Beautifully shot in downtown Chicago, The Negotiator is one of my all-time favorite movies. Excellent dialogue, great acting, suspense and tight shots/twists make this a must-see for all movie-lovers.
And to top it off, it starts two of my favorite actors of all time: Spacey and Jackson, even though Spacey doesn't show up until a third of the movie is over.
That's okay, because after watching this, probably a dozen or so times, I always get completely enthralled in the suspenseful and gripping opening third and then, even when the movie's already near-perfect, in comes Spacey to add so much to the story. And he was absolutely perfect. His demeanor, smirks, dialogue, command and scene-stealing make this repeat viewing movie a joy each and every time.
This is not to take away from the other cast members, namely the always wonderful Jackson, who, once again, adds so much depth to a troubled man put into extraordinary circumstances.
After an example of expert hostage negotiator Danny (Jackson) in action of taking down a horrible person who put his child in danger, he learns of a corruption/conspiracy to rob the cop's retirement fund. Without much time to digest the information, he is framed for his own partner's murder. With only his wife on his side, he takes his accusers hostage easily since he knows all the tactics and "rules of engagement." He's a quick thinker and appoints Chris (Spacey) as his own personal negotiator who's immediately puzzled on how Danny's own "friends, coworkers and cops" want Danny to fail despite the efforts Danny takes to prove his innocence. From there, the onion peels to the conspiracy and who's involved and who will survive this ordeal to prove Danny's innocence.
Say what you will about this movie, its length or it's A-B-C mystery solved, it was a tight, suspenseful, original and extremely well acted and wonderfully written. Every few years, I revisit this movie and the lovely part, is I always seem to forget which of the cops on screen are involved and who's just trying to do their job.
I especially love the Chicago shots (one of my favorite cities) and the interaction, whether by phone or in-person, between two of the screen's legends: Spacey and Jackson. Whether or not this could really happen, I get lost in the fictional story and root for Danny and Chris who's caught so much in the middle. Spacey really shines and this smaller role for him should show his genius and fun he has in the movies. This is an absolute must see.
And to top it off, it starts two of my favorite actors of all time: Spacey and Jackson, even though Spacey doesn't show up until a third of the movie is over.
That's okay, because after watching this, probably a dozen or so times, I always get completely enthralled in the suspenseful and gripping opening third and then, even when the movie's already near-perfect, in comes Spacey to add so much to the story. And he was absolutely perfect. His demeanor, smirks, dialogue, command and scene-stealing make this repeat viewing movie a joy each and every time.
This is not to take away from the other cast members, namely the always wonderful Jackson, who, once again, adds so much depth to a troubled man put into extraordinary circumstances.
After an example of expert hostage negotiator Danny (Jackson) in action of taking down a horrible person who put his child in danger, he learns of a corruption/conspiracy to rob the cop's retirement fund. Without much time to digest the information, he is framed for his own partner's murder. With only his wife on his side, he takes his accusers hostage easily since he knows all the tactics and "rules of engagement." He's a quick thinker and appoints Chris (Spacey) as his own personal negotiator who's immediately puzzled on how Danny's own "friends, coworkers and cops" want Danny to fail despite the efforts Danny takes to prove his innocence. From there, the onion peels to the conspiracy and who's involved and who will survive this ordeal to prove Danny's innocence.
Say what you will about this movie, its length or it's A-B-C mystery solved, it was a tight, suspenseful, original and extremely well acted and wonderfully written. Every few years, I revisit this movie and the lovely part, is I always seem to forget which of the cops on screen are involved and who's just trying to do their job.
I especially love the Chicago shots (one of my favorite cities) and the interaction, whether by phone or in-person, between two of the screen's legends: Spacey and Jackson. Whether or not this could really happen, I get lost in the fictional story and root for Danny and Chris who's caught so much in the middle. Spacey really shines and this smaller role for him should show his genius and fun he has in the movies. This is an absolute must see.