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everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I just finished watching this film, for possibly the ninth time. Each and every time it entertains. Hollywood seems to have forgotten how to make action films like this one. A real story. Real characters and a story that is plausible. Imagine that? In this day and age, or cardboard characters, and cartoons that attempt to come to life, it is so refreshing. One of the last great films by Taylor Hackford, and a Gladiator type performance from Russell Crowe. Even David Caruso was good, though a little over the top.Crowe stars as a desensitized yet sympathetic kidnap-and-rescue specialist ("KNR" in the trade jargon) dispatched to an unnamed Central American country to negotiate for the return of an American hydroelectric engineer (David Morse). The man has been abducted by drug-running rebels looking to score a big ransom from his oil conglomerate employer. The country is very obviously Colombia. The ELT is stand in for the FARC. Meg Ryan plays Morse's distraught wife who grows to trust this brusque KNR man just as the oil company tries to weasel out of its responsibility, dismissing Crowe's high-rent expert and bringing in a crooked, inexperienced local yokel instead. The oil company execs are portrayed for exactly who they are. Weasels, and morally bankrupt, ethically challenged megalomaniacs. The government stooges are portrayed for exactly who they are. Men who care nothing for their people. It is all about politics, and as always, the people come last.But for the first time in his life (apparently) Crowe's conscience -- and Ryan's tenacity -- gets the better of him and he decides to secure Morse's return with or without company backing. Thus begins a lengthy game of who-will-blink-first negotiation that tries Ryan's nerves despite assurances that the threats, disquieting prisoner photos and outrageous demands are standard bargaining procedure. This begins to get a bit tiresome, but I went along for the ride. It may be somewhat genuine. Who knows?Deftly weaved into this home front story is the parallel plot which finds an increasingly scruffy Morse marched to a bemired hideout deep in the mountainous jungle for six inhumane months as a prisoner. David Morse is his usual self, with great acting, and as always, a tremendous presence. Inspired by a 1998 Vanity Fair article about real KNR operatives, "Proof" portrays an authentic sense of the danger inherent in this part of the world. The fear and anxiety of a kidnap victim's family comes through distinctly, as does the power of the kind of people who stare down kidnappers for a living.Crowe does a good job coloring in the mettle of his generically strong and silent type. Hackford's direction consistently rises above any script shortcomings and makes this film so watchable. In the wrong hands, "Proof" could have become a movie of the week or a B-grade action loser. While Hackford does stick to the Hollywood straight and narrow, he never allows the movie to become trite.This is an really great action film.

The opening scenes introduce us to protagonist Terry Thorne as he briefs his employers in London about a mission to free a hostage in Chechnya; Terry is an ex-SAS soldier who now works as a hostage negotiator. We are then introduced to the other protagonists; Alice and Peter Bowman; they are in South America where Peter is involved in the construction of a dam; although it looks like that may come to an end when the company he works for is taken over. The loss of the project is the least of their worries though; as Peter drives to work he is grabbed by rebels who take him to the mountains and demand a large ransom. Terry is called in to be the negotiator but not long after he arrives he learns that the Bowman's kidnap insurance isn't up to date and his new employer doesn't want to get involved. Luckily for Alice Terry decides to do the job anyway and he is soon negotiating with a representative of the rebels. Peter meanwhile is moved on to a camp in the jungle where he befriends a German hostage. Day, weeks and months pass as the negotiations slowly proceed; then the two hostages escape… the German gets away but Peter is seriously injured and recaptured. To make matters worse the negotiations stall; Terry, his friend Dino and a small group will have to go into the jungle and extract him.This was an interesting story which avoided several clichés; it didn't take place over the space of a few short days and violence was the last rather than the first resort of those seeking to free the hostage. The relatively slow pace of the negotiations gave us a chance to get to know the characters and gradually raise the tension. The scenes of Peter's captivity were believable and at times gruelling. When the action comes it is short and sharp without excessive explosions and an unbelievable number of bad guys to kill. The cast did a solid job although I wasn't sure about the supposed romantic subplot between Alice, played by Meg Ryan, and Terry, Russell Crowe… it seemed both superfluous and low key… almost as though somebody told the director to add a subplot he wasn't interested in. The remote Ecuadorian scenery looks fantastic without it feeling as though the tourist board had selected the locations; they also add to the feeling of isolation for Peter. Overall this is a pretty good film; I was surprised I hadn't come across it till I found the DVD in a charity shop bargain bin! It is certainly worth a watch.

Tony Gilroy (screenwriter of Michael Clayton and Bourne Identity) based the script for this film on a magazine article in Vanity Fair (Adventures in the Ransom Trade) about the kidnapping and ransom industry in Latin America as well as a first-hand account of an international businessman who had been kidnapped for nearly a year by a paramilitary group (Tom Hargrove's book "Long March to Freedom").The article and first-hand account which the film's script is based on had a tremendous amount of potential for a film that was both enlightening and action-packed.As it stands, the film still delivers but it isn't a particularly memorable film. The film splits its time between an imprisoned David Morse (playing a more movie-friendly version of Hargrove) on one end and Meg Ryan, David Caruso and Russell Crowe on the other trying to save him from Columbian guerrillas. The scenes of Morse don't fare as well because there was less opportunity for dialogue between him and his captors so it was hard to get a sense of his inner monologue and struggle.On paper, the delicate balance of professional admiration and lust in the relationship between Terry (Russell Crowe) and Alice (Meg Ryan) was captured much better in the script than on screen. It's ironic because the two were romantically off the set, but I don't think Meg Ryan conveyed that delicate balance as well. Actingwise, the film still had some great moments. Russell Crowe is great as always and there are a few moments in the film where he blows you away.Also, if you have an interest in the consequences of the unsteady political regimes in Latin America (like me), this would especially be the film for you.It's also worth mentioning that I've read a copy of the script so that affected my judgment of the film

I just saw this movie early this morning, loved it and really needed to share my personal analysis of its message. This version of "The Trial" by Franz Kafka was by far one of the most positive, human and smile-inducing versions I have been blessed enough to see in all of this horribly depressing year . And it isn't a parody. Kelly's Heroes is still my favorite, as it is more the journey shared after all came together to bring their separate trials to an ending that gave them all the dignity they deserved. Most people are not what I consider really thinking 'OH..."Trial" or "Apocalyse"' when they watch movies. It's a thing I do...but it's better than being scarred for life so I don't feel too abnormally plugged in to those themes out of my own misery, exactly. The film's particular take is what I find most interesting as it's always completely new! No wonder the connection usually isn't seen by normal people. I have my reasons.I really enjoyed the metamorphosis in Meg Ryan's spoiled and somewhat selfish character. The whole ordeal made her grow up and showed how much their marriage was taken for granted until they finally got some real problems to flip out over. Her gradual change from ignorant and naive bitch to grateful and emotionally invested friend to the man who, lets face it...is basically an angel in human form. The kiss, in my opinion, was less about any romance that a married woman and a man who wouldn't do such an ethically dubious thing as to TRY TO TAKE A MAN'S WOMAN WHILE SAVING HIS LIFE. His professionalism never wavered. Can a huge break in that obvious level of honesty and selflessness be seen as romantic in nature? Give me a break, people! He was going to kiss a pretty woman before he died, as the mission was certainly one that would have brought that at any time. Besides, he really did develop a love for her that was less about attraction than a shared experience full of sacrifice, intensity and real dedication to family. The French prisoner; an Oddball, yet more annoyingly optimistic in his schtick like Roberto Bergnini in "Life is Beautiful". at one point when speaking to Meg about her Husband, which was weird to me in its obvious bull, seemed like a sweet attempt to give her a more saintly, detailed and less miserably hard last impression of her husband's character and great help to him. He thought for sure he might be dead, after all. This is what normally happens to prisoners in such extreme circumstances. The Foreign Legion veteran is just too genius to NOT be another angel in human form. He had that "mentally gone" act down so easily that I had to wonder if he wrote the book on military tactics. Brilliant person of an obviously impressive amount of experience, and here is the guy he can not only educate and befriend but make an escape a possibility. Two heads were obviously necessary to get anywhere near hope in this miserable "Blood Diamond"-like hell. When a whole country is drained of fear or slave labor to a Dictator/Gangster that works close enough to American Oil and other government agency interests to be equally f*cked by them completely, how is an end to it ever plausible without extra special people? This is saying just how much really is expected of all people involved here. I can't stand vain people who do nothing at all that would be considered an actual act of bravery or sacrifice, but openly and easily throw such words around (or their sycophants, friends or otherwise cover-up people) in any reference to themselves as if the act of saying it made it so. These types could be easily inserted into the QUAD/OCTONAL "geometrically doubling in it's bigness" pipeline for oil-interested Devils. These incredibly phoney rich folks suck more than the quality of their dinner conversation. Liars and heartless dictators bathe in more money than they know what to do with, while those that can do better wind up like our couple here.The final rescue mission is the most reminiscent of Kelly's Heroes for me, as the very level of Special Ops skills and divinely inspired badassery was this character's same skill set, minus the humor. Nevertheless, this movie doesn't wear me down with more violent and demoralizing torture or violence, leaves the focus of its ending on the actual emotional investment made by our hero in his total,unspoken promise to protect and help this family, but carried to the completion with such unwavering commitment that Meg's awe at the miracle they were given is difficult for her to verbalize. Yes, I know that to see a person do that, much less have one save your own ass is not likely for most people. Still, I needed to see it today really badly. Hope is not a thing that is easily given in my world. This movie has it.