effects editor (as Carla Murphy)
Phillip W. Palmer	....	production sound mixer
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
Kira Roessler	....	dialogue editor (as Kira)
Andy Rovins	....	boom operator: second unit
David A. Smith	....	boom operator (as David Allen Smith)
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Steven Ticknor	....	sound designer
Steven Ticknor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steven Ticknor	....	sound supervisor
Robert Ulrich	....	adr supervisor
Ron Vignone	....	assistant sound editor
Troy Wilcox	....	cable man: second unit

Special Effects by
Larz Anderson	....	special effects coordinator
Chad Baalbergen	....	special effects
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects
Laurent Brett	....	title designer
Mike Edmonson	....	on-set special effects coordinator
Jeff Miller	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Eric Algren	....	Flame artist
Baptiste Andrieux	....	visual effects producer
Tim Bird	....	Inferno artist
Matthew W. Brucell	....	computer effects
Amanda Burton	....	digital artist
A.J. Calomay	....	assistant digital effects artist
Jean-Marc Demmer	....	lead Inferno artist
Del DePierro	....	visual effects match mover
Feliciano di Giorgio	....	visual effects supervisor: Creo Collective (as Feli di Giorgio)
Erin Hicke	....	visual effects coordinator
Wensen Ho	....	digital compositor
Michael Johnson	....	digital effects artist
Kurt Lawson	....	digital artist
Andy Lesniak	....	computer graphics supervisor
Yann Mallard	....	digital effects artist
Ariel Oclarino	....	senior systems administrator
Steven Schmidt	....	visual effects coordinator (as Steve Schmidt)
Haure Sebastien	....	senior modeler
Brad Sutton	....	digital restoration
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration
Cecile Tecson	....	digital artist
Mike Tosti	....	production technology

Stunts
James Ashley	....	additional stunt double: Bruce Willis
Joey Box	....	stunts
Ben Bray	....	stunts
Logan Brown	....	stunts
Bobby Burns	....	stunts
Heather Burton	....	stunts
William H. Burton	....	stunt coordinator (as Billy Burton)
William H. Burton	....	stunts
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Mark Chadwick	....	stunts (as Mark 'Lucky' Chadwick)
Danny Downey	....	stunt double
Danny Downey	....	stunts
Dane Farwell	....	stunts
Cory Fleming	....	utility stunts
Conrade Gamble	....	stunts
Dale Gibson	....	stunts
Kanin Howell	....	stunts
Clint Kale Jones	....	stunts
Al Leong	....	stunts
Jack Lucarelli	....	stunts
Cliff McLaughlin	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts (as John C. Meier)
Austin Priester	....	stunts
Larry Rippenkroeger	....	stunt double: Bruce Willis
Gunter Simon	....	additional stunt double: Mr. Willis
Sven-Ole Thorsen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Don Bixby	....	gaffer: second unit
John S. Campbell	....	night light operator
Jack Chouchanian	....	key grip
Joe Chouchanian	....	grip
James F. Cornick	....	rigging gaffer
Steven Cueva	....	second assistant camera
David Deever	....	video engineer
Antony Diamond	....	second assistant camera
Clement Gharini	....	camera operator: flying camera
Mark Gilmer	....	camera loader
Lamarr Gray	....	rigging best boy electric
Steele Hunter	....	key rigging grip
Jay M. Huntoon	....	digital video assist operator: second unit
Jacques Jouffret	....	Steadicam operator
Jacques Jouffret	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Joe Kelly	....	best boy rigging grip
Tommy Klines	....	assistant camera
Robert LaBonge	....	director of photography: second unit (as Robert La Bonge)
Christopher J. Lama	....	dimmer technician
Christopher J. Lama	....	rigging electrician
Joe Macaluso	....	best boy grip
Frank Masi	....	still photographer
Matthew Moriarty	....	assistant camera
Matthew Morrissey	....	video playback supervisor
Jacqueline J. Nivens	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Patrick B. O'Brien	....	camera operator
Phil Pastuhov	....	aerial director of photography
Paul V. Perkins	....	key grip
Michael Shanman	....	lighting board operator
Don Steinberg	....	first assistant camera
J. Wesley Tillman	....	electrician
Michael T. Travers	....	grip
Zoran Veselic	....	first assistant camera
Michael Wahl	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Jerald L. Wilson	....	rigging electrician
Joe Zovko	....	camera production assistant
Darren Michaels	....	still photographer: second unit (uncredited)
David Schmalz	....	second video assist operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Amanda S. Burns	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Roberta Bilé	....	costumer
Faye Sevilla	....	key costumer
Lori Stilson	....	costumer: Mr. Willis

Editorial Department
Ron Barr	....	digital intermediate editor
Jill Bogdanowicz	....	digital intermediate colorist
Asim Matin	....	associate editor
Julia Nessling-Douglas	....	digital intermediate producer
Mark Sahagun	....	digital intermediate assistant
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer
Mark Vandermeulen	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Cyrille Aufort	....	additional orchestrator
Alexandre Desplat	....	conductor
Alexandre Desplat	....	orchestrator
Richard Glasser	....	music supervisor
Gerard McCann	....	scoring music editor
Stephen McLaughlin	....	score engineer
Guy-Paul Romby	....	music preparation
Jim Schultz	....	music editor
Norbert Vergonjeanne	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Bart Allsup	....	co-transportation captain
Shawn Coulter	....	driver
Manny Demello	....	transportation captain
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Hugh Kelly	....	driver
Michael A. Moreno	....	driver

Other crew
Crisoforo Aguilar	....	key set production assistant
Damien Alexander	....	stand-in: Jonathan Tucker
Asia Argento	....	acting coach
Bruce Benson	....	pilot
Laurent Brett	....	title designer: main titles
Stephen Bridgewater	....	drama coach
Damon E. Burke	....	production assistant
Kevin A. Canamar	....	construction medic
Dominique Carrara	....	special visual consultant
Elsie Choi	....	assistant: Mr. Rifkin
Jennifer Clark	....	second assistant accountant
Conor Copeland	....	assistant: Mr. Gordon
Tom Dames	....	assistant accountant
Jason Douglas	....	production assistant
Virginie Drouot	....	assistant: Mr. Siri
Erin Eggers	....	production executive
Vincent Joseph Flaherty	....	armorer: second unit
Cliff Fleming	....	aerial coordinator
Cory Fleming	....	pilot (as Corey Fleming)
Stacy Foot	....	assistant production coordinator
Kelli Gillam	....	post-production accountant
Eric Glasser	....	set production assistant
Suraj Gohill	....	production lender: Comerica Bank
Rick Gold	....	assistant: Neil Sacker
Katherine Gourley	....	accounting clerk
Andrea Hanson	....	assistant: Mr. Yari
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative
David Henri	....	computer/video playback coordinator
Matthew Hirsch	....	production coordinator
Craig Hosking	....	pilot
Jason Inman	....	set medic
Judith Jennings	....	studio teacher
Kristopher Kyer	....	acting coach
Stevie Lazo	....	production accountant
Lindsey Liberatore	....	assistant: Mr. Gordon
Michael J. Linowes	....	legal counsel
James Linville	....	first assistant accountant
Jonas C. Matz	....	production medic
Jonas C. Matz	....	set medic
Eddie Michaels	....	unit publicist
Ryan Miningham	....	production assistant
Matthew Morrissey	....	playback supervisor
Jillian Neal	....	assistant: Mr. D. Willis
Stevie Nelson	....	key assistant location manager
Mark Palmer	....	craft service
Michael Papac	....	armorer
Michael M. Piehler	....	production secretary
Sarah Platt	....	assistant: Mr. Koch
R. Scott Poole	....	location manager
Rick Poyner	....	key assistant location manager
Liz Probst	....	lead payroll accountant
Errol Reichow	....	location scout
Stephen Richards	....	production assistant
Robert Rizzolo	....	production assistant
Todd Shotz	....	assistant: Mr. Wally
Rick Shuster	....	pilot
Robert Sica	....	assistant armorer
Mollie Stallman	....	key production assistant: second unit
Janna Stern	....	script supervisor
Oliver Streuli	....	production assistant
Shelly Strong	....	production executive
Daniel Stutz	....	business and legal affairs executive
J. Wesley Tillman	....	fixtures technician
Melissa Verdugo	....	stand-in
Ian Watermeier	....	staff coordinator
Louise Weber	....	assistant: Mr. Willis
Peter Weireter	....	police technical advisor
Deborah Wettstein	....	finance executive
Chris Winn	....	craft service
Jeff Winn	....	craft service
Catherine Zappa	....	assistant: Daniel Stutz and Meredith Grindlinger
Kim Thio	....	location medic (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Miramax Films
• Stratus Film Co.
• Cheyenne Enterprises
• Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG II
• Hostage GmbH

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (2005-2006) (non-USA) (all media)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Artecinema (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Avsar Film (2005) (Turkey) (all media)
• Bazuca Films (2005) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Bioscop (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Group Power (2006) (Taiwan) (all media)
• Independent Films (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Manga Films (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film (2005) (Sweden) (DVD)
• RTL Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)
• Roadshow Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Shochiku Company (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Tayrona Entertainment Group (2005) (Colombia) (theatrical) (as Cinemac Films)
• Toshiba Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• VCL Communications (2005) (Germany) (all media)
• Warner Bros. (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Creo Collective (visual effects)
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates (opticals)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  production insurance
• Abbey Road Studios  score mixed at
• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Cablecam International  special camera systems
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Comerica Bank of California  bank financing
• Coudert Brothers LLP  legal advisor: Equity Pictures
• Geo Film Group  specialty cameras and remote heads
• Hollywood Rentals Productions Services  electric equipment (as Hollywood Rentals)
• International Film Guarantors  completion bond
• J.L. Fisher  camera cranes and dollies (as J. L. Fisher)
• Limelight Catering  catering
• Linowes & Burkin  legal consulting
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  score performed by
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by
• R!ot Looping  loop group (as Riot Looping)
• Raleigh Studios  electric equipment
• Runway  digital editing systems
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound re-recording
• Specimen  title sequence produced by
• Studios Davout  overdubs recorded at
• Superb Records  soundtrack
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  opticals
• Viv Kim Negative Cutting Service  negative cutting
• Whitfield Street Studios  score recording

Also Known As:

Hostage - Entführt (Germany)
Bajo amenaza (Argentina) (Mexico) [es]
Заложник (Russia) [ru]
Dipli omiria (Greece) [el]
Gisslan (Sweden) [sv]
Mdzevali (Georgia) [ka]
Otage (France) [fr]
Otages de la peur (Canada: French title) [fr]
Panttivanki (Finland) [fi]
Refém (Brazil) [pt]
Rehine (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Talac (Serbia) [sr]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic violence, language and some drug use.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:18PL | USA:R (certificate #40990) | Iceland:16 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | New Zealand:R16 | Portugal:M/18 | Spain:18 | Germany:16 (f) | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Azusa Canyon Inn - Highway 39, Azusa, California, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Among the DVDs in Kevin Pollak's movie collection is The Negotiator (1998), a film also about a police negotiator in an intense situation. We also see a copy of Nid de guêpes (2002) (The Nest), Florent Emilio Siri's previous movie. S.W.A.T. (2003) is also a movie on the shelf.

Goofs:

Continuity: The watchman fastens the seat belt across Talley's chest (under his arms), but during the close-ups of the man in back restraining him, it appears to come over his left shoulder, not his chest.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Joe Mack: I need to talk to that motherfucker! You hear me? I want to talk to that fucker right now! I want that motherfucker!

Movie Connections:

References Heaven Can Wait (1943)

Soundtrack:

Outta Here

a solid suspense movie with some extra darkness

this is definitely a film that you have to come into with a knowledge that it does pander to a mainstream audience, but not as much as you may think. it does take chances with sensitive subjects that most movies of its ilk usually avoid, resulting in an action flick that's a little more twisted, morbid, but also involving. it's not Seven, but there are similar disturbing touches.

i don't like writing full blown synopses because of my personal dislike of having too much information before i see the film. i like an honest opinion of whether someone loved or hated a movie, but when plot points start being handed off without warning, it irritates me. so here's the stuff:

the direction is more than competent (though nothing special). the writing, while allowing some rather cheap conveniences along the way, still delivers enough material for an exciting ride. the acting is above average, while it's not exactly the bruce willis comeback i was hoping for, this film doesn't insult his abilities either. he is able to showcase most of his dependable acting range in this, most of the time convincingly, though there is the occasional weak point. there are intentional cookie cutter characters who's sole function is to get the story past a certain point with no development, but that didn't bother me. the main characters accomplished their roles in carrying the story. especially ben foster.

after seeing this guy in last year's punisher, i was expecting a little more of the same in the dryly comedic, sidekick potential that shea lebouf turned out as. didn't exactly get that here. in Hostage, he's one of the most convincing psychotics i've seen in film in a long time. he is the devil in this movie, and it's a harrowing thing to watch. he earned his keep and then some.

the bottom line is that i enjoyed this movie. while it doesn't live up to it's full potential, it serves well as an engaging ride at the movies. that is, if you have a tolerance for a few sick twists along the way