The Negotiator (1998) User Reviews

Samuel L Jackson rocks!

[lastliberal · 8/10 · 17 March 2007]

I do not know what it is about Samuel L. Jackson. No picture, and I have seen many: Freedomland, Shaft, Die Hard with a Vengeance, A Time to Kill, Pulp Fiction, and on and on, fails to excite, and this one is no exception. His interaction with another top negotiator, Keven Spacey, incredible as usual, after he framed by other officers for stealing from the policemen's disability fund, is brilliant. As he goes crazy-like-a-fox berserk in order to prove his innocence, he and Spacey play cat and mouse to solve the crisis. A wild ending and a super supporting cast, especially David Morse, John Spencer, J.T. Walsh, Paul Giamatti, and Paul Guilfoyle

Edge of the seat

[Sandcooler · 9/10 · 1 August 2009]

Samuel L. Jackson is probably one of the most awesome actors that ever lived, and his pure uncut awesomeness is captured perfectly in this well thought-out thriller. He's angry. He's looking for justice. Don't get in his way. The plot moves at a breakneck pace, and the length of the running time will probably go completely unnoticed because the direction looks so compact. This movie is over two hours long? I really have a hard time believing that. It just flies by, even though most of it happens in and around one location. With a build-up this exciting, the conclusion is usually a disappointment, but even that's not the case here. This is a rush of adrenaline captured on celluloid.

Good Solid Hollywood Entertainment -- No More No Less

[classicalsteve · 7/10 · 5 January 2008]

"The Negotiator" is neither a deep film that might cause serious contemplation of social issues nor a radically different experimental experience. It is simply a star-studded action thriller designed to allow the audience to escape into the world of Chicago hostage squad cops. A wrongfully accused negotiator/cop, played at about 300+ degrees Fahrenheit by Samuel Jackson matches wits with another negotiator, Kevin Spacey, who does his best to keep Jackson from reaching the boiling point. Briefly, Jackson is caught in the middle of an extortion scandal involving the lifting of millions of dollars from the policeman's pension fund. When Jackson's partner becomes aware of the secret heist, he is taken out, and the powers behind the white-collar corporate dealings use Jackson as the scapegoat. Jackson then retaliates by using extra-legal means.

What makes this movie are the performances by both Jackson and Spacey, with good performances by the supporting cast, including the late J.T. Walsch who made a career of playing heartless and emotionless middle-age men. And John Spencer is also involved as the Chief of Police, shortly before he was promoted to the White House Chief of Staff in "The West Wing".

The movie goes a mile a minute but is suffused with an interesting enough storyline to make it well worth the price of admission. Some of what happens is ludicrous when you really think about it, but you tend to just run with it. Not a bad way to kill two hours, and you could do a lot worse.

somewhat familiar setup made worthwhile by an excellent cast

[Special-K88 · 15 February 2002]

Lieutenant Danny Roman, just married and quickly becoming recognized as one of Chicago's top hostage negotiators, has his life turned upside down when he's framed for the murder of his partner and embezzlement of his department's pension fund. With the evidence piling up against him and unsure of whom he can trust, he resorts to desperate means by taking hostages himself and acquiring the services of unknown but equally skilled negotiator Chris Sabian in order to clear his name. Sharp, intelligent thriller should be your run-of-the-mill cop flick, but its plot twists are so convincing, its police procedures so realistic, and its acted with such great conviction that you don't want to miss a single moment of it! Jackson and Spacey ignite the screen, but they're surrounded by a top-notch supporting cast. A great piece of work from all those involved. ***

Conventional siege thriller, made better than expected by its actors.

[barnabyrudge · 7/10 · 5 September 2004]

In terms of plot and story development, The Negotiator offers little that is new. It's a very conventional film. However, it gets a much needed injection from its cast, especially the two leads Jackson and Spacey, whose verbal exchanges are exciting and dynamic.

The far-fetched yarn introduces us to Chicago hostage negotiator Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson). Roman's partner Nate (Paul Guilfoyle) is brutally murdered just as he is about to expose a bunch of cops who have been stealing from the Disability Fund. All the clues at the scene of Nate's murder point to Roman being the guilty one. Danny is arrested for the killing, but he remains determined to prove his innocence. He violently besieges the Internal Affairs division of the Chicago P.D, taking several hostages at gunpoint, and proceeds to demand that his name be cleared. Hostage negotiator Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) arrives on the scene to talk Roman into surrendering his hostages.

The ease with which Jackson's character is framed for a crime he didn't commit is hard to believe, and his subsequent decision to take hostages in order to clear himself stretches credibility to the limit. The solution to the mystery - with the revelation of the real killer coming right at the end - isn't especially believable either. However, improbabilities aside, The Negotiator is an entertaining work. As mentioned, Jackson and Spacey's confrontations are quite dynamic and help to make the film compulsively watchable. Siege thrillers by their very definition are exciting, and this one is no exception. Granted, The Negotiator is totally conventional fare, but within its limitations it remains a well-crafted, absorbing and agreeable offering.

Plot and Pacing on Point

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 26 June 2020]

From director F. Gary Gray and writers James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox we get a thriller of a movie involving a Chicago P.D. hostage negotiator who has been framed for his partner's murder.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Lt. Danny Roman, a savvy hostage negotiator who is the best in the biz. When his partner Nathan Roenick (Paul Guilfoyle) confides in him that the police disability fund is being raided by cops, Nathan catches a bullet and Danny is the fall guy. In an effort to get to the truth and clear his name, Danny takes hostages in the Internal Affairs Division office of the Chicago administration building.

Being that Danny couldn't trust anyone from his own department, he requests Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey), a negotiator from a different district. It would become a race between Danny getting the answers he seeks and the unknown crooked cops looking to take his life to shut him up.

I liked the plot and pace of the movie though I took exception with Danny's action at the end. Allow me to explain.

Danny has had the entire police force and even the FBI buzzing around him all night looking for an opportunity to blow him away. He finally gets the absolution he'd been looking for when his superior, Frost (Ron Rifkin), admits to stealing from the disability fund. While Frost is on the ground and totally defeated--and while dozens of cops are all facing Frost and Danny with weapons drawn--Danny picks up a gun and points it at Frost's head. The very act of picking up the gun was enough for an gung-ho cop to shoot him down. Are we to believe that Danny was smart enough to navigate that entire night without being killed, just to do something so reckless to potentially get himself killed? I didn't like it at all.

Having said that, that scene did not ruin the movie. SLJ and Spacey were excellent as was the plot. One, albeit, poorly written scene wasn't going to crash the entire movie.

An intelligent, taut thriller

[Arthur-23 · 11 May 2002]

Just when you think he's cornered, he thinks of a new strategy. Samuel L. Jackson portrays Lieutenant Danny Roman, police hostage negotiator. When he's framed for a crime he didn't commit, against his fellow police officers no less, he knows that the only way out is to bring in an equally tough negotiator, Lieutenant Chris Sabian played by Kevin Spacey, who's from another precinct and who therefore could not have been contaminated by the bad elements within his own force, which buys him the necessary time to bluff and blindside while he finds the clues he needs to prove he's innocent. Chicago is taken hostage along with the few people he retains as bargaining chips, and we are taken along for the ride. This was a masterful job of film-making from beginning to end. The characters and story were flawlessly developed. We don't precisely know who's guilty or who's innocent. Roman conducts his interrogation and trial while he negotiates with the police outside, some of whom are working overtime to eliminate Roman before he figures it all out. This all occurs right under the noses of the FBI who are in way over their heads and don't have a clue who's guilty or innocent, just like the rest of us watching. Along the way, we get to witness Roman lecture his underlings about the finer points of negotiations while he himself has just become a hostage taker. "Never say no!" he barks with effective zeal. And he tests his bewildered pupils continuously, who fail continuously. Only Sabian is smart enough to understand what's going on in Roman's mind. The strategy is shared by two men who think alike, who are under stress, and have an innate instinct for lie detection. The screenplay was terrific. The cinematography was effective. The acting of Jackson and Spacey exceptional. And the supporting cast, particularly bad-guy-turned-good-guy Paul Giamatti who provides great comic relief, was outstanding. If you're in the mood for an intelligent, taut thriller, The Negotiator delivers... 9/10.

Negotiate with your partner to make this part of your movie night

[thesar-2 · 9/10 · 21 December 2009]

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.

Longish but bright and extremely clever thriller.

[hu675 · 8/10 · 1 January 2009]

Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is a top negotiator for the city of Chicago but all things changes for the worse. When his best friend (Paul Guilfoyle) got murder by a mysterious shooter. Now Danny is accused of murder and for embezzlement as well. His best friend knew that some of his colleagues are corrupted police officers, he was going to tell Danny what was going on before he got killed. Danny has no other choice to take some hostages on a federal building including Internal Affairs officer Inspector Niebaum (The late J.T. Walsh), who might be involved with the death of his best friend. The only person that Danny could trust is another negotiator by the name of Chris Sabian (Two-Time Oscar Winner:Kevin Spacey). Chris might be the only man, who could save Danny's life and clear his name.

Directed by F. Gary Gray (Friday, The Italian Job "2003", Set It Off) made an entertaining, suspenseful, action-thriller with sharp performances by Jackson and Spacey. The director certainly has an eye for suspense and creating good action sequences. The movie has an strong supporting cast like David Morse, Ron Rifkin and the late John Spencer. The picture was well received by the film critics but it got lost, when it was released in the summer of 1998. "The Negotiator" was an box office disappointment but it did found an audiences on Video and TV.

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD has two featurettes, production notes, the original theatrical trailer and four trailers from the two lead actors. "The Negotiator" is certainly better than most action-thrillers has to offers these days. This movie truly does focus on character development as well. "The Negotiator" is certainly one of the most underrated movies of the 1990's. Paul Giamatti steals the show in his supporting role as a ex-thief turned informant. Super 35. (****/*****).

Good edgy dynamics once it gets going

[secondtake · 7/10 · 19 November 2010]

The Negotiator (1998)

I don't think I expected much more than a standard contemporary police corruption thriller, and this was better than I expected both in the story line (which has a couple great twists) and the acting and pacing (thanks to both Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson). It's not quite as intense or fresh feeling as "Serpico," one of the defining movies of this type, and it's longer than it needs to be (especially at the beginning), but it's as steady and convincing as most movies of this type.

Now it's worth saying that movies of this type (and let's be broad and include "Die Hard" and "Bad Lieutenant" in the mix) always stretch the limits of credibility, and if you don't like that, don't watch it. I mean, even the bad cops are kind of super cops, swirling in from helicopters and crashing through windows with their guns on fire. And Jackson, playing the embattled innocent accused, is more adept than even Bruce Willis, though a bit less fun for sure. If this were all the movie, it would be just passable, something on the level of the new "Take Pelham 123." But enter Spacey, and the whole meaning of the title shifts 180 degrees, and the edginess of the dialog ramps up a lot.

A good one.

Acting Duos...

[jpschapira · 7/10 · 10 May 2007]

An honest cop is an easy target, right? Well, this is what the trailer of "The Negotiator" states, but it also states a lot of more things; some which it shouldn't state. So my first recommendation is: don't watch the trailer of this film before watching the film itself…It will make it better. Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is a successful negotiator and, as it happens in these films, he's getting too close to something and consequences are ahead.

That's all you'll hear from me. After this main plot line, "The Negotiator" becomes a nerve- racking ride; with thrills all the way through and a very intelligent use of the general elements of the crime thriller. See, that's the thing about crime thrillers: they are always around the same kind of ideas and stories. I recently watched "Edison" and I didn't like the way it handled things; because it wanted to give an explanation to a conspiracy that was confusing and difficult to understand, sadly inside of a good script.

"The Negotiator" suffers from the same thing. However, writers James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox make it up with some beautifully written, gripping dialogue in a fantastic achievement; considering that one of them hadn't done anything before and the other had written "Jack". The screenplay of "The Negotiator" is probably what brings the rest to life.

It isn't the writers' fault but, although the cameras are well placed and F. Gary Gray's direction is accurate, everything feels a little bit like television (like in "SWAT"). I'm not saying this is a bad characteristic, because it doesn't make the film less dynamic and because the film is, as I said, intelligent; but it's ultimately disappointing. The music by Graeme Revell is one of the high points, with chilling strings that accentuate the characters' looks in the moments of tension.

These moments of tension also look like television, but we forgive it because we get some good intense looks. If "The Negotiator" is not good for everything else (which is not entirely true), it is good because of the actors (casting by David Rubin). Samuel L. Jackson is full of perfectly managed rage as Danny Roman, achieving a better performance than the ones he got in other movies where he carried guns, like "The Long Kiss Goodnight", "Rules of Engagement", even "Shaft" and definitely "SWAT".

A lot of the actors in the cast come from television or are now still on television (which may help the feeling I was talking about), like Ron Rifkin, John Spencer, Carlos Gomez, Nestor Serrano, Stephen Lee and Doug Spinuzza. They are all great, and so is the late J.T Walsh in a small role. Besides, Regina Taylor is powerful as Jackson the cold David Morse is astounding playing a kind of villain and showing he's one of the best for playing villains today; even in films like "Dreamer".

Paul Giamatti steals the show as a maniac hostage, which is a nice performance to see Giamatti before becoming the cult performer he is now. He was still good then. Siobhan Fallon is also flawless as a law-abiding secretary. But Jackson is the centre of the movie, alongside the other main character. Chris Sabian appears late in the film, but in the skin of Kevin Spacey he encounters Jackson's craziness and "The Negotiator" elevates itself into a whole different level. Spacey's facial expression and manner of talking and Jackson's unique eyes movement are just little details of their incredible performances and their chemistry.

Wonderful actors pay attention to details in movies. At least just to watch Spacey and Jackson, you can't miss "The Negotiator". It has one of the best acting duos I've seen in a long time.

Strong, Intelligent movie-making

[Shaf-2 · 9/10 · 8 August 1998]

The Negotiator presents us with both of two things in a summer full of flicks only containing one or the other: ambition AND intelligence. It doesn't have any qualms with taking a far-fetched concept and treating it with absolute seriousness, but unlike most movies that are willing to do this (especially some recent ones involving very large asteroids and very large lizards), it is able to pull it off by combining a tight script with strong, strong acting.

If this were a perfect world, Jackson would deserve an Oscar nomination for his performance here. There's no way on Earth he'll get it, of course, but he's given the difficult role here of playing a guy who has to convince the guys downstairs that he's a psycho, while convincing the guys he's kidnapped that he's innocent, and he does a flawless job of it. No easy task, especially when you consider the fact that he's got to throw in the occasional gunfight. At least he'll probably win the MTV award :)

What results is a skillfully made film. I enjoyed it. It made sense but kept me guessing, the action was intense but still followed logical patterns, and the ending was not a disappointment. An altogether fun experience.

Formula is fine when it works

[SKG-2 · 9/10 · 3 February 1999]

I understand from what I read about this movie that the original script concentrated more on talk and less on action, and I would have liked to see that movie. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Sure, it's a formula film, but there's nothing wrong with formula films when they're done well, and this one was. It helps, of course, when you have two great character actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey in the lead roles. Not to mention the other cast members, like the late, lamented J.T. Walsh, David Morse, and Paul Giamatti, who also appeared in two of the year's best films, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and THE TRUMAN SHOW. The film even had a fresh spin on the "bad guy kills himself rather than face prosecution" cliche.

Great Action Thriller!

[Jerique · 9/10 · 24 April 2010]

1998 was a great year for film. Armageddon came out to battle The Negotiator for the top blockbuster hit. It's clear to me that Armageddon takes the cake but The Negotiator shouldn't be forgotten being slightly inferior.

While The Negotiator wasn't filled with dazzling special and visual effects and didn't have the end of the world premise, it still delivers a high level action packed film with thrills and chills that place you on the end of your seat.

Immediately opening up with Samuel L. Jackson as Danny Roman negotiating with a hostage taker, we get a glimpse into the world of chaos and evil doings. After the words, "I'm not going to jail" are said, this movie goes round for round to keep your heart pumping faster and faster. You'll get chills and glue your eyes to the screen.

It's really a weird character, Danny Roman, as he's a protagonist but he's being viewed as the hostage taker throughout 75% of the film and thus he's also the main antagonist. Jackson's opposite in the film, Kevin Spacey really shines more so than anyone, I believe. Spacey plays Chris Sabian and he's edgy but still has a comedic relief in the film.

It's an educational film on a couple levels of how a hostage takeover is handled and a bunch of little extra things to learn too. Aside from the main actors of Jackson and Spacey, I really enjoyed David Morse as Commander Beck and Michael Cudlitz as Palermo. Michael really shines in his supporting role as the caring sniper who can't be against a colleague like Danny while Morse really plays the guy that we love to hate just because he's such a jerk.

It's got a lot of action for being such a claustrophobic film and mainly having two sets. Spacey really shines the most because, while Jackson is seen nearly 95% of the film, Spacey doesn't appear until almost halfway through the film giving him only maybe an hour of screen time. Supporting cast really help make the leads all the better.

Hardly any special effects, but what is seen is top-notch and the rest of the visual effects used are decent. Violence and profanity is kept to a minimum and it's really a dialogue oriented film. Spacey and Jackson on screen is something to behold and without these actors at each other throats, I don't think the film would be such a huge success. The Negotiator marks the moment of when I as a kid began to love Kevin Spacey's work.

overwrought thriller

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 10 September 2015]

Top Chicago police negotiator Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is warned by detective Nate Roenick that money is missing from police pension funds. Nate is killed and Danny is framed for it. Internal Affairs Terence Niebaum (J.T. Walsh) investigates. Offshore accounts in Danny's name are found. Danny suspects Niebaum's involvement and takes him, his assistant Maggie (Siobhan Fallon), police commander Grant Frost (Ron Rifkin) and petty criminal Rudy Timmons (Paul Giamatti) as hostages. Danny uses his negotiating skills to demand outsider negotiator Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) as he tries to find Nate's secret informant. Chief Al Travis (John Spencer) and Commander Adam Beck (David Morse) seems intent on taking down Danny.

Instead of suspense, this movie goes for overwrought thriller action. Samuel L. Jackson is in his full glory. It has its appeal but the central investigation holds very little interest. Director F. Gary Gray's music video roots are showing. It's fun overblown intensity but it doesn't stick.

Better than average thriller due to the dual energy of solid action and tow strong leads

[bob the moo · 15 November 2002]

Police negotiator Danny Roman's partner is murdered when he begins to find out more and more about embezzlement within the department. When Roman looks into it he is framed for his partner's murder as well as embezzlement. In attempt to clear his name Roman goes to see the head of Internal Affairs but finds himself almost unwittingly taking hostages and clearing the floor. With his SWAT colleagues stacking up outside and internal forces keen to enter the room and finish the siege at any cost Roman demands he only talks to Chris Sabian – an negotiator he can trust as he is from another precinct and not connected to those Roman suspects of being behind the embezzlement. A war of words begins between Roman and Sabian while behind the scenes some one seems happy for the siege to end in Roman's death.

On paper it sounds like a fantastic proposal – the fireworks of your average action movie topped with verbal sparring between two very well known actors who have great screen presence. It almost comes off as well – it does have moments of action and tension and the two leads do spark off each other as the tension builds. The plot itself is pretty formulaic but the delivery does help it rise above the norm. The action is good and the sense of tension is well sustained throughout the film.

The verbal sparring is good but not as overall as I'd hoped. For the most part the two leads are separated by space and this doesn't help. Happily both actors manage to carry their own bit of space well. Jackson is great as Cannon and feels increasingly fenced in as the film goes. Likewise Spacey does well as the scale of what he's dealing with becomes clear to him. The support cast is deep and all do well even if they have minor roles. Rifkin and Walsh are both strong and minor players like Morse, Spencer and, err, Giamatti all add class.

Overall this is not perfect and the long running time means that it does have it's dips. However the tension is pretty well worked and the two leads each hold their end up admirably. Not perfect but sparky and enjoyable none the less.

An expertly-crafted story enhances this hostage thriller

[Leofwine_draca · 9/10 · 3 September 2016]

This is a tense, exciting suspense thriller, one of those rare gems which turns up every few years or so to be forgotten by mainstream audiences and which is yet loved by all those who have seen it. This near-perfect film has a lengthy running time but never outstays its welcome, and comes across as a mixture of DIE HARD and DOG DAY AFTERNOON. In many scenes the tension is worked up to breaking point as things get more and more out of hand as time progresses.

Excellent performances also help to add to the entertainment level here, especially from Samuel L. Jackson as the negotiator turned hostage taker. Jackson is charismatic and likable in this particular role and has the viewer rooting for him throughout. Likewise, Kevin Spacey turns up and lends his usual cool charm to the proceedings, delighting in opportunities for his character to lose his temper at intervals and go off his rocker. A nice supporting case also flesh out supporting roles, including the ever-dependable David Morse, and the fantastic J. T. Walsh, whose last film this was, unfortunately.

There are a couple of hi-octane action sequences on occasion which appear to be a little cheesy, but this is mainly a thriller full of taut dialogue, loads and loads of plot twists, and characters who may or may not be as innocent as they first appear. I defy anybody to sit through this without getting engrossed in the expertly-crafted story and sucked into the situation. It's definitely one of my favourites of the decade.

OK, if nothing else. And it did affirm Paul Giamatti's presence on the silver screen.

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 6 June 2006]

For the most part, "The Negotiator" is kind of a cliché: a Chicago hostage negotiator (Samuel L. Jackson) gets framed for something and has to take hostages to prove his point, so another negotiator (Kevin Spacey) is brought in to talk everything over with him. But in this case, there's the interesting balance of both men trying to outdo the other. And among other things, this was one of four movies in summer, 1998, that affirmed Paul Giamatti's burgeoning presence in movies (the others were "The Truman Show", "Dr. Dolittle" and "Saving Private Ryan").

Anyway, this movie is worth seeing. You just might learn some good things about hostage situations here. Also starring David Morse and J.T. Walsh.

A Rather Unconvincing Thriller

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 24 October 2005]

Lt Danny Roman is a police negotiator who finds himself accused of murdering a colleague . He believes he's been set up and walks into his local station and takes hostages in order to uncover the truth

!!!! SPOILERS !!!!

I have a serious problem with this premise since it erases any type of internal logic . I can believe Danny setting all this up in order to uncover the real criminals but moments stretch all credibility . Danny is a negotiator right ? So surely he must know that the police department will talk to him without taking drastic risks unless he starts killing hostages . BANG Danny kills a hostage which means the SWAT guys are going to come crashing through the windows . Except Danny only pretended to kill a hostage thereby playing a trick on the audience . But the fact remains the cops outside think he's killed a hostage and unless he's trying to get himself killed he logically shouldn't have done that and this isn't the only bit where credibility goes astray . I couldn't help but gasp at the stupid ending where Chris Sabian shoots Danny in order to make it look he's gone over to the villains side . Think about it .Chris shot Danny and Danny plays dead . Danny is lying with a bullet in him not making a sound because if the villain thought he was still alive he'd pump few more bullets in him to make sure he's not going to tell tales . If you've not seen the movie yet let me explain that Danny is NOT wearing a bullet proof vest or anything like that and he has a bullet in him . If someone shot you in the stomach would you be physically able to play dead , not move a muscle , not scream in agony ? Danny can and it's yet another example of having to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy the film . It's one thing introducing shock twists and turns but not if it damages the credibility of the screenplay

Most people have praised the cast and Samuel L Jackson is every bit as good as you'd expect him to be . Spacey is as bland as always in my opinion and I'm surprised he was ever a highly regarded actor ( Though there's some justice that we see very little output from him these days ) while the supporting cast are just okay hindered possibly by their very two dimensional characters . Opinions about the film itself are very wide ranging with some people think it's a taut exciting twisting thriller while others describe it as a contrived clichéd movie and I'm certainly in the latter camp . As I said this is a movie that quickly falls apart the more you think about it

Tension Abounds.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 20 November 2012]

Samuel L. Jackson is a lieutenant on the Chicago police force. He's chatting with a colleague who tells him that he's discovered something wrong is going on with the police retirement fund. Some of Jackson's friends may be involved. Later, the friend has his head blown off, the police search Jackson's home and find evidence incriminating him in the skimming of money from the fund.

Jackson, innocent, bursts into a room in the police department and takes half a dozen hostages. Since any of his friends may be anxious to see Jackson killed, just to shut him up, Jackson demands that an outside negotiator be called in. The stranger is Kevin Spacey.

Jackson and Spacey, together with help from the skills and knowledge of the several hostages, discover the heavies and all is resolved, but not before tear gas, stun grenades, bullets, bloodshed, and the destruction of several items of office furniture that probably came from WalMart and are more easily replaced than the corpses.

It's really a tough film and it's filled with suspense. There are holes in the plot or, at any rate, questionable developments that are left unexplained. Two stone-faced FBI agents take over the situation, straight out of "Dog Day Afternoon," although it was unclear to me exactly what their jurisdiction is. Moreover, they call for an immediate "breach" of the hostage space, when, in fact, the FBI has a highly skilled division of negotiators.

It's filled with electrifying moments but it's a rather dumb movie too. Not because of the lacunae in the plot but because it sacrifices so much of the human dynamics for the sake of action. It's a crime drama that seems to yearn for action-movie status. When the cops breach the room, or when they try to sneak in, or when they surround Jackson and Spacey while they hurriedly try to collect evidence that would exculpate Jackson, there are simply too many explosions. The cutting is instantaneous. There are flashes of flaring automatic weapons; instead of a startling stun grenade there are half a dozen. The room is demolished by plunging bodies.

And, at the climax, when the principal heavy is on the lawn, wounded and surrounded by a horde of now wised-up cops, Jackson is allowed to pick up a pistol, walk in slow motion to the downed and grimacing villain, raise the pistol, point it at his head, he finally turns the weapon over to the Chief of Police without firing it. All this is in very slow motion, designed to draw out the suspenseful scene and keep the audience breathless. But how stupid do they think the audience is? Everyone knows that Jackson, a decent man who has been framed, is not going to pull the trigger now.

If the director wants to manipulate us, okay. But this sort of thing -- an abundance of fireworks and a stupid climax -- is cheap. Hitchcock would have handled it all with class. This is aimed at an audience that's assumed to need an adrenalin fix every few minutes.

Fantastic Film

[brinsleyb · 10/10 · 23 January 2005]

Anyone who says this film is not good must be crazy! The Negotiator has the complete package intelligence, love, anger,comedy,suspense and action. An absolute terrific film which as well as having all the characteristics to make a classic, it has the cast to match. Samuel L Jackson at his best playing the role as Danny Roman, a negotiator with nothing to lose but all to prove. Kevin Spacey shows a strong side of his acting ability and is terrific in the role of Chris Sabien, another negotiator who has the sole interest of getting the truth!. The film is full of so many twists and turns that makes it one of the best thrillers ever!!! GUARANTEE...THIS FILM WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!!!

Better Than Average Cop Film

[arthur_tafero · 5/10 · 16 October 2018]

Although this is great eye candy, and a better than average cop film, it is not a very realistic cop film. Spacey is good, and Jackson is very good. Too good. There is no such cop, and even if there were, they would never get out of this situation alive, much less on top. Getting over on a corrupt cop gang might be an extreme long shot, but getting over on a corrupt cop gang AND Internal Affairs? No way. No how. I give credit to the director for maintaining good pace and suspense, and setting up good shots on film, but the writers are falling a little short in the reality area. Maybe if they had stuck to one or the other (the corrupt gang OR Internal Affairs) they might have made it believable, but not the way it supposedly unfolds on the screen.

The Negotiator

[Coxer99 · 23 June 1999]

Fast paced, well made thriller about a framed police negotiator (Jackson) who takes hostages and demands to speak with a counterpart from another precinct (Spacey). Powerful performances from both stars and great support from Giamatti, Morse, Rifkin and the great J.T.Walsh who ignite the flame to this shocker from start to finish.

Keeps you guessing

[MarkEverest · 10/10 · 30 December 2006]

I know very little about the movie industry, directing, producing and the like but I know when I really enjoy a movie, and I enjoyed this one so much I am making my first ever comment on a movie on this site. Having just watched this movie for the first time, I have been riveted to my seat. The twists and turns were so good even I didn't know who to trust! I was wrong about some of the cops I thought were dirty, right about others and the end took me by surprise. Although a long film, the pace of events and quality acting kept me interested from the first minute to the last one. This is probably the best thriller I have seen this year and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good thriller with a few action moments thrown in intelligently for good measure. All credit must go to Samuel L Jackson for a great performance in playing a specialist police officer who finds himself an innocent fall guy, supported very well by the late J. T. Walsh, who seemed to always play dislikable characters. Jackson makes his character an actor himself, as a psychopath to the cops he holds at bay and a careful family man to his new wife whilst slowly but surely convincing his hostages of his innocence. Similar credit for great performances go to Kevin Spacey as the neutral respected negotiator dropped into a tense situation completely blind to events, and I have yet to see a poor performance by David Morse, who followed up this film with another good performance in "The Green Mile". My work as a real police officer in England seems so ordinary and boring by comparison!