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"Hostage does have its strengths," says Peter T. Chattaway (Christianity Today Movies). "For those of us who think Willis is at his best when he plays more vulnerable characters … it is refreshing to see him play a human being once again, even in something as pulpy as this. [But it] revels in a sort of operatic vulgarity. This, in and of itself, is bad enough; but once the story exhausts its over-the-top cheesiness, there are still a few loose ends to tie up, and so the film drags on. For a thriller that started on such a tense, taut note, that's a shame."

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says, "Siri keeps up the unrelenting tension, which helps obscure some plot improbabilities (of which there are several). Willis gives a convincingly anguished performance, and Ben Foster … is scarily effective as the worst of the teens, with a scarily sadistic edge."

"Willis shines in these kinds of films and Hostage is no exception," says Michael Elliott (Movie Parables). "Siri cut his directorial teeth on video games and it shows in this film. Lots of attention has been paid to setting up the situations that the characters are in but the resolution of those situations are too easily achieved and not altogether believable."

Marcus Yoars (Plugged In) says, "After sitting through two hours of this bloodbath, it strikes me as pointless to debate whether Hostage is a clever thriller or a shoot-'em-up action flick. What it is … is nauseating."

The film didn't settle too well with mainstream critics either, even the action fans.

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