Five Desperate Hours (1997 TV Movie) User Reviews (4)

Guilty pleasure

[onosideboard · 7/10 · 11 January 2007]

OK, I admit it... for pure entertainment value, this made-for-TV movie came through. I wasn't expecting much from a hostage movie, and had to roll my eyes when it was the clichéd African-American criminal taking the suburban white woman hostage. But, against my will, I totally got sucked into this movie. Taken hostage by it, if you will. (Ha ha ha).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not denying the movie isn't cheesy as all get out. It is. But something about it just made me unable to change the channel. It might have been Giancarlo Esposito, who was absolutely fantastic. Sharon Lawrence did an alright job, but Esposito just completely stole show.

I don't think this is really a spoiler, but I will confess to having actual tears streaming down my face at the end.

Not everything is black or white, everything is a grey area...

[David.S · 8/10 · 13 April 1999]

This movie really surprised me. It was a lot better than I originally thought it would be when I read about it. I thought it would be a cheap rip-off of films like `Desperate Hours' with Anthony Hopkins and Mickey Rourke, but it certainly was not. While `Desperate Hours' had a very predictable plot where the characters didn't change much throughout the film this one was totally different. The thing I liked most about `Five desperate Hours' was that we got one picture of the two main characters going in and during the film they changed so much that they were completely different ones going out.

I think it's important to show that not every criminal is completely `bad' and not not every `normal' human being is just that, `normal'. There is always a story behind what we see. In `Desperate hours' the bad guys were bad and the good guys were good and when a whole film takes place inside a room or two it gets boring. For a movie to get good in such a confined area there has to be a lot of character development, and this one had just that.

How would you survive being held hostage in your own home?

[akong126 · 22 October 2006]

I've seen this movie twice. I think it's a good movie. It is about how Claire (Lawrence)is held hostage in her home by a strange man named Joseph who is armed with a rifle. Upset and scared, Claire gathers up the courage and strength to help her captor surrender to the police. The movie shows how one can endure being in a dangerous situation and eventually get out of it. I liked the house that Claire lives in because it seems cozy and hidden away from paparazzi. I think this movie has great all-star cast. This movie is similar to an episode I saw of Law & Order. One lesson from this movie is that one should think about how committing suicide will impact others.

DEEP MESSAGE.... +Underrated!!!

[bronzesrv · 10/10 · 28 July 2019]

This was a great movie that really pulled at your heartstrings! And also was a true story. And the people in the movie remained true friends in real life. Very touching, very deep message that makes you think. I wish I could find this on DVD this movie should have been bigger.