Jack Choo
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Written by: James DeMonaco & Kevin Fox (II)
Starring : Samuel L. Jackson (Danny Roman)
Kevin Spacey (Chris Sabian)
Running Time : 2hrs approx.
Rating *** out of *****
Official Website: www.thenegotiator.com.
This Review Filed: November 4, 1998.
![[ Pic from Film ]](/film/images/negotiator.jpg)
THE NEGOTIATORR tells the story of two cool-talking police specialists who are specifically trained to handle volatile criminal situations. Guess who they put into this movie? Well for one, we have the tough-talking Samuel L. Jackson and the ever-cucumber-cool talker Kevin Spacey, whom both are, I think, two of the best line deliverers in the Hollywood. Who can forget the lies Spacey told in THE USUAL SUSPECTS, for which he won an Oscar, and Jackson as the loud-mouthed killer in PULP FICTION?
Danny Roman (Jackson) is the top hostage negotiator of his precinct, well-known not only for his specialised skill in talking situations out but also for his gutsy and often dangerous approach to his work. When his partner is killed in a secret meeting where he is supposed to confide to Roman about his personal investigation on the laundering of police pension funds, he finds himself being finger-pointed for the murder. In addition, he is suddenly slapped with evidences of him involved in the pension fund scam himself. Unable to comprehend his situation due to the unseen and superiority nature of the forces against him, he decides to create a hostage situation himself within the Department of Internal Affairs office. Roman knows that some of his superiors are involved in the scam and is using him as a scapegoat.
Roman requests Chris Sabian (Spacey), a negotiator whom he only knows by name, but who is incidently the top hostage negotiator of another precinct. Sabian initially is not keen on being pulled away from his job to attend to this situation but begins to suspect something fishy is going on when he feels that many of the top people in the room are eager to kill Danny Roman. On the other hand, Roman hopes that by calling in a stranger into the situation, his chances of survival and turning the entire situation around will be better.
THE NEGOTIATOR can be seen on one hand as a moderately tight thriller with some action pieces and also on the other, an ambitious attempt at originality in the "Hollywood sense." While the pace of the film was rather comfortable and the Spacey-Jackson team-up was explosive, the story was simply too predictable. You will be able to guess the ending, and sad to say even, even that was not much to wait for. However, there was some for of satisfaction in the performance of Jackson and Spacey; they are always so fun to watch!
But all things said, how many of us do really expect original twists from movies such as these? Don't we just go in, immerse and hope that there'll be enough action to keep us awake so that we'll have something to talk about over supper.
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