I went to the cinema to see this movie with no great expectations. I knew it would be good - any movie with Kevin Spacey in it, I have learned, is going to be damn good - but I had no idea I would like it as much as I did.
We first meet Policeman Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson), one of Chicago's best hostage negotiators. Roman loves his job, and it is clear that he's good at it. If only he wasn't being pressed to give in to the trigger-happy S.W.A.T team all the time. He's out celebrating his latest triumph, when he discovers that his friend, Nate, has uncovered a police-corruption conspiracy - right here in their ranks in Chicago. Later that night Nate is killed, and it looks like Roman is set to take the blame not only for his friend's murder, but for the corruption as well. Whether or not Roman is innocent remains to be proved to the authorities, though it is clear from the start that Roman is telling to truth when he pleads not guilty.
Enraged at the thought of going to jail, Roman ends up doing what he has been fighting for most of his life - he takes hostages. And he won't talk to anyone. That is, not to anyone he knows.
Enter Kevin Spacey (and the crowd goes wild!). He plays top hostage negotiator, and stranger to Roman, Chris Sabian. Legend has it he once "talked down" to a guy for 55 hours, and holds a 0-mortality rate. Now he is brought in to talk down to someone who already knows the rules. So now, with the same trigger-happy cops just itching to "end it", Sabian and Roman are engaged in a battle of wits, and it's up to them to find the truth. Let the games begin...
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Kevin Spacey is a genuine and amazingly talented actor. He convinces us effortlessly and we can see in his eyes that he is always thinking, absorbing every little detail. His performance runs circles around Jackson's, who, though he gives a credible portrayal, tends to come across as inconsistent and, in some parts, 'whiny'. Supporting cast is very strong, especially in the late JT Walsh, who the film is also dedicated to.
The Negotiator is not your average action flick. It's story is wonderfully original, and all the more amazing because it is true (based on several real-life hostage situations) and the plot twists are masterful. There is an intelligent and subtle humour throughout - I especially love the part where Sabian, fed up with Roman, coolly hangs up the phone in mid-sentence. But the best is saved til last, and the final scene is one of the very best I have ever seen.
This movie provides a thrilling action/adventure story-line, while remaining, above all, human. One of the best action flicks you're likely to see.
It's harder and harder to find a decent action flick with decent acting, but the Negotiator's writing and directing are fantastic, and Spacey doesn't put a foot wrong :)
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