History ShootTheHostage / FIlm

* In ''Film/{{Mirage 1965}}'', one the henchman shoots his partner without hesitation when the hero tries to use the latter as a HumanShield.

* ''Film/CityOfIndustry'': Near the climax, the bad guy of the piece, a robber named Skip Skovitch, goes back to his place to find his girlfriend being attacked by two members from a group of GangBangers he had hooked up with. After he immediately shoots the first, the second guy tries to use his old lady as leverage, only for Skip to just shoot them both in response.

* In TheFilmOfTheSeries ''Film/{{SWAT}}'', Brian Gamble solves the hostage problem by shooting the hostage taker ''through'' the hostage's shoulder. (He was actually trying for a headshot on the hostage taker, but the target was moving.) Predictably, this does not sit well with his hierarchy ([[HilaritySues or the hostage, for that matter]]), leading to both him and his partner Jim Street being kicked off the team.
* In ''Film/{{Taken 2}}'', Bryan tries to use a mook as a shield. His fellow mook guns him down without hesitation before continuing after Bryan.

* ''Film/Baahubali'': When the Kalakeyas unveil their hostages, the heroes shoot bolas at their legs: The hostages are left unable to stand upright and collapse, allowing the mounted archers to riddle the hostage takers with arrows.

** A villainous example in ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' when Bond has taken the BigBad's [[EvilGenius computer guy]] hostage, the villain combines this trope with [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Outlived Your Usefulness]] and shoots his own henchman once he's confirmed that he no longer needs the computer's guy immediate help (he can always hire another IT guy later).

** Film/JamesBond does this to M in a [[UnwinnableTrainingSimulation simulation]] in ''Film/DieAnotherDay''. The line "OnlyAFleshWound" does get used. And, as Q is played by John Cleese, it probably qualifies as a ShoutOut / ActorAllusion.

--->'''Bad guy:''' I'll kill her!\\
'''Bond:''' Allow me. [firefight begins]

* In ''Film/ThreeTenToYuma2007'', the plot gets started by Ben Wade's gang robbing a an armed carriage. After overtaking the carriage, one man attempts to hold a member of the gang hostage, only for Wade to shoot the outlaw and then the hostage-taker.

* The TropeNamer comes from a conversation in ''Film/{{Speed}}''. [[ChekhovsClassroom Shortly after that conversation, the situation describes happens]], with Harry as the hostage. Jack, true to his word (and at Harry's insistence), [[OnlyAFleshWound shoots him in the leg]], much to the hostage-taker's surprise (Harry's too, as he didn't think Jack would ''actually do it''). The villain learns from his experiences in their next confrontation and straps explosives to Jack's love interest, while holding a Dead-Mans Switch, making this tactic unusable.
* ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock''. When Valkris admits to Kruge she watched the top secret Genesis video, Kruge expresses shock and states, "Unfortunate". Valkris immediately gets the message that [[HeKnowsTooMuch She Knows Too Much]]. When the freighter captain is confused at the Bird of Prey circling away, he demands, "What's going on? When do we get paid?!" Valkris coolly replies, "Soon, captain." Boom.
* At the climax of 2007's ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'', [[spoiler:[=McClane=] is ''himself'' the hostage he shoots to kill the movie's BigBad, firing through his own shoulder to get the villain in the heart. He had already been shot in the shoulder once, and the BigBad was holding the gun to the wound at the time to torture him.]]
* The movie ''Film/HardBoiled'' [[spoiler:has the hostage shoot himself to hit the villain, also allowing Yuen to finish the villain off with a shot to the head. This scene may in fact have been the inspiration of similar action movie scenes made later.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'', Oscar attempts to fake this when the Sharks kidnap his girlfriend by having his "dolphin" partner pretend to eat her right on the spot (he grabs her in his mouth, but doesn't swallow) on his order to show that he didn't care. [[spoiler:Fails, as the "dolphin" is a vegetarian shark who is repulsed by the simple taste of fish. He spits her out along with the contents of his various lunches.]]
* From the 1994 film of ''Film/TheShadow'', a villainous variant:
-->'''Opium Farmer:''' ''(having just taken Ying Ko's accountant hostage)'' Even your men are not marksman enough to shoot around him!\\
'''Ying Ko:''' You're right. ''(to the accountant)'' Wu, you're a wonderful friend. You're like a father to me.\\
'''Accountant:''' Thank you, Ying Ko.\\
'''Ying Ko:''' ''(to his marksmen)'' Shoot ''through'' him.
* Happens during the end of the film ''Film/TheNegotiator'', in which Chris Sabian (Creator/KevinSpacey) shoots Danny Roman (Creator/SamuelLJackson). It's OnlyAFleshWound (as was intended by the shooter), but the villain thinks he's dead...which allows him to drop his guard when Spacey says he wants in on the take. Jackson's character's police radio is on, though, turning it into an EngineeredPublicConfession.
** Roman [[SubvertedTrope fakes doing this]] to one of his own hostages earlier in the movie in order to convince the police he's serious about his demands.
* In ''Film/TheUsualSuspects'', according to Verbal, Keyser Soze once saw his raped wife and children held at knifepoint by Hungarian gangsters. They kill one kid to let him know they're not fooling around. He kills the other kid, and his wife, and [[SpareAMessenger all but one Hungarian]], to let them know that he isn't either.
* Subverted in the original ''Film/RoboCop1987'', where the cyborg's first patrol ends in him shooting through the skirt of the attempted rape victim to hit the knife-wielding thug behind her right on his groin.
* Comes up a few times in Film/JamesBond:
** A villainous example in ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' when Bond has taken the BigBad's [[EvilGenius computer guy]] hostage, the villain combines this trope with [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Outlived Your Usefulness]] and shoots his own henchman once he's confirmed that he no longer needs the computer's guy immediate help (he can always hire another IT guy later).
** Another villainous example in ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'' when Bond grabs one of Renard's mooks in the sub as a human shield. The other mooks hesitate, but when Renard shoots the mook himself, the rest go with it.
** Film/JamesBond does this to M in a [[UnwinnableTrainingSimulation simulation]] in ''Film/DieAnotherDay''. The line "OnlyAFleshWound" does get used. And, as Q is played by John Cleese, it probably qualifies as a ShoutOut / ActorAllusion.
** In ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', Bond doesn't do this, but definitely indicates a willingness to do so, as he believes that the hostage is a traitor.
--->'''Bad guy:''' I'll kill her!\\
'''Bond:''' Allow me. [firefight begins]
* In TheFilmOfTheSeries ''Film/{{SWAT}}'', Brian Gamble solves the hostage problem by shooting the hostage taker ''through'' the hostage's shoulder. (He was actually trying for a headshot on the hostage taker, but the target was moving.) Predictably, this does not sit well with his hierarchy ([[HilaritySues or the hostage, for that matter]]), leading to both him and his partner Jim Street being kicked off the team.
* In the opening montage of ''Film/{{Soldier}}'', Creator/{{Kurt Russell}}'s character, an emotionless super-soldier, shoot a civilian to hit the enemy target behind in a shooting range. Later in combat, he shoots a civilian dead being used as a human shield by the enemy.

* In ''Film/ThreeTenToYuma1957'', the plot gets started by Ben Wade's gang robbing a stagecoach. After overtaking the coach, one man attempts to hold a member of the gang hostage, only for Wade to shoot the outlaw and then the hostage-taker.
* In ''Film/ThreeTenToYuma2007'', the plot gets started by Ben Wade's gang robbing a an armed carriage. After overtaking the carriage, one man attempts to hold a member of the gang hostage, only for Wade to shoot the outlaw and then the hostage-taker.

* In the second ''Film/CrocodileDundee'' movie, the drug lords are trying to find Mick in the bush, so they kidnap Walter both as leverage and as a tracker. Mic shoots Walter in the ear after the drug lord threatens to kill Walter if Mick doesn't come out. It saves Walter's life in the long run as the drug lord thinks Mic doesn't want them to have Walter to track him.
* In ''Film/{{Taken 2}}'', Bryan tries to use a mook as a shield. His fellow mook guns him down without hesitation before continuing after Bryan.
* The titular character in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfPlutoNash'' is lured into a trap by the BigBad's {{Mook}}s, so he grabs one of them as a BulletproofHumanShield. It doesn't work.
--> '''Pluto Nash:''' You have to shoot around your boy!
--> '''Kelp:''' It's easier to shoot ''through'' him! (''maniacal laughter'')
* Done by Lady Jaye in ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'' to [[spoiler:save the President who was held at gunpoint.]]
* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', when the Joker breaks out of his cell and takes Stephens hostage, Stephens tries to convince his fellow officers to do this, since he knew he was stupid enough to walk right into it.
-->'''Stephens''': It's my own damn fault! Just shoot!
* A variation in ''Film/HalfPastDead'': When the bad guys take control of Alcatraz, some guards manage to overpower two random mooks and hold them at gunpoint, demanding the BigBad to release an important hostage. True to his role, the Big Bad immediately shoots his own mooks, and then shoots the guards. Then the mooks suddenly get back up seemingly unscathed, and the Big Bad casually asks if they got their bulletproof vests on, to which the mooks enthusiastically nods.
* In the 1971 version of ''Film/{{Shaft}}'', the title character is attempting to get the kidnapped daughter and grabs one of the kidnapper's {{mook}}s, using him as a human shield to try and get her out of the place. The mook says it won't work, and he's right, the kidnapper shoots his own mook, grabs the daughter, and escapes but leaves Shaft alive because he has to report back to her father that she's still alive.
* In ''Film/{{Mirage 1965}}'', one the henchman shoots his partner without hesitation when the hero tries to use the latter as a HumanShield.

* ''Film/GiveEmHellMalone'': Malone takes [[spoiler: Evelyn]] hostage but Whitmore calmly kills her with a [[BoomHeadshot headshot]].
-->'''Whitmore''': Nobody's worth that much to me.

* ''Film/CityOfIndustry'': Near the climax, the bad guy of the piece, a robber named Skip Skovitch, goes back to his place to find his girlfriend being attacked by two members from a group of GangBangers he had hooked up with. After he immediately shoots the first, the second guy tries to use his old lady as leverage, only for Skip to just shoot them both in response.
* ''Film/AllAboutTheBenjamins'': During the climax, the BigBad has just proposed to his LoveInterest and had sex with her. Then they're ambushed by the protagonists, who take her hostage and threaten his "wife". He laughs at them and tell them she's not his wife yet, then shoots her in the head.
* ''Film/HanselAndGretelWitchHunters'': Muriel uses Ben as a shield and holds a knife to his throat. Hansel shoots him in the shoulder, which goes through and injures Muriel.
* ''Film/BlackPanther2018'': Klaue uses Erik Killmonger's girlfriend as a shield, but Killmonger shoots her dead before attacking him.
* In ''Film/FortyGuns'', Brockie uses Jessica as a human shield during his final showdown; mockingly saying that he wants to see Griff shoot through Jessica to get him. Griff does just that: shooting and wounding Jessica in such a way that Brockie is forced to drop her and leave himself exposed.
* In ''Film/EndOfDays'', Jericho puts a gun to Christine's head and threatens to do this in order to make [[BigBad Satan]], who needs her alive so she can be impregnated with the AntiChrist, to back off. Satan tries to call his bluff, but Jericho makes it pretty clear he's not kidding.
--> '''Satan:''' You're not gonna kill her.
--> '''Jericho:''' You said it yourself. ''[[GoodIsNotNice I have a dark heart]]''.

** A villainous example in ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' when Bond has taken the BigBad's [[EvilGenius computer guy]] hostage, the villain combines this trope with [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Outlived Your Usefulness]] and shoots his own henchman.

--->'''Bad guy:''' I'll kill her!
--->'''Bond:''' Allow me. [firefight begins]
** Film/JamesBond does this to M in a [[UnwinnableTrainingSimulation simulation]] in ''Film/DieAnotherDay''. The line "OnlyAFleshWound" does get used. And, as Q is played by John Cleese, it probably qualifies as a ShoutOut / ActorAllusion.

* ''Film/CityOfIndustry'': Near the climax, the bad guy of the piece, a robber named Skip Skovitch, goes back to his place to find his girlfriend being attacked by two members from a group of gangbangers he had hooked up with. After he immediately shoots the first, the second guy tries to use his old lady as leverage, only for Skip to just shoot them both in response.

* Another villainous example: In ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' when Bond has taken the BigBad's [[EvilGenius computer guy]] hostage, the villain combines this trope with [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Outlived Your Usefulness]] and shoots his own henchman.
* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', Bond doesn't do this, but definitely indicates a willingness to do so, as he believes that the hostage is a traitor.
-->'''Bad guy:''' I'll kill her!
-->'''Bond:''' Allow me. [firefight begins]
* Film/JamesBond does this to M in a [[UnwinnableTrainingSimulation simulation]] in ''Film/DieAnotherDay''. The line "OnlyAFleshWound" does get used. And, as Q is played by John Cleese, it probably qualifies as a ShoutOut / ActorAllusion.

* In both versions of ''Film/ThreeTenToYuma'', the plot gets started by Ben Wade's gang robbing a wagon (a stagecoach in the original, while it is an armed carriage in the remake). After overtaking the wagon, one man attempts to hold a member of the gang hostage, only for Wade to shoot the outlaw and then the hostage-taker.

* In ''Film/{{Taken}} 2'', Bryan tries to use a mook as a shield. His fellow mook guns him down without hesitation before continuing after Bryan.

* In ''Film/{{Red}}'' 2, Frank takes one of the mooks hostage at the start of the film. Horton shoots said mook after figuring out that Frank is still outnumbered 7-1 and handcuffed, forcing him to retreat.

* In ''AnotherFortyHours'', Eddie Murphy is taken hostage, and with his characteristically big mouth, asks the cop to "Just shoot me!" Which he then does. He doesn't even bother aiming for the legs.