Hostage

AMG Review of Hostage

James Christopher Monger
All Music Guide

Much like his score for 2004's controversial Nicole Kidman suspense flick Birth, Parisian composer Alexandre Desplat fills Hostage up with brooding space rather than thunderous angst. The Bruce Willis thriller screams for forgettable bursts of dissonant strings and long keyboard swells, but Desplat opts for a vocal cue instead, using the beautiful and eerie voice of his daughter Antonia Desplat for the main theme, "Child Spirit." The soft piano-driven motif occurs throughout the work's entirety, resulting in a spooky and atmospheric web of sound that brings to mind Alejandro Amenábar's score for The Others. Chimes, acoustic guitars, gongs, and even electric cellos make an appearance, putting to bed any notion that Hostage is your average Hollywood soundtrack; like director Florent Emilio Siri, Desplat brings an Old World European elegance to the film that adds a whole new dimension to a very familiar story.