Shoot The Hostage

Before we turn our thoughts to the next season, it's time for a bonus show plucked from the depths of the Patreon feed. 

To coincide with the release of Bugonia, we thought we would share our episode on Kinds of Kindness from 2024. Yorgos Lanthimos is pumping them out at the moment and we're very comfortable with that. One a year, every year we say. That is until he directs a Marvel movie.

We are back next Monday November 24th for season 13 which is all about True Crime movies.

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 13? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

This episode was first published on Patreon and is an example of the extra content you can get over on our £3.00 a month tier. If you sign up for that you'll get access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month.  

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

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We're back for the final level of video-game movies with our best of show where we've pieced together our favourite clips from the season. 

To recap, the season looked like this:

Join us as we revisit some of our favourite conversations including:

We are back on November 24th with Sarah's true crime season and our first episode is all about the Christmas holiday funtime feel-good movie Snowtown. Be sure to join us then!

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 13? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops.

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

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After an entire season of Video Game Movies, it’s safe to assume that Sarah is ready to move on to her choice for season 13. But before we allow her to do that, we’ve got the season 12 wrap show to consider.

In the usual wrap show tradition, we speak about the low points, the high points (yes, there are some) and what it is about video game adaptations that make it so hard to make a good one. It’s basically a one-on-one therapy session to help purge the stench from our systems and cleanse our souls for the next season.

What else to expect from the episode:

We shall return!

November 24th sees the beginning of season 13 which Sarah gets to choose this time. Be there or be square!

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 13? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops any day now.

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Welcome to the final battle of Dan’s season of video game movies, where we tackle the quintessential 90s movie adaptation of Midway’s hyper-violent fighting game, Mortal Kombat (1995).

We’re closing out the season in style – or perhaps lack thereof – with the second appearance of director Paul W.S. Anderson (see our episode covering Resident Evil at the beginning of the season). Dan admits this computer game adaptation is effin stupid but still finds it fun and iconic. Meanwhile, Sarah is glad it’s over for fear of any more video game movies potentially invoking mental illness upon her.

This cheesy 90s action film was a massive box-office success, grossing over $120 million on a $20 million budget. We discuss the perplexing decision by New Line Cinema (who built their brand on Freddy Krueger!) to water down the signature violence and force a PG-13 rating, denying the R-rated fatalities the source material demands.

Dan defends Anderson’s work, noting that the director adapted his methods on set as advised by proficient martial artist and star Robin Shou (Liu Kang). We marvel at how much dedication Christopher Lambert (Raiden) had for the project and celebrate the fact that the film features some of the first major Hollywood wirework.

However, we can’t stop asking: What exactly is Goro, the animatronic monster that ate 5% of the film’s budget? We scrutinise the confusing plot, the jarring CGI and why the usually badass Sonya Blade (Bridget Wilson Sampras) gets sidelined and forced into a dress. Listen as Sarah unleashes a final FATALITY on the season’s terrible musical selections, citing the theme song as the worst soundtrack of the season–a claim Dan aggressively disputes.

What to expect from this episode:

Sadly, that concludes Dan's season of video-game adaptations but fear not, for we will return on November 24th for a brand new season and a brand new theme, as chosen by Sarah. Be sure to listen right to the end of this episode to find out what she has in store. 

If you would like to find out the full lineup for the next season, sign up to Patreon as a FREE member to see the schedule when it drops, in a few weeks. If you have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

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After discussing Lara Croft to death last episode, this time we felt the Need for Speed as we start the engines on our episode covering this largely forgotten car movie.

We shifted gears this week to Need for Speed (2014) which is a video game adaptation focused on illegal street racing and other related and non-related crimes. We spend a chunk of time analysing some of the strange casting choices, from lead Aaron Paul failing to ignite the screen with Imogen Poots, to the baffling inclusion of a disheveled Michael Keaton playing an anonymous radio commentator. We will, inevitably, unpack the horrifying behaviour of Rami Malek’s character, Finn, and try to remember Dakota Johnson’s entirely forgettable character.

What to expect from this week's episode:

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

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Welcome back to Shoot the Hostage for the 6th level of our video game movies season! This week, Dan and Sarah step into Croft Manor, ready to spill the pixelated beans on 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Beware of potential spoilers for the film and the first two Tomb Raider games.

Directed by Simon West, we ask why this computer game adaptation failed to capture the mood of the 1996 game, having missed the memo on atmospheric puzzle solving in favour of action. We delve into the games origins and discuss the troubled production of the Tomb Raider games (the first three anyway). We critique the accents from Jolie’s suspect English cadence to Daniel Craig’s strained American attempt (whose character name had to be changed at the last minute).

What else you can expect from this episode:

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

We’re back for another episode in our season of video game movies and this week we’re Grid-locked in to talk about Tron: Legacy (2010). First-time feature director Joseph Kosinski was handed a massive budget and a cult classic to make sequel to. Did he succeed? Or was it user error?

We talk about the uncanny valley of Jeff Bridges’ de-aged face and attempt to understand why Flynn went full cult leader for a thousand years in a computer. We also talk how unphased some characters are despite being magically transported in and out of computer programs willy nilly.

What to expect from this episode:

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Welcome back to Shoot the Hostage, it’s the 4th episode in our season exploring the world of video game movies, and this week, Dan and Sarah are vaulting their way through the absolute mess that is Eli Roth’s 2024 Borderlands adaptation! No holding back on this one.

As a fan of the Borderlands game franchise, Sarah hoped for great things from this computer game adaptation, but it left her bitterly disappointed. Dan, meanwhile, just wants a signed agreement in blood to ensure this is the last Kevin Hart movie they cover. They’ll dive into why this $115 million budget disaster only pulled in $33 million at the box-office, questioning every decision along the way, including the alleged dog-poo inspiration for Claptrap.

Join them as they dissect the wildly inappropriate PG-13 rating for an 18-certificate game, the baffling casting choices (Cate Blanchett we love you but WHY) and where this game adaptation fits into the plethora of video game movies.

What to expect from this Borderlands episode:

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

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We’re back for the 3rd instalment of the season, diving into the often cursed realm of video game movies. This week, we’re dissecting the very recent movie adaptation of the cult classic interactive horror game, Until Dawn (2025).

Will this adaptation keep you awake Until Dawn, or will you be begging for bedtime? The film, directed by David F. Sandberg (Lights Out, Annabelle Creation, Shazam) takes a bold swing, opting for a time-loop mechanic, a decision considered a departure from the game and a choice Sarah has opinions about.

What to expect from this episode:

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Join us as we explore the film’s cast, from Travis Fimmel’s Lothar to Paula Patton’s Garona, and the king himself, Dominic Cooper. We’ll also dive into the surprisingly stellar CGI for the Orcs (shout out Tobey Kebbell’s incredible mocap performance as Durotan!) contrasting with some of the physical sets, props and costumes.

Here’s what to expect from this week’s expedition:

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube