'The Hostage Diaries' tells the story of journalist Sean Langan, who was kidnapped by the Taliban fighters he'd gone to Pakistan to interview. The film isn't badly done: indeed, Douglas Henshall is quite convincing in the lead role, and its portrayal of the mechanics of the situation is solid, but it lacks both piercing insight and dramatic narrative, and isn't quite personal enough to work as a wholly character-driven study either. In some ways, it felt short on material, in part due to editorial choices: the details of life in captivity are dealt with summarily to some extent, while space is made for emotional music and sentimental musings over Langan's family. A tighter focus on the everyday reality of Langan's existence might have packed more of a punch.
Review of The Kidnap Diaries
