Die Geiselnahme

Because I thought this was a pretty good and touching movie. One test I have, when watching a movie on cable, is how many times I pick up my phone to check the net. I didn't during this one. I will not give spoilers but it's based on a novel ... so the outcome is not a script thing but an adaptation. I thought the performances were compelling enough. Don't be discouraged by other reviews. Make up your own mind.

It is a beautiful film. But soulless . The theme is generous, the actors are admirables . But you feel nothing. No emotion,no thrill . Only , at the end, the shadow of compassion. Something essential is missing. The director seems in hurry development, the love stories are just sketches , the characters are reduced to few lines. The virtue - the delicacy of unfinished stories. A delicate sketch. But nothing more.

I throughly enjoyed the book and was anxious to see the movie. Found it to be disappointing and lacking. If they had followed the story line closely to that of the book it would have been a great love story to watch unfold. The movie seemed rushed. It didn't allow you to connect to any of the characters. To understand what they were going through or how the bonds were created among a group of strangers made up of hostages and rebel group whose planned did not go at all as they had intended.

My only joy was to see Ken Watanabe cast as Mr. Hosokawa. His acting is always superb. Julienne Moore, while a wonderful actress, unfortunately, was not credible at all as Diva Roxanne Coss. She just didn't fit the description I had in my mind of the character.

There appear to be a lot of "haters" because of what this movie is not about. What it is about is the relationships that develops between 2 groups, between terrorists and their captives (perhaps "Stockholm Syndrome"?). While the movie is not as good as the novel, it is very good.

Hardly a realistic plot to narrate, with great perspective though mostly because of Julianne. And somewhere between small doses of suspense and greater of humanity, the film leaves us with the feeling of unfinished business, as if the director wanted simply to proceed without the emotional strength, this movie could bring. It got flat at this very moment anyone expected the power behind the facts. Anyway, it was no waste of time, enjoyable but ...something finally was missing.