Product Details

• Actors: Mickey Rourke, Anthony Hopkins, Mimi Rogers, Lindsay Crouse, Kelly Lynch
• Directors: Michael Cimino
• Writers: Joseph Hayes, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal
• Producers: Michael Cimino, Dino De Laurentiis, Martha De Laurentiis, Mel Dellar
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: July 8, 1994
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 079283495X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #484,368 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Desperate Hours [VHS]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Decent acting in dreadful movie!, July 5, 2009

By 

Morten Lokkegaard "Morten L" (Copenhagen, Denmark) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desperate Hours (DVD)

As other reviewers I picked this movie to watch due to the cast forgetting that particularly Hopkins really only made the big name for himself later in his career.... what a mistake. He plays decently though but were to my surprise overshadowed by Mickey Rourke's very realistic portrayal of a psycopath (in retrospect he does seem to feel right at home in such roles!).
The cinematography was nice showing beautiful scenery from Utah particularly in the beginning making us viewers wonder if this was a nature film we had ended up seeing... totally unclear what the director had in mind including this in a movie covering a hostage taking situation!
The smaller roles were however played poorly particularly the entire police force led by a woman who seemed as if she had been taken straight out of school play.. (You would think they could afford better with the rest of the cast in mind).
The worst part of the movie however was the completely unrealistic choices made throughout... other reviewers pointed several out already such as why the hostage taker lets one of his men go bringing along the body of a random victim, why he lets the daughter leave on a date (while not knowing the police was already onto him!) and last but not least why he choses to engage in hostage taking right after making a spectacularly unrealistic escape from prison!

Candidate for worst screenplay of the past century but compensated slightly by decent acting performances

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars War of trust is fantastic!!, August 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Desperate Hours [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Sir Anthony Hopkins plays a defense attorney trying to recapture a dissolving marriage. Escaping from court, a career killer, Micky Roarke, takes hostage Hopkins' wife, home, children, and increasingly tries for more. Excellent film on the depths of human spirit. Hope studios re-release!!!

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a GREAT film !, November 3, 2003

By 

kathleen m condon "mikenyc" (NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desperate Hours (DVD)

Despite some of the glib, cute, reviews here, the cast is strong, the story is strong, the direction is strong. For the money, it's a purchase you won't regret.

The whole point of the film, as any film, is to entertain. This effort delivers what it promises...a taut, tense drama, that entertains.

No one liked this film because Hollywood NEVER forgives Michael Cimino, and they successfully "buried" him with this film, and the public bought it, as these reviews here show.

It's our loss, but at least we have this DVD.