Starring Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Alan Alda, Robert Prosky and William Atherton Directed by Costa-Gavras Rated PG-13, with profanity and moderate violence Running time 114 minutes Jack gives this film a rating of 7 out of 10

(Nov. 7, 1997) -- There's an old saying among news people: Dog bites man is not news; man bites dog is news. But what if the man biting the dog is the newsman?

The exploitative nature of media is in the spotlight -- yet again -- in Mad City, a new hostage drama from noted director Costa-Gavras. In it, John Travolta holds a gun and Dustin Hoffman holds a microphone. The film's point? That both guys are dangerous, and the journalist maybe more so.

The theme has undeniable resonance in the wake of Princess Diana's death, but it has been worked to death in myriad other films, from Absence of Malice to Network to Broadcast News to Natural Born Killers.

Mad City's most obvious predecessor is Ace in the Hole, an underrated Billy Wilder classic from 1951 with Kirk Douglas as an ambitious newspaper reporter who exploits the potential tragedy of a worker trapped in a collapsed mine. In Mad City, the reporter exploits a sorry sap who is holding children hostage at a museum.

Hoffman stars as Max Brackett, a former network co-anchor who has been banished to a medium-sized town as penance for a screw-up. Assigned to cover a conventional local story at a museum, Max stumbles upon a much bigger story. He instantly sees it as his ticket back to the big time.

Travolta is Sam Baily, a museum security guard who has just been laid off. While venting his frustration at the museum director (Blythe Danner), Sam stupidly pulls a gun. And since the director happens to be standing with a tour group of school children, Sam finds himself almost inadvertently holding hostages.

But Max, too, is in the museum, and he realizes he has the exclusive opportunity to cover the story from the inside. Max starts befriending and advising Sam, in small ways, pushing him into actions that'll make the story even better. When his editor (Robert Prosky) argues that Max is overstepping the boundaries of ethical journalism, Max responds, "I'm not breaking the rules, I'm just bending them a little."

The high-powered situation intensifies when the story goes national, marked by Max's former rival at the network, anchor Kevin Hollander. He is played by the perfectly cast Alan Alda.

Though the situation and characters of Mad City hold your attention, the film fails to generate the nervy excitement a viewer might expect from such an edgy political filmmaker as Costa-Gavras (the creator of Z and Missing). Mad City is conventional and predictable.

Hoffman and most of the supporting players, though, create intriguing, full-blooded characters. Hoffman, in particular, aptly displays his character's childish, self-centered ambition, along with his undeniable polish as a TV newsman. Yet, he matures impressively as the situation becomes more entangled.

Less successful is Travolta, saddled with a more challenging role. To be effective, the film must portray Sam the hostage-taker as both antagonist and victim; he must be both cuddly and ominous, a man to be pitied and feared. It's a tough puzzle, and Travolta doesn't quite work it out.

Though the message of Mad City is overly familiar, it is certainly worth repeating.

As Max learns too late, the media should do the reporting, and let others do the biting.