The Negotiator

R

Released Jul 29, 1998

2 hr. 18 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

List

74%

58 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is considered the best police hostage negotiator in Chicago. After a friend warns him that someone is embezzling from a disability fund, the person is found dead. Internal affairs investigator Niebaum (J.T. Walsh) discovers the gun used had been handled by Roman. When no one believes his innocence, Roman takes Niebaum hostage. When Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) arrives to hear Roman's demands, the two skilled negotiators begin a tense stand-off.

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Critics Consensus

The Negotiator's battle of wits doesn't wholly justify its excessive length, but confident direction by F. Gary Gray and formidable performances makes this a situation audiences won't mind being hostage to.

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Scorpion

What a movie!!! The acting and the plot, I was never bored watching it. In fact, this movie made me sign up for rotten tomatoes, just to give it five stars! Amazing

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/04/24

Full Review

K W

Loved this. A lot of fun and on the edge of my seat moments.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/24

Full Review

Gigsy V

A good film, but not a classic by any means. Kevin Spacey is great. Such a scene-stealer. And you can rarely go wrong with Sam L Jack. Was pleasantly surprised at how convincing he pulled off grief at a scene involving a funeral. The film does get a bit claustrophobic, same-y and a bit boring at times (it’s far too long). It also doesn’t quite come over re: its surprise reveals/twists. The stakes never feel that real either which I think is to the film’s detriment.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/26/24

Full Review

Forged S

This ranks up in my top 10 favorite 'cop movies.' Also, outside of Pulp Fiction, this is one of the most iconic Samuel L. Jackson performances. To be fair, the movie is quite run of the mill without its two leads, Samuel L. and Kevin Spacey. So, if you're looking for a realistic cop drama, look elsewhere... This movie is purely meant to capitalize on strengths of two legendary actors in their prime. Definitely worth a watch...

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Dan R

It's back to 1998 for the brilliant 'The Negotiator'. SYNOPSIS: 'In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, a skilled police negotiator accused of corruption and murder takes hostages in a government office to gain the time he needs to find the truth.' At the time of it's release Spacey and Jackson were arguably up there as two of the best actors of their generation, so there was a lot of anticipation for this film on its release. And no one was let down by the final product. This is an action thriller which is stupidly intense at times, a bit like it's lead actors. It's a typical 90s action thriller which is predominantly carried by the lead actors within it. Think most of Nic Cage's films from a similar time. My only real criticism is the run time. It's too long and there's a lot of filler along the way which really wasn't needed. A film which could be seen as a modern classic if it wasn't for the recent revelations about Spacey's behaviour during these years. 8/10

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/29/23

Full Review

Red T

A Classic Thriller. Everything is really well done. This really has 2 main issues that hold it back from being amazing. First whole Giamatti & Jackson are excellent the rest of the cast is very well done but sort of all just blend in save for Spacey. The villains also feel kind of hammed a little bit but are still well acted also. Finally this does drag and get a bit convoluted in the second half. It mentions a lot of names and characters like Nate and others who we barely got to see or not even at all and it just gets wordy and hard to follow sometimes despite being focused 90% of the time on Danny. While the dialogue is strong and smart enough to carry the thriller plot the complexity and lack of clues along the way to make it obvious or in depth character of others involved hold it back and make it hard to connect to the complex web of fraud. But it does make sense, keeps you on the edge of the seat consistently the whole way (but it doesn't really ramp it up), and the twist is still good but not great. Anyone who is a fan of any actors in this, the director, or Thrillers will like this a lot. It's really well done.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/11/23

Full Review

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F. Gary Gray

Director

Samuel L. Jackson

Lt. Danny Roman

Kevin Spacey

Lt. Chris Sabian

David Morse

Cmdr. Adam Beck

Ron Rifkin

Cmdr. Grant Frost

John Spencer

Chief Al Travis

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Emanuel Levy

Variety

Teaming for the first time Kevin Spacey and Samuel Jackson, arguably the two best actors of their generation, in perfectly fitting roles is a shrewd move and the best element of this fact-inspired but overwrought thriller

Rated: B-

Sep 11, 2006

Full Review

Time Out

A hybrid action-drama featuring the choreographed pyrotechnics of director Gray and a battle of words between contrasting hostage negotiators Jackson and Spacey.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 3/4

Apr 25, 2003

Full Review

Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

When, in a weary moment, Danny says “you can’t beat the system,” Samuel L. Jackson underlines the underpinnings that still distinguish "The Negotiator" and that there could have been no more perfect project for Jackson’s leap into leading-man status.

Rated: 3.5/5

Dec 13, 2023

Full Review

Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

A big, dumb, lumbering cop thriller that works through a very familiar, very basic formula, very, very slowly indeed.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 28, 2020

Full Review

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

It's not perfect, but it's enjoyable enough to be one of those movies I might stop channel surfing to watch on late-night television.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 27, 2011

Full Review

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Synopsis

Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is considered the best police hostage negotiator in Chicago. After a friend warns him that someone is embezzling from a disability fund, the person is found dead. Internal affairs investigator Niebaum (J.T. Walsh) discovers the gun used had been handled by Roman. When no one believes his innocence, Roman takes Niebaum hostage. When Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) arrives to hear Roman's demands, the two skilled negotiators begin a tense stand-off.

Director: F. Gary Gray
Executive Producer: David Nicksay, Robert Stone, Webster Stone
Screenwriter: James DeMonaco, Kevin Fox
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 29, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $44.7M
Sound Mix: SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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