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"The Negotiator" is neither a deep film that might cause serious contemplation of social issues nor a radically different experimental experience. It is simply a star-studded action thriller designed to allow the audience to escape into the world of Chicago hostage squad cops. A wrongfully accused negotiator/cop, played at about 300+ degrees Fahrenheit by Samuel Jackson matches wits with another negotiator, Kevin Spacey, who does his best to keep Jackson from reaching the boiling point. Briefly, Jackson is caught in the middle of an extortion scandal involving the lifting of millions of dollars from the policeman's pension fund. When Jackson's partner becomes aware of the secret heist, he is taken out, and the powers behind the white-collar corporate dealings use Jackson as the scapegoat. Jackson then retaliates by using extra-legal means.

What makes this movie are the performances by both Jackson and Spacey, with good performances by the supporting cast, including the late J.T. Walsch who made a career of playing heartless and emotionless middle-age men. And John Spencer is also involved as the Chief of Police, shortly before he was promoted to the White House Chief of Staff in "The West Wing".

The movie goes a mile a minute but is suffused with an interesting enough storyline to make it well worth the price of admission. Some of what happens is ludicrous when you really think about it, but you tend to just run with it. Not a bad way to kill two hours, and you could do a lot worse.

Samuel L. Jackson is probably one of the most awesome actors that ever lived, and his pure uncut awesomeness is captured perfectly in this well thought-out thriller. He's angry. He's looking for justice. Don't get in his way. The plot moves at a breakneck pace, and the length of the running time will probably go completely unnoticed because the direction looks so compact. This movie is over two hours long? I really have a hard time believing that. It just flies by, even though most of it happens in and around one location. With a build-up this exciting, the conclusion is usually a disappointment, but even that's not the case here. This is a rush of adrenaline captured on celluloid.

Lieutenant Danny Roman, just married and quickly becoming recognized as one of Chicago's top hostage negotiators, has his life turned upside down when he's framed for the murder of his partner and embezzlement of his department's pension fund. With the evidence piling up against him and unsure of whom he can trust, he resorts to desperate means by taking hostages himself and acquiring the services of unknown but equally skilled negotiator Chris Sabian in order to clear his name. Sharp, intelligent thriller should be your run-of-the-mill cop flick, but its plot twists are so convincing, its police procedures so realistic, and its acted with such great conviction that you don't want to miss a single moment of it! Jackson and Spacey ignite the screen, but they're surrounded by a top-notch supporting cast. A great piece of work from all those involved. ***

Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is a top negotiator for the city of Chicago but all things changes for the worse. When his best friend (Paul Guilfoyle) got murder by a mysterious shooter. Now Danny is accused of murder and for embezzlement as well. His best friend knew that some of his colleagues are corrupted police officers, he was going to tell Danny what was going on before he got killed. Danny has no other choice to take some hostages on a federal building including Internal Affairs officer Inspector Niebaum (The late J.T. Walsh), who might be involved with the death of his best friend. The only person that Danny could trust is another negotiator by the name of Chris Sabian (Two-Time Oscar Winner:Kevin Spacey). Chris might be the only man, who could save Danny's life and clear his name.

Directed by F. Gary Gray (Friday, The Italian Job "2003", Set It Off) made an entertaining, suspenseful, action-thriller with sharp performances by Jackson and Spacey. The director certainly has an eye for suspense and creating good action sequences. The movie has an strong supporting cast like David Morse, Ron Rifkin and the late John Spencer. The picture was well received by the film critics but it got lost, when it was released in the summer of 1998. "The Negotiator" was an box office disappointment but it did found an audiences on Video and TV.

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD has two featurettes, production notes, the original theatrical trailer and four trailers from the two lead actors. "The Negotiator" is certainly better than most action-thrillers has to offers these days. This movie truly does focus on character development as well. "The Negotiator" is certainly one of the most underrated movies of the 1990's. Paul Giamatti steals the show in his supporting role as a ex-thief turned informant. Super 35. (****/*****).

I do not know what it is about Samuel L. Jackson. No picture, and I have seen many: Freedomland, Shaft, Die Hard with a Vengeance, A Time to Kill, Pulp Fiction, and on and on, fails to excite, and this one is no exception. His interaction with another top negotiator, Keven Spacey, incredible as usual, after he framed by other officers for stealing from the policemen's disability fund, is brilliant. As he goes crazy-like-a-fox berserk in order to prove his innocence, he and Spacey play cat and mouse to solve the crisis. A wild ending and a super supporting cast, especially David Morse, John Spencer, J.T. Walsh, Paul Giamatti, and Paul Guilfoyle