Review of Proof of Life (2000) by Kevin O — 22 Feb 2009

Average movie concerning kidnappings of industrialists in South America for ransom to finance revolutions. Russell Crowe plays a former SAS officer who specializes in negotiations for ransom demands across the world.

We see him early on in one of the former Soviet Republics negotiating a deal and escaping successfully and then to London, UK where his employer's head offices are based. He comes to the assistance of Meg Ryan whose husband, the highly underrated David Morse, an American industrialist has been kidnapped and held for ransom.

Crowe decides once his employers decide that this mission is no longer feasible to pursue this unfinished business and assist Meg Ryan. He enlist the support of some American soldiers led by David Caruso.

The film moves slowly at first but the action is unfortunately a little too late near the end (and seemed to rip-off some great scenes from 'Predator'). Director Taylor Hackford quite does not have the same magic that he once did in the 1980s with 'An Officer and a Gentleman' or 'Against All Odds', but this is better than ' The Devil's Advocate'.