Reviews (1)

BAD STORY, BRILLIANT TIMING OF MUSIC
The movie kicks off brilliantly, but doesn't build upto anything, making the ending, a bit of a disappointment. The only possible things that could keep the viewer interested are the rather 'natural' feel of the movie, and its brilliant music.

The direction is good; infact, it seems quite amateurish. Deliberately done or not, this amateurish look of the movie, can be said as a bit of a saving grace and gives an 'edge' to the otherwise horrible movie. But, the story line is so weak, that even the best of direction cannot save the movie from sinking. Though the movie tries to conjure up'suspense' so that the viewer could look forward to at least something towards the end of the movie, sadly however, even before the 'suspense' begins, it is quite easy to figure it out, what it is going to be. If this is the case, then there is not much to look forward to, in the movie.

The bottom line: the movie has bad acting, good direction by a helpless director, and on top of it all, a really bad story line. However, the music and the timing of music is fantastic, one of the best, ever. One more thing: the 'car' is beautiful. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Harsh Mondern-day Romeo & Juliet
Definite change in London's usual roles, with his characters' skewed view of love. I found the concept interesting, and it had it's spots of humor, but the best thing about it was a song called "Timebomb" by Flesh, which I cannot seem to find ANYWHERE. A "B" movie at best, I still can't stop myself from watching it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Walking monolith Dolph Lundgren is a tragedy-haunted explosives-removal expert on the search for a new type of landmine in the midst of a country devastated by warfare. Much mayhem ensues. This (unfortunately) topical premise is remarkably somber for the testosterone market, but what begins as an intriguing drama quickly turns into a by-the-numbers shoot 'em up. (An intricate opening crawl and a smattering of thoughtful dialogue throughout would seem to indicate that this project may have begun with somewhat more lofty ambitions before settling for the straight action route.) Mild thematic letdown aside, this still ranks as an above-average addition to the straight-to-video adventure genre, with a number of genuinely impressive action scenes, a refreshingly proactive damsel-in-distress, and a healthy awareness of the numerous physics-related implausibilities depicted within. (Mention should also be made of the marvelous African-tinged music score by Serge Colbert.) Lundgren may not be the most expressive actor out there, but at least the big lug knows how to get the job done and look good doing it. So does this movie. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Another baddie for Lundgren...
So here I am, writing another review for yet another Dolph Lundgren flop and there is little I can say about this film that I didn't say in my others. "Sweepers" is not only a bad movie, it's a bad direct-to-video. The plot, which is so predictable it hurts, concerns a mine sweeper whose son is killed one day by bad guys. Now there is a super mine out in the open and Lundgren must find it. The action is very badly directed and the story is very annoying, like a loud neighbor. I suppose if you like Lundgren, you'll like this movie. But everyone else will want to stay far away.

So bad I cannot summerize
This is not a typical Dolph movie nor is it a typical obscure film. I mean it's obscure, but not in a cool new find way. Perhaps it's due to bad writing and directing but it just seems so different in terms of dialogue and plot development. For most of the movie Dolph sits around and drinks but after about an hour he finally gets down to some action.

He also sounds different. His voice is gravelly. Like he's smoked 100 cigars a day for a decade. But I guess this is him just getting into character, too bad it's not interesting but it's nice to see the effort. There should plenty for Dolph to get his teeth into here and lots of opportunity for a hot-potato of a movie. Land mines are a delicate issue but at some point in the movie it all collapses into standard action-man territory.

The beginning is badly directed, some shootouts seems really false and the trailer is, by far, the WORST I have ever seen. The DVD has plain old stereo sound with a pan and scanned fullscreen picture. Avoid it.

Difficult to like.
This is not a typical Dolph movie nor is it a typical Hollywood film. It just seems so different in terms of dialogue and plot development. For most of the movie Dolph sits around and drinks but after about an hour he finally gets down to some action.

He also sounds different. His voice is gravelly. Like he's smoked 100 cigars a day for a decade. But I guess this is him just getting into character. Don't get me wrong. There's plenty for Dolph to get his teeth into here and lots of opportunity for a hot-potato of a movie. Land mines are a delicate issue but at some point in the movie it all collapses into standard action-man territory.

The beginning is badly directed, some shootouts seems really false and the trailer is, by far, the WORST I have ever seen but somewhere inside Sweepers is a great movie trying to get out. Look hard for it.

Image Entertainment's DVD is not so hot. It comes in a snapper (from before Image switched to keep cases) and is only in Dolby Stereo and is panned and scanned to fullscreen from the OAR of 2.35:1.

Politically Correct Dolph
I respect this movie because it deals with the problem of landmines in Africa. Whether or not you like Dolph or his acting, this movie is relevant and politically correct. It starts out pretty slow but ends with lots of action and has a couple of surprises in it. Dolph and his costar (Clarie Stansfield) look really good. The problems with the film are that Dolph's voice sounds like he had larangitus during the filming and the landmine they are in search of is supposed to be very sophisticated technology but is really kind of pathetic. On the other hand, in real life, by the time you get as close to a landmine as Dolph's character does in this movie, you are already dead or have at least lost a limb.

B-Class Movie
The low budget film fails on all angles to impress or entice the viewer. Everything is just so amateur. Feel free to hit the back button. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BAD STORY, BRILLIANT TIMING OF MUSIC
The movie kicks off brilliantly, but doesn't build upto anything, making the ending, a bit of a disappointment. The only possible things that could keep the viewer interested are the rather 'natural' feel of the movie, and its brilliant music.

The direction is good; infact, it seems quite amateurish. Deliberately done or not, this amateurish look of the movie, can be said as a bit of a saving grace and gives an 'edge' to the otherwise horrible movie. But, the story line is so weak, that even the best of direction cannot save the movie from sinking. Though the movie tries to conjure up'suspense' so that the viewer could look forward to at least something towards the end of the movie, sadly however, even before the 'suspense' begins, it is quite easy to figure it out, what it is going to be. If this is the case, then there is not much to look forward to, in the movie.

The bottom line: the movie has bad acting, good direction by a helpless director, and on top of it all, a really bad story line. However, the music and the timing of music is fantastic, one of the best, ever. One more thing: the 'car' is beautiful. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

umm Jason Priestley was good in it!
This movie has alot of action in it and a good story, kinda easy to follow, but it was just missing talent from other actors. See this if you're a big Jason fan, otherwise, skip it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Victims of the Pit
Intentionally or not Hostage Negotiator graphically exposes the small missed chances to turn the worst of all human tragedies into redemption. I can feel every bare emotion of Frank as he struggles to regain his footing, to retain his manhood, to blank away the hints of pity as a beautiful wife first passes him professionally and then becomes his better in front of all the world that matters. Of course, Teresa rushes to his aid, supportive in every way even when he is humiliated at the gathering by his peers. Her support is enough to hold Frank steady until Teresa unknowingly does the one thing that no man could bear: she stands in front of the man she loves high above him on the balcony, award in hand, and shares it with another man. I watched Frank on the screen, alone, hurt, humbled and emotionally skinned alive, watch his wife innocently embrace this man, nevertheless a better man, a man who could take his wife when the time was right.

From there the pit that surrounds Frank begins to turn and deepen. The fight is uneven at best, Frank can't open his heart to Teresa and seek the assurances he needs without the cost of his manhood. Then, the things that linger in the back of every man's mind begin the march from subconscious to conscious. The pit spins faster, deepening. Frank's calls for help, the clandestine photos, the accusations of infidelity all go unanswered. If Teresa had only, gently approached her husband, held him tightly and whispered the truth he needed to hear, the spinning would have slowed and the darkness would have stayed just that bit that makes the difference between lovers. "Honey, I know you're in pain, I'll do anything to stop it. You're the man I made babies with and the man I'll never leave. I'll always be only for you: in your home, with your children, in your bed and in your life." When this doesn't happen, Frank's calls for help turn to screams: "Oh God, help me, I can't stand to imagine my wife wanting to be alone with this man, this particular man. Any other man, God, any other but him." Even thought untrue, the thoughts of his wife being touched, her look of passion and the longing for more bring Frank to the bottom of the pit - no light, no air, no hope and finally -- the death of the marriage. Frank free-falls to a place that crushes everything he was and everything he could ever be. Then, like a bleeding, broken, tortured escaped prisoner he manages to crawl to the edge of the pit, back to Teresa with nothing but a pathetic hope. When Frank walks uninvited into the birthday party for Teresa, hears the plates clatter and turns to see the one man on earth he could not stand to have his wife, it ends, it all ends. This is the last place for Frank or for any man. Still Teresa follows him outside: "Frank I should have invited you, you're still a part of this family, the children love you they need you". But, think, how could this work? Imagine! Frank receives a call from Teresa at his dingy room fit for an ex-con to join the family for Christmas. When he arrives and has to ring the bell for permission to enter, the better man holds his wife, plays with his children and lives in his house - all while Teresa smiles - even at Frank. What can his mind do to survive: he sees them in bed - this time a reality. Is her new man larger than me? Is her orgasm stronger with him? What am I now, what can I ever be-now?

The final scene is preordained. Frank briefly holds Teresa's life in his hands but relents when she confesses: "Don't you get it, I loved you, there's not a night I don't lay awake in my bed and think about you, about our wedding, when our daughter was born. But Frank's mind wonders back to the scene he taped in the park. He sees Teresa with the other man, holding him, smiling and kissing him as they watch his children play. It helps to know that the man is with Teresa only because of Frank's failure to master the pit. Nice to know that Teresa's thoughts that night will be of Frank and the way it was. But no matter, the pit is too deep and the darkness too final.

Frank lays dead, never having heard Teresa cry. When the bullets tear into his skin, the last thoughts must have turned to what he has lost - to the knowledge that he will lie in a grave while one day Teresa and the man will find passion in the same bed and the same home where he made babies with his wife. They will see the birthdays of his children and the man will walk his daughter down the aisle, his memory will fade - just as if he never existed.

I can't imagine a greater tragedy. I remember Teresa's last conversation with Frank: "I know you don't believe me but I know what you're feeling - I do!" If this is true, why the smile on Teresa's face when she gets her job back and rushes downstairs to fall into the man's arms. I wonder if she will still lay awake that night thinking of Frank? Thinking if his pain has ended or if it somehow never ends.

What a movie this would have been if the raw feelings of Frank and Teresa could have been explored to an understanding from both perspectives. What a movie if somehow, Frank and Teresa could have mastered the pit and a man and a woman who fell in love and made babies together could have grown old and walked into the sunset, instead of a grave for Frank and a number-two life for Teresa.

This movie stumbled on the most central nerve that completes a loving man and a loving woman. I felt the pain when it was torn apart but never understood if it could be healed.

Great Thiller!!
The movie Hostage negotiator is a great thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat.It's a must see flick!! ... Read more