Hostage

In their latest quarterly report, BMW recently cited higher than expected launch costs associated with the new Z4. From looking at films like Hostage and Ticker, it's easy to understand why.

Hostage is a new breed of action shorts. By assembling John Woo's Hollywood A-list production crew, BMW along with Scott brothers Ridley and Tony have blended film and commercial into seemless product placement.

The premise of Hostage is not exactly treading on new ground. A disgruntled employee is holding his former employer in the trunk of his car, and high tide threatens to drown her unless the FBI, with help from Clive Owen's The Driver, delivers $5 million.

Woo's slick direction and gift of tension plays very well. Hostage is a taut thriller that both entertains and product places the new BMW Z4. No doubt the Driver films has already catapulted Clive Owen's career.

For those who question BMW's business acumen, consider how many car commercials lay casualty to the Fast Forward button. BMW has correctly identified his target demographic, high end yuppies with disposable income and broadband connection, and created an not easily forgettable product placement. Doubting Thomas' out there can surf the BMWfilms website for other shorts like Powderkeg and Ticker. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

As for the car itself, well, if only it were a Bull market....

Those words pretty much start off this nine minute BMW commercial with Clive Owen back as "The Driver."

He must race to help a kidnapped victim escape from the trunk of a car with only a cell phone to talk to her.

Famed Hong Kong director John Woo made this film, and that's pretty surprising considering it IS basically one long commercial.

But I'll be darned if it isn't one of the best commercials I've ever seen.

4/5 stars -

John Ulmer

I don't know who in BMW is responsible for the "Hire" series but this is the best advertising I've ever seen. No longer are we bombarded with logos and SELL SELL SELL BUY BUY BUY images. Rather, we get a nifty little story that really doesn't make much sense, but it's all in good fun. Other companies need to try this approach.

This short has probably the best car from the series in it. Of course that is personally so let's talk about the movie. Again it is pretty good. So far no short from the series has disappointed me. In this one a girl is held hostage and The Driver visits the guy who holds her. She is not there and the guy kills himself, now it is a race to the clock.

Very exciting and it looks beautiful.

Do not watch any of these films if you are expecting intricate plot or thought-provoking messages or deep characters. If you want a guy driving the BMW du jour around really fast, by all means watch this series of shorts.

In Hostage, the BMW du jour is the Z4. The chase is classic John Woo material, and the plot is simply stuck onto it, almost as an afterthought. That doesn't really matter, though. You can still enjoy it. It is a very good car chase.

In fact, it's fair to say this is not so much a short film as a very long BMW commercial. It works very well. I wanted to buy a Z4 after watching it, so I could drive around like a psycho. The movie makes it look fun, and it makes you have fun while watching it.