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Main Cast:
Bruce Willis - Jeff Talley
Kevin Pollak - Walter Smith
Jimmy Bennett - Tommy Smith
Michele Horn - Jennifer Smith
Rating: R for violence, language, and thematic elements.

Plot Synopsis:

The movie “Hostage” is about a hostage negotiator Jeff Talley (played by Bruce Willis) who becomes the Chief of Police in a small town. He is confronted with a very tough situation where saving the life of his family, held hostage by one group, is dependent on the lives of another family, held hostage by another group. There is something in one of the houses that the sophisticated criminals want but the amateur criminals in control of the house complicate things making the sophisticated criminals hold Chief Tally’s family hostage. Now he is faced with a dilemma that of wanting to rescue his family who he loves very much but also having to serve and protect the citizens under his jurisdiction.

Content Review:

This is a suspense thriller rated R- for graphic violence, language and thematic elements. I can never understand why directors have to put bad language in the script. The violence in the movie shows what happens when people decide to become criminals and the police have to get involved. This is a good movie that addresses issues such as costs of adultery, temptation, and disobedience. It also deals with family, life, death, heaven, hell and sacrificial issues.

Spiritual Implications: SPOILER ALERT

In the opener, we see hostage negotiator Jeff Talley (played by Bruce Willis) trying to save a family. The S.W.A.T team has a shot to take out the disgruntled husband who is holding his own wife and own son hostage but Talley did not want any deaths to occur so he tried to negotiate more. The problem was the disgruntled husband kills his own wife who he called a “whore” and his own son after telling Talley they were going to go to Hell except his son who would go to Heaven. Then, he takes his own life. His wife had cheated on him and enraged him. However, that was no excuse to kill! Still, this reminded me of a passage from the Bible.

“For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.” (Proverbs 5:3-6, NIV)

Sadly, these kind of things happen in real life families too! This Scripture is a warning to be careful lest something bad happen.

“Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away; for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.” (Proverbs 6:33-35, NIV)

It is the man’s rage and jealousy that killed his wife, his son, and eventually killed himself. Rage and jealousy It is mentioned in the Bible not to condone the actions but what could happen. This movie picked up on this warning and used it. Let us not forget these kind of things happen in real life.

“Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.” (Proverbs 7:24-27, NIV)

Seeing that family die is devastating to Jeff Talley and he moves into a small town from L.A. to become Chief of Police there with his own family there. He wants to keep everyday a low crime day until a silent alarm goes off. It just so happened three teenagers were tempted to steal a rich family’s van but feel trapped so they take the family hostage.

This would have never happened if the daughter had listened to her dad regarding her outfit. The outfit his daughter wore made her dad chastise her keeping him away from the security cameras that showed the criminals getting access to the house.

“Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.” (Proverbs 1:8-9, NIV)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3, NIV)

She did not obey and got her family into a mess. Our disobedience can cause pain in the lives of our loved ones too.

In the movie, the amateur criminals who took the children hostage eventually die. They gave into the temptation to steal a van and got in too deep when they were supposed to go to a movie. This reminded me that temptation can be very enticing but afterwards only a bitter feeling is left including death sometimes. There are different kinds of temptations but there could be consequences for us and our loved ones if we give in. One of the criminals wanted to go to the movies but gave into the other two’s enticement which cost him his own life. These kind of things happen in real life too!

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for someone's blood, let's waylay some harmless soul; let's swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse"- my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood.” (Proverbs 1:10-16, NIV)

Sadly, that is what happened as one of them kills a cop and they turn on each other.

“How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.” (Proverbs 1:17-19, NIV)

In the movie, Talley’s daughter fights with her mom because she is scared her dad and mom will not be together. When Talley calls he is told about the incident. Both of them assure each other that they are not going to get a divorce and he tells his wife, “I Love You” before hanging up. This conversation was filled with love and could have been their last because the family is taken hostage. Their desire to stick it out reminded me about Jesus’ talk on divorce and the passage on love.

“Jesus replied, "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Mark 10:5b-9, NIV)

^“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NIV)

As the movie approaches its climax, we see one of the criminals burning the rich person’s house and everything in it. The next we know, the bad guys are engulfed in flames and shouting without a way to escape. However, the good guys are covered in water and given life.

This reminded me of what Hell can be like with flames and screams and Heaven offering Jesus Christ.

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'” (Luke 16:22-24, NIV)

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:38, NIV)

The entire movie’s predicated on people being hostages and a rescue attempt being made. They do not know whether they would live or die. This reminded me of the world being held hostage.

This world is held hostage to sin. Sin makes everyone become a hostage in a place called Hell which is the lake of fire, a fiery furnace, and where there is weeping & gnashing of teeth. A rescue attempt has been made to rescue the world from being held hostage to sin by Satan so they do not have to be trapped with Satan in Hell.

Just like in the movie when help arrived, the hostages had to take the help otherwise they would have burned to death. Sin causes eternal death and will make us burn in Hell eternally.

The Good News is help has been sent for mankind.

^“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15, NIV)

Jesus was telling Nicodemus a story he would understand from the Torah dealing with the sin of the Israelites and the consequences. People for sinning left and right causing them to die by a snake bite when Moses interceded on behalf of the people and asked God for His forgiveness and healing! God in His love told Moses to life up a serpent on the pole and whoever looks at the pole while it is lifted up will be saved and have life. Those that looked up were saved and had life. Those who did not look up were condemned to die because of the venom that went in.

It is very interesting that a serpent tempted Adam and Eve to sin and now a snake was killing people except when the snake was put on the pole as people looked at it. Now Jesus is telling Nicodemus, "The Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

This is exactly what happened to save humanity from sin that Satan has held them hostage to. Jesus was lifted upon a pole (cross) and His cleansing blood flowed through Calvary. All who looked to Jesus were given the reddest antidote for the venom of sin. They were cleansed of their sin and being held hostage to Hell by Satan. Now because of the rescue attempt made by Jesus, He took upon Himself the sin of the world. Jesus sacrificed His life for us being obedient to God, the Father and came back to life to give life to those who believe in Him. It is Jesus that heals us and sets us free!

However, we have to act on what Jesus did and look to the cross. Jesus has made the rescue attempt and now it is up to us to go with Jesus. If we decide to stay where we are without taking the help provided, we will burn in Hell. The children took help to be rescued and we need to take help to be rescued so we can be with Jesus in Heaven!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18, NIV)

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28, NIV)

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:22-26, NIV)

^“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,” (Ephesians 2:13-14, NIV)

“But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:8-13, NIV)

Questions to Ponder:

As a hostage negotiator what should be the primary focus? What happens when there is deviation from the primary focus? What happened in the movie?
Talley had a duty to serve and protect his community from criminals but when his family was kidnapped, the lines became blurry for him. What do you think Talley should have done and why?
Temptation is very enticing but in the end it can hurt badly. Can you think of examples from your own life where giving into temptation hurt you badly or your loved ones? What was the outcome in the movie?
We see what hostages have gone through in the movie. The world is held hostage to sin by Satan. What can you do to be rescued from being a hostage of Satan and his evil kingdom!
A rescue attempt has been made to save you and me from Hell and Satan. What should we do now to be rescued forever from the venom of sin and Satan so we do not burn in Hell?