 Tagline: He frees hostages for a living. Now he's taking hostages to survive. Maverick hostage negotiator Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is framed for embezzlement and murder. Newly married and unjustly faced with prison, Roman turns hostage-taker to smoke out the guilty ones. Squaring off against him is respected, methodical negotiator Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey). F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job, Be Cool) directs a top ensemble cast (including David Morse and J.T. Walsh) in a story honed with spiraling tension and volatile action - and unfolding via a dazzling series of twists and gambits. Storyline: In the midst of an elaborate conspiracy, an expert negotiator is driven to the edge when he's framed for the murder of his partner, as well as embezzling money from his department's pension fund. His only chance to prove his innocence is to take hostages himself, acquire the services of another expert negotiator, and find out who's running the conspiracy before it's too late. Written by Ted Walters Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, November 7, 2009 -- There's no greater cinematic sin than releasing a trailer that reveals the full width and breadth of a film. The Negotiator was billed as a shocking, unpredictable thriller designed to keep audiences guessing; a well-cast '90s powerhouse with rapidfire twists and turns aplenty. That is until its theatrical trailer, in just two minutes and twenty-three seconds, gave viewers a complete preview of every action beat, story development, and surprise it had to offer (in chronological order, no less). It remains one of the most infuriating trailers of all time; a joke amongst cinephiles who love to mock its narrator's intense summation of the entire plot. However, while it's capable of instantly transforming a first viewing of The Negotiator into a second, it also illuminates the film's biggest problem. After the initial suspense wears off, after the thrill of the third act fades away, once viewers return for another helping of Jackson v. Spacey, obvious plot holes and contrivances become oh-so-apparent, nearly overshadowing its cast's stirring performances, several smartly conceived action sequences, and quite a few nail-biting encounters. Lieutenant Danny Roman is the best hostage negotiator in Chicago. In a perfect world, that would be enough, but in this department, an honest cop is an easy target. Now, to clear his name, he's taking the police hostage and demanding his own negotiator. I'd continue with the trailer's synopsis just to score a few easy laughs, but it's there -- at the forty second mark -- that it begins to reveal every, little thing there is to know about the film. Suffice to say, Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) storms the offices of Internal Affairs Inspector Niebaum (J.T. Walsh) after being accused of killing his partner (Paul Guilfoyle). Using his training and experience as a negotiator to stay one step ahead of the police, he demands an outside negotiator, Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey), he knows has no ties to his department. His goal? To convince Sabian he's innocent and flush out the real killer; a corrupt cop he knows is hiding in plain sight among the officers poised just beyond his barricaded doors. Can Roman prove his innocence? Can he uncover the truth in time to save himself and his family? Can he resist becoming the sort of crazed, gun-wielding madman he's been negotiating with for years? Once upon a time, I was in love with The Negotiator. I was still a young pup developing his taste buds; a youngling who required little more than convincing performances and a snake-slick story to get his blood pumping. I was already a fan of Jackson and Spacey -- the former from the many winters I spent nuzzling up to Pulp Fiction, the latter from an intense affair I had with The Usual Suspects -- so director F. Gary Gray's police thriller quickly became a mainstay in my first DVD player. But as I've returned to the film over the years, I've become less and less infatuated with its wares. I've grown weary of its incredible leaps in logic, its at-times ludicrous developments, and its deck-of-cards structure. I've found myself wishing a more challenging, nuanced filmmaker, a Mann or an Eastwood, had been given the opportunity to explore the psyches of the two hostage negotiators at the center of Kevin Fox and James DeMonaco's tale. The addition of more seasoned, less sensational screenwriters wouldn't have hurt either. Each time I return to the film, I find myself asking the same questions with increasing dissatisfaction. Are we to really believe Jackson's character could survive so many assaults from so many highly trained gunmen? Are we to really believe these same lawmen would have such a difficult time setting aside their camaraderie when a man is pointing a gun at innocent hostages and fellow officers? Are we to really believe our harrowed hero would walk away from such an ordeal without suffering any serious consequences? All that being said, part of me can't help but enjoy watching Jackson and Spacey go mano-a-mano in Gray's high-concept film, even when it borrows so liberally from The Fugitive and other innocent-man-accused-of-wrong-doing thrillers. Whether face to face or separated by now-quaint '90s technology, the two actors inhabit their characters, bringing a welcome dose of gravitas and legitimacy to a production so desperate to trade in integrity for another flashbang breach. There are plenty of talented supporting actors on hand as well, eagerly lending their effective hands to the film's headliners. David Morse (one of Hollywood's most underused performers) brings electricity to a series of otherwise static debates, L.A. Confidential's Ron Rifkin does his part, and Paul Giamatti and J.T. Walsh provide Roman's hostages with some much-needed personality. And even though the screenplay is undeniably shaky, it at least never collapses. Gray, DeMonaco, and Fox serve up some exciting, dare I say intelligent confrontations, provide Jackson and Spacey with sharp and snazzy dialogue, and stage a slew of compelling action scenes. There's even a touch of humor nestled between the chaos, granting the film palpable heart even in the midst of its most mind-maddening sequences. The Negotiator remains a product of its time; a performance-driven thriller that plays it too fast, too loose and, ultimately, too safe to be as mesmerizing in 2009 as it was to some in 1998. Despite its shortcomings though, I'm still somewhat fond of its breakneck pacing and whodunit atmosphere, enough so that I'm almost -- almost -- tempted to overlook its most grievous transgressions. Will it ever be the film it was eleven years ago? I doubt it. Will it ever find a new audience? Probably not. Will it ever be remembered as anything more than a clash of its two towering titans? No. Regardless, The Negotiator is worth a rent. Although, I suppose you could save yourself a lot of time and just watch the trailer. The Negotiator routinely falls flat, riddled with plot holes, contrivances, and leap-frogging logic. However, Jackson and Spacey's scene-chewing performances -- as well as some crafty twists and turns in the screenplay -- save the film from bargain bin hell, making this decidedly '90s popcorn thriller worth a look. As for Warner's Blu-ray edition, it's comparable to the studio's other recent, second-tier catalog releases. In other words, a release that delivers a strong video transfer, a semi-decent lossless mix, and an all-too-limited supplemental package. Thankfully, nothing comes as a major disappointment (particularly when taking the disc's relatively low price point into account). As it stands, fans will be happy with their purchase, newcomers will be satisfied with a rental, and critical cinephiles will still wonder what all the fuss is about. Cast Notes: Samuel L. Jackson (Danny Roman), Kevin Spacey (Chris Sabian), David Morse (Adam Beck), Ron Rifkin (Grant Frost), John Spencer (Chief Al Travis), J.T. Walsh (Terence Niebaum), Siobhan Fallon (Maggie), Paul Giamatti (Rudy), Regina Taylor (Karen Roman), Bruce Beatty (Markus), Michael Cudlitz (Palermo), Carlos Gómez (Eagle), Tim Kelleher (Argento), Dean Norris (Scott), Nestor Serrano (Hellman). IMDb Rating (05/24/11): 7.2/10 from 50,138 users
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