Hostages

This movie is based on a true event that occurred in 1983 in Georgia when it was part of the USSR. A group of young people, highly dissatisfied with life under the Soviet state, decided to hijack a passenger jet and force it to take them out to the West.

First off, it is great to have a chance to see movies made it parts of the world with little cinema output. For this reason alone, Hostages is a worthwhile film, given its Georgian origins. The story itself is one not known to me at all but it is certainly an interesting set of events. It is a film which operates in shades of grey as opposed to black and white certainties. We do sympathise with the frustrations of the hijackers and their daily grind but it is difficult to condone their actions given that people were killed as a result of it; then again, the Soviet response to the incident was extremely heavy-handed, although they were trying to resolve the problem. The result is a more even-handed and thought-provoking film than might otherwise have been produced, although it would only be fair to say that it is definitely critical of the life that was imposed on people under the communist regime. The gloomy early 80's period detail is well done and the film is very well made. Perhaps the material could have been focused a little more sharply in places maybe but overall this is worth seeing for sure.

I watched the movie the night of the premiere in Tbilisi, I had read a book based on the events. The Book is called (Flight from USSR) and I recommend it to anyone who sees the movie and finds it interesting.The book is in fact worth reading, when the film ended I was hearing mixed reviews from the audience, most of whom were confused over what they saw, just like me. I who had read the book, found the movie complex. I imagine for those who had not read the book or for people from other countries it would be harder to understand because we grew up with this story and overall we know what was going on but others did/will not.Not to the point where they should understand.Sometimes I thought that the movie focused on stuff that did not really made sense or was not important at all.I thought that the director had emphasized on other details of the same story than the book I mentioned, like he wanted to say the same story with a different angle.

On the other hand, The acting was great, I was blown away with the Wedding scene just like the airplane scene.

To sum up my opinion I would like to say that it was a good movie in general but I would preferred if it was more like the book.

It is one of films coherent, maybe, only for the Eastern Europeans . Because the story is far to be a comfortable one , it seems only a sketch, the simpathy for young people looking for freedom becomes in conflict with the victims. For many reasons, a manifesto. About an age, so unique, against dictatorship, about fear and unpredictable reactions, about a wedding and a too fragil plan of escape. One of the virtues - the presence of Avtandil Maharadze in one of secondary roles.

Why is the title of the film in the original with a Russian word, when the film is released under a Georgian name.

A good story, but not very well acted. Besides, why would they hijack a plane from Tbilisi to Batumi within the boundaries of the same country if the ultimate aim was to escape the country itself? Why didn't they take the bus or drive, which would solve things peacefully? The movie should have told the reason behind this.