This, in my opinion, is a good film that could have been a very good film. I don't agree with the pundits who say it is too slow. The negotiation part of the film, was an integral part of the film. We needed this, to understand the mentality of the hostage takers. Where I think it could have been improved, was to have had the leader of the guerrillas portrayed as a stronger Castro type of character, possibly discussing the rights and wrongs of his actions with Bowman, who seemed to be an altruistic type person. I loved the scenes in the Colombian jungle / mountain areas. Every time the film cut to these scenes, I felt as though I was there. The interaction of Bowman and his captors was riveting. Even the interaction of the captors and their leaders was great. I loved the indiscipline of the captors, especially the scene where the main captor went crazy after a night on the "cocoa", and shot his own man in the leg. He didn't face a court martial, but an instant decision, downgraded to look after the pigs. Great stuff. David Morse's performance as Peter Bowman, an every day guy stuck in the midst of this "hostage game" was brilliant. The way he was transformed into a mud spattered , beard growing wreck, trying to keep his sanity, by remembering his wife and lost child, knowing that he was just a pawn in the game, who could be shot at any time. I think that he, more than Crowe is the reason that this is a good film. Like most good films it establishes the character of the protagonists early in the film. We see how good Terry Thorn (Crowe) is at his job of hostage negotiator, with the ability to turn into a "Jim McClain Character". Bowman is being **** on from a great height by his employers, and his wife (Meg Ryan) is feeling the strain of being dragged around the world to follow her husband's job, possibly more than just her husband. I can't understand why the director / writers didn't allow Thorn and Alice to get it together. After all he was a red blooded male, who didn't appear to be getting much prior to their meeting. She was a frustrated wife who's husband had been neglecting her for his job. They were thrown together for a very long time. This might have established the fact that Thorn wasn't the perfect English gentleman, and allowed us to think he might have second thoughts about bringing Bowman back. The final Rambo type scenes are done really well, with all the discipline of an S.A.S raid. Not a great film but a good almost very good film. I don't know why Alun Armstrong was in this film. Meg looked gorgeous in this film.
Review of Proof of Life
