Python Hyena
The Negotiator (1998): Dir: F. Gary Grey / Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, David Morse, J.T. Walsh, Ron Rifkin: Everything about this film has been borrowed from other films. The plot is every bit as familiar as a Jehovah witness coming up the walkway. We know at first glance that this film is about the kind of compromise that runs deeper than your run of the mill deals. Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey play negotiators who must rely on each other. Jackson's partner is shot dead in his car and he arrives in time to be arrested. He knows that he is being set up so he takes some people hostage in the precinct. He demands that Spacey be the negotiator. Pure formula to the highest degree of amateur screen writing, but well directed by F. Gary Grey who can only hope that his next project has a more ambitious screenplay. Spacey and Jackson are two fine actors typecast. Jackson played a role similar to this in A Time to Kill where he was also on trial for murder. The two leads are deserving of material that compliments their abilities better than what is given here. In dreary supporting roles are David Morse and J.T. Walsh. Sometimes the film establishes effective dialogue regarding negotiations before resorting to the standard run of the mill action scenes. Perhaps the filmmakers should have negotiated something without the clichés. Score: 2 / 10
Thomas Drufke
In the decade of exploding action films with plenty of clichéd characters and plot points, The Negotiator manages to avoid most of the predictable moments and keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the film. This was also the beginning of the endless Samuel L Jackson action flicks with an overwhelming amount of quotable lines. But as much as I liked Jackson, I loved the supporting cast. When you have people like David Morse, Paul Giamatti, and Kevin Spacey rounding out the cast, the film is in good hands.The film tells the story of a police negotiator who gets his world flipped on him when he is accused of murdering his best friend and corruption and is forced to take matters into his own hands. I like the idea of having what you try and stop everyday as a living, end up being the very thing you're doing to prove your innocence. It's an added bonus that the film takes place and is filmed mostly in Chicago, my hometown. There are the inevitable slow-motion shots and occasionally questionable one-liners, I think the film tends to stay away from the grain. The story definitely seemed fresh, and the back and forth between Spacey and Jackson was the best part of the movie.I will say I was pretty worried about how the film was going to end knowing the whole movie took place in one location. But I feel the movie tended to get a little bit obsessed with itself towards the climax. A few of the characters motives were questionable at best and it felt melodramatic at times. With that said, this is definitely one of those movies that if it comes on T.V., I probably wont want to turn it off as it has endlessly re-watchable scenes with classic Spacey and Jackson performances, not to mention just how funny Giamatti is here as he is the one and only source for comedic relief.+Spacey & Jackson dynamic +Chi-town +Giamatti is hilarious +Tends to stay away from the clichés -Melodramatic towards the end -Some character motives 7.6/10
bylwen
(Un)spoiler #1 : hero is negotiator in a tense hostage situation. So it will be either cliché # 1a : it turns good, hero remains hero and will have serious problems afterward but still wins at the end cliché # 1b : it turns bad. ex-hero will need rest of the the movie to redeem himself, wins at the end, but perhaps dying in the processBingo! It's cliché 1a, at least first part(Un)spoiler #2 : hero is informed of some kind of conspiracy by his partner. So it will be either cliché # 2a: partner is going to die sooncliché # 2b: no cliché # 2b availableSurprise: It's cliché # 2a(Un)spoiler #3 : partner asks hero to rejoin him at some nowhere in the middle of the nightSo cliché 2a rejoins cliché 1a : hero will be framed for partner's killingNow hero becomes hostage taker, an other negotiator is called on and the movie can drag and drag and drag and drag and drag and drag and drag and drag and drag and drag, and include some stupid scene with the hero's annoying woman and drag and drag and drag and drag and drag and drag with more clichés on the way (faking an hostage killing for example and drag and drag and drag and dragand eventually come to a stereotyped happy end, including comeback on screen of that annoying womanBut when you look at recent movies, this one has at least some technical qualities. Competent actors, no CGI and no shaking cameras
Minahzur Rahman
The Negotiator is a very good and successful Crime film filled with lots of action and mystery. The story is about a Police Negotiator known as Danny Roman (Samuel L Jackson) who is 'apparently' accused of corruption and killing his partner. Danny Roman (Samuel L Jackson) strongly believes he is innocent and that some members within his police force framed him for these crimes for various reasons. He then sets out to prove in a hard way that he was being set-up and to do that, he holds some hostages at a building until his demands are met. Danny Roman then demands certain conditions to be met and one of them is for summoning an indifferent Police Negotiator called Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) who works for a different police force. This is because there are some fellow Police members within Danny's (Samuel) force that apparently set him up and he cannot trust his own team to openly handle this major situation Danny (Samuel) has put himself in and demanding decisive answers from them too. Danny (Samuel) believes that without Chris (Kevin) taking charge then some members within his own team that apparently framed him will try to kill him because of the conspiracy Danny (Samuel) is trying to solve with hostages in his presence. Chris Sabian (Kevin) is his one and only hope Danny (Samuel) believes that can get him out of these 'false' accusations. Like I've said, the film is a brilliant crime film that gets you intrigued. The acting was brilliant especially from Samuel L Jackson and Kevin Spacey who were unarguably the stand-out performers of this film. What makes this film really good is that its hard to predict who is behind the crimes Danny (Samuel) 'apparently' committed yet it gives some clues but the viewer somehow won't even notice it till after the film. Well that's how I felt anyway.The film is certainly worth watching and you certainly won't feel disappointed. The film has everything drama, action, mystery and thrill. This film is pretty much tailor made for crime film fanatics.
AD
