Rogue Hostage (2021) Review: A Blueprint Action Movie That Knows What It Is

If you’ve read more than one Rogue Hostage review, the recurring gripe is the setup: an ex-soldier, single dad, and Child Protection Officer (all the same guy) just so happens to get caught inside a store during a hostage situation. Convenient? Extremely. Believable? Not really. But here we are.

Kyle, our well-intentioned wreck of a protagonist, enters already stressed. He’s dropping into the store, which just so happens to be owned by his stepfather, Sam, with Clove (the partner of one of the managers, Sunshine) and her young son, Manny. Kyle’s too emotionally involved to react with anything resembling logic. Add a side of PTSD, and the minute bullets start flying, he completely loses his sh*t.

Rogue Hostage Is a Solid B-Movie (and That’s Fine)

At its peak, Rogue Hostage is a decent B-movie with enough momentum to pass the time. At its low points, it’s a blur of awkward gunfire effects and hostages used purely as scene padding. The choreography lands in the “meh” range. Sunshine and her sticky-fingered sidekick Mikki spend most of the film locked in a back room, watching the chaos unfold.

Sunshine, we’re told, has a background in psychology. It’s meant to explain her cool-headed insights, like her confident claim that the bad guy Eagan’s suicide vest is fake. She knows these kinds of people, apparently. It’s one of many moments where the logic runs purely on vibes. Nothing blows up. Maybe the explosives were ordered off Wish.

The Suit Section (aka The Best Part)

The standout energy comes from the suits, specifically Michael Jai White in a sharp blue number and John Malkovich, whose screen presence is so reliable you glance back up when he speaks. Their roles are brief, but they inject more charisma into their scenes than the rest of the ensemble does across the whole runtime.

Is Rogue Hostage Just Die Hard at the Mall?

Some people say Rogue Hostage is a Die Hard knockoff. I see where they’re coming from: confined space, hostages, a lone guy with a conscience, and a gun. But honestly, not every movie with a hostage situation is ripping off John McClane. That said, this is very much a color-by-numbers script. The paint stays inside the lines.

It’s formulaic. It’s predictable. But sometimes, that’s what you need. This is a movie you can throw on with a hangover, mid-scroll, and still know exactly what’s happening. The stakes stay low. The pace holds steady. The bar for entry is as low as the blast radius on Eagan’s imaginary vest.

I give Rogue Hostage 2 suits to get shot in out of 5

For other titles that mention PTSD watch Exterritorial 2025 | Somewhere Quiet | Trauma Therapy or Short Films Curated selection about Trauma.

Teaser Trailer for Rogue Hostage

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Rogue Hostage

Director: Jon Keeyes

Date Created: 2021-06-11 19:57

Editor's Rating:
2