The Negotiator
A framed cop takes hostages in hopes of clearing his name.
The Negotiator is enthralling as it takes a simplistic, unadventurous script about a hostage situation and turns it on its ear to elevate the film to a new frontier, via the strong, long-winded acting performances. Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey deliver with a strong execution as they go head to head duking it out with perpetual and unyielding drive.
Jackson plays Danny Roman, a police negotiator who is framed in the killing of his partner, Nate. To clear his name from false accusations and with his back up against the wall, Roman takes a group of people hostage, demanding that Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) be the chief negotiator to defuse the situation. As tensions escalate and the pressure mounts, Roman unearths evidence and Sabian clashes with Chicago police over jurisdiction.
In this taut thriller, the acting from Jackson and Spacey is powerful. They’re both in everyone’s face and clash with the opposition, never backing down at any cost. Jackson remains in familiar territory as he is able to bark and shout in an appropriate, rather routine manner. Spacey, who is usually calm and mysterious, comes out of his cool to fire back. The interplay between Jackson and Spacey is impressive to watch as their relationship evolves.
The Negotiator is dichotomous between those who are against Danny and the few that support his cause. It’s overwhelming to see friends of Danny saddle up against him, ready to kill him. They’re just doing their job, but then again, this is their friend. There’s a fine line and it’s engrossing to watch the two sides clash.
It’s a fast paced thriller that doesn’t grimace in its own muck as the plot impressively furthers along across a running time of over two hours. The strong performances from Jackson and Spacey make this film. Their supporting cast of David Morse, Paul Giamatti, J. T. Walsh and John Spencer make for a nice balance and harmony throughout. This fusion of stellar acting atop a hard-boiled script creates for some shockers along the way.
Written by: John Berkowitz
Reviewers Rating: 8
Reader's Rating: 8.00
Reader's Votes: 1
Added: 3-Sep-2008
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