THE NEGOTIATOR (1998) A Film Review by Ted Prigge Copyright 1998 Ted Prigge
Director: F. Gary Gray Writers: James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, J. T. Walsh, Ron Rifkin, John Spencer, David Morse, Regina Taylor, Paul Giamatti, Siobahn Fallon, Paul Guilfoyle
"The Negotiator" is almost drowning in cliches, but they're only extremely evident once the movie has ended. For instance, the film opens with a sequence where the film's one negotiator, Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson), does a tough negotiating job with a homicidal lunatic. He manages to talk his way into the room, and even allow the police to get a wound shot on him, all without even getting a scratch. Afterwards, they go to a bar and party, laughing at the news when it covers the situation they were just present at.
How many times have we seen this in a film like this? I can remember "Speed," but at least that whole bit had to do with the actual plot. The things that happened in that sequence resulted in the rest of the movie. Here, the film is trying to prove three things: 1) that Danny likes to risk his life for his job, 2) that he's very excellent at his job, and 3) that he's just too cool for words. And generally, it does a good job of setting his character up for the rest of the movie, where he will be stripped away of everything and turned into a desperate creature.
As you've no less seen in the previews, "The Negotiator" deals with another in the long line of "Dog Day Afternoon" rip-offs, where hostages are taken and we're given more of a glimpse on the inside with the bad guys and less on the outside with the good guys. In this film, though, it's an almost impulsive move. After the opening sequence, Danny's partner (Paul Guilfoyle, who IS in everything these days), who was investigating stolen funds from the department's treasury, is killed and Danny is framed for the murder. Danny didn't do it and we know it, but as the evidence comes in, everyone points the finger at Danny, and he goes over the edge when he walks into the office of the man investigating the crime, Inspector Niebaum (the late J.T. Walsh, playing a creep for the last time), and in a fit of rage, takes him and three others hostage.
After a bit of pandemonium, Danny refuses to speak to anyone except for a West-Side Manhattan negotiator he's never met, Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey), who comes over and begins to ease the tensions between Danny and the cops who are trying to take him out, probably because some of them are the guys who framed him. It's a story we've all seen before, although told a little differently since the kidnapper knows all the little twists of negotiating, and worst of all, knows everyone who's trying to take him out so he can perhaps juice up their emotions a bit. As the film goes on, we're treated to the intensity of the situation as well as a giant conspiracy that slowly unravels as the film moves on. Who set Danny up, and can he find out before the cops break in and kill him or someone who knows something?
Since you've seen this all before, basically, I'll give you two good reasons to see this particular entry: Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Here we have two of the best actors working today, the former a master of fiery intensity, the latter a master of calm intensity. And since the entire film, or basically most of it (following a lengthy exposition), these two are playing cat-and-cat games with one another, the film is intensely watchable. Who wasn't holding their breath the first time they saw the final scene of "Pulp Fiction," where Jackson gave such a powerful performance that when he lost the Oscar to Martin Landau, we were all with him when he mouthed "Shit" on the air? And who wasn't on the edge of their seat throughout "The Usual Suspects," just listening to Spacey weave that story from beginning to end? Watching one of them is amazing enough, but when they're both on screen, playing off eachother with flawless chemistry, it's just pure movie magic.
Now, let me sidetrack to talk about something else. When reviewing a movie like this, it's almost a rule that you point out all the little plot holes, flubs, and generally be extremely cynical about it all, because this, after all, is a genre-pic, one that has been made many a time before, sometimes several times in a year. When reviewing films like this, reviewers often just say something like "I liked it when I watched it, but when I left the theatre, I began to realize that the film was weak" blah blah blah. This is a fault, and it's something that I've done before as well (just read some of my older reviews for proof of this). Of course a film like this may seem weak when it's over: you're not watching it. Film, in any genre or form, is generally supposed to be one thing: an experience. Unless it's a very complex film that you're trying to figure out the plot or theme(s) to, it's pretty much a waste of time to rely on afterthoughts because they're usually totally ignorant. I know someone who saw "Titanic" twice last year, and just now has deemed it crap because they realized "glossiness doesn't cover up plot holes." This person damn near cried when they saw it.
The same goes for this film. The chief pleasure in this film is just watching it, and when watching a film that's pleasing, it's not entirely evident of the plot holes and cliches till afterwards. It's such a pot boiler that looking back on it may reveal things that might not work out in retrospect, but it's such a well-directed film (thank you, F. Gary Gray) that it's edge-of-your seat the whole time. He handles all the action well in short interludes of chaos. He balances just the idea of a hostage situation and a mystery that is totally involving all the way. He gets brilliant performances from Jackson and Spacey, and even gets strong support, especially from everyone's favorite actor they don't know, Paul Giamatti (playing a sleazy, hysterical hostage). What's the point in mentioning any plot holes this story may have when it doesn't matter when this film is just happening?
MY RATING (out of 4): ***1/2
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