THE NEGOTIATOR

• Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey
• Directed by F. Gary Gray
• Rated R, with strong language and violence, including a threat to a child; running time 141 minutes
• With 10 as a must see, Jack gives this film a rating of 6

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(July 30, 1998) -- Nobody can handle a hostage situation as skillfully as Chicago cop Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson). In the prologue to The Negotiator, we see him save a little girl from a shotgun-wielding psycho.

But what happens when Roman takes hostages?

That's the clever set-up for director F. Gary Gray's new film, loosely based on a hostage situation in St. Louis. As in the actual case, Roman believes he's being framed to take a murder rap for a bunch of corrupt police officers.

As Roman sees it, his only solution is to take hostages at police headquarters, and then bargain for time to tell his story. And because he's an expert in hostage situations, he demands that his own negotiator be another pro -- Officer Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey), from a crosstown precinct.

Thus, The Negotiator becomes a two-actor showcase, as the volatile, charismatic Jackson and the quietly sly and witty Spacey go toe-to-toe. And when that happens, the film crackles with excitement.

Unfortunately, the writers and Gray (of Friday and Set It Off) clutter the saga with too many characters and subplots, and lots of extraneous, noisy action. The result reminds me of an over-produced musical recording in which two stellar soloists have to fight to be heard through a wall of thick orchestrations.

I found myself wishing The Negotiator had been written as a more intimate play. Failing that, I wish someone could have negotiated about a half-hour off the two hours and 20 minutes of running time.

That said, The Negotiator was still enjoyable, thanks to the screen chemistry of Jackson and Spacey. Though too many of the supporting players try to compete by offering more ham than you'll find on a submarine, at least two are commendable: the late J.T. Walsh as a possibly corrupt internal affairs officer and an amusing Paul Giamatti as a slimy informant who becomes a hostage.

The Negotiator blends shadowy interior shots with the rich sheen of Chicago-at-night footage, efficiently shot by Russell Carpenter, who was probably thrilled to be back on dry land after filming Titanic.