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.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.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.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 6 nominations
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
- Maggie
- (as Siobhan Fallon)
Leonard L. Thomas
- Allen
- (as Leonard Thomas)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie was originally written to star Sylvester Stallone and Kevin Spacey. Kevin Spacey was supposed to be the hostage-taker with Stallone playing opposite him. When Stallone turned down the part, Spacey decided he wanted to play Chris Sabian rather than Danny Roman. Fortunately, the role originally meant for him was re-cast with Samuel L. Jackson.
- GoofsPolice negotiators and entry teams conduct their activities independent of one another so that the negotiator doesn't inadvertently let the hostage taker know what the entry team is doing.
- Quotes
Lieutenant Danny Roman: When your friends betray you, sometimes the only people you can trust are strangers.
- Alternate versionsOn newer prints of the film, including VUDU, the Warner Bros. 75 Years logo is omitted at the beginning. However, the 1992 "Distributed By Warner Bros." logo is retained at the end of the film.
Featured review
Good edgy dynamics once it gets going
The Negotiator (1998)
I don't think I expected much more than a standard contemporary police corruption thriller, and this was better than I expected both in the story line (which has a couple great twists) and the acting and pacing (thanks to both Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson). It's not quite as intense or fresh feeling as "Serpico," one of the defining movies of this type, and it's longer than it needs to be (especially at the beginning), but it's as steady and convincing as most movies of this type.
Now it's worth saying that movies of this type (and let's be broad and include "Die Hard" and "Bad Lieutenant" in the mix) always stretch the limits of credibility, and if you don't like that, don't watch it. I mean, even the bad cops are kind of super cops, swirling in from helicopters and crashing through windows with their guns on fire. And Jackson, playing the embattled innocent accused, is more adept than even Bruce Willis, though a bit less fun for sure. If this were all the movie, it would be just passable, something on the level of the new "Take Pelham 123." But enter Spacey, and the whole meaning of the title shifts 180 degrees, and the edginess of the dialog ramps up a lot.
A good one.
I don't think I expected much more than a standard contemporary police corruption thriller, and this was better than I expected both in the story line (which has a couple great twists) and the acting and pacing (thanks to both Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson). It's not quite as intense or fresh feeling as "Serpico," one of the defining movies of this type, and it's longer than it needs to be (especially at the beginning), but it's as steady and convincing as most movies of this type.
Now it's worth saying that movies of this type (and let's be broad and include "Die Hard" and "Bad Lieutenant" in the mix) always stretch the limits of credibility, and if you don't like that, don't watch it. I mean, even the bad cops are kind of super cops, swirling in from helicopters and crashing through windows with their guns on fire. And Jackson, playing the embattled innocent accused, is more adept than even Bruce Willis, though a bit less fun for sure. If this were all the movie, it would be just passable, something on the level of the new "Take Pelham 123." But enter Spacey, and the whole meaning of the title shifts 180 degrees, and the edginess of the dialog ramps up a lot.
A good one.
helpful•91
- secondtake
- Nov 18, 2010
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Người Thương Thuyết
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $50,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $44,547,681
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,218,831
- Aug 2, 1998
- Gross worldwide
- $44,547,681
- Runtime2 hours 20 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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