The Negotiator (1998)
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A top hostage negotiator is framed for murder and embezzlement, forcing him to take hostages to clear his name.
The story
Chicago Police Lieutenant Danny Roman, a top hostage negotiator, is warned by his partner Nate Roenick about an internal investigation into the embezzlement of millions from the police disability fund. Shortly after, Nate is shot dead, and Danny is framed as the prime suspect in the murder and the theft. Ostracized by his colleagues and facing charges, Danny storms into the office of Internal Affairs Inspector Terence Niebaum. When Niebaum refuses to cooperate, Danny takes several people hostage, including Niebaum and Danny's own commander. The building is placed under siege as Danny demands the truth and the identities of the corrupt officers involved.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being framed for the murder of his partner Nate Roenick and the embezzlement of police funds, Lieutenant Danny Roman takes several hostages, including Internal Affairs Inspector Terence Niebaum and his own commander Grant Frost. He refuses to speak to anyone except fellow negotiator Chris Sabian. During the standoff, Danny discovers that Nate was actually the informant and that Niebaum was bribed by corrupt officers to cover up their crimes. The corrupt officers eventually enter the building and kill Niebaum. The FBI takes over the operation, ordering a full breach. Danny manages to escape during the raid by disguising himself in a SWAT uniform. He eventually confronts Frost, who is revealed as the ringleader of the conspiracy and Nate's killer. After a tense final confrontation where Chris shoots Danny to stop him, Frost's confession is broadcast to the police. Frost is arrested, and Danny is cleared of charges.
- First release year
- 1998
- Runtime (minutes)
- 139
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- F. Gary Gray
- Writers
- James DeMonaco · writer; Kevin Fox · writer
- Cast and characters
- Samuel L. Jackson · Danny Roman; Kevin Spacey · Chris Sabian; David Morse; Ron Rifkin; John Spencer; J. T. Walsh; Tom Bower · Omar
- Genres
- crime thriller; crime drama
- Themes
- police corruption; betrayal; justice
- Tone and mood
- tense; dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- hostage situation; conspiracy; police procedural
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with a 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 62/100 on Metacritic. It was noted for its performances and direction, though some critics commented on its length.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 62 · scale: 100 · review count: 24; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- Sylvester Stallone was originally considered for the lead role but turned it down.; The film is dedicated to J. T. Walsh, who died several months before the release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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