Hostage

Starring: Bruce Willis, Jonathan Tucker, Serena Scott Thomas, Michelle Horn, Ben Foster

Directed by: Florent Emilio Siri

RS: 1of 4 Stars

2005 Miramax Action

Take a tired formula about a hostage situation in a small town where a mob accountant (Kevin Pollak) and his brat son and jailbait daughter are held captive at home by three psychos. Add Bruce Willis, hamming it up as a burnt-out L.A. hostage negotiator who comes to said small town to take the easy job of police chief, only to be called back to duty by sneaking into the house and saving the day. Stir with a director, Florent Siri, who has no shame about stealing every sadistic suspense trick from the Die Hard series. Serve to a gullible audience willing to pay top dollar for secondhand goods. Keep serving for as long as you can get away with it.