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 versionsIn the Blu-ray and digital platforms, including VUDU, the 75th anniversary variant of the Warner Bros. Pictures logo is plastered at the beginning with the silent version of the 2003 variant. However, the 1992 "Distributed By Warner Bros." logo is retained at the end of the film.
Featured review
An intelligent, taut thriller
Just when you think he's cornered, he thinks of a new strategy. Samuel L. Jackson portrays Lieutenant Danny Roman, police hostage negotiator. When he's framed for a crime he didn't commit, against his fellow police officers no less, he knows that the only way out is to bring in an equally tough negotiator, Lieutenant Chris Sabian played by Kevin Spacey, who's from another precinct and who therefore could not have been contaminated by the bad elements within his own force, which buys him the necessary time to bluff and blindside while he finds the clues he needs to prove he's innocent. Chicago is taken hostage along with the few people he retains as bargaining chips, and we are taken along for the ride. This was a masterful job of film-making from beginning to end. The characters and story were flawlessly developed. We don't precisely know who's guilty or who's innocent. Roman conducts his interrogation and trial while he negotiates with the police outside, some of whom are working overtime to eliminate Roman before he figures it all out. This all occurs right under the noses of the FBI who are in way over their heads and don't have a clue who's guilty or innocent, just like the rest of us watching. Along the way, we get to witness Roman lecture his underlings about the finer points of negotiations while he himself has just become a hostage taker. "Never say no!" he barks with effective zeal. And he tests his bewildered pupils continuously, who fail continuously. Only Sabian is smart enough to understand what's going on in Roman's mind. The strategy is shared by two men who think alike, who are under stress, and have an innate instinct for lie detection. The screenplay was terrific. The cinematography was effective. The acting of Jackson and Spacey exceptional. And the supporting cast, particularly bad-guy-turned-good-guy Paul Giamatti who provides great comic relief, was outstanding. If you're in the mood for an intelligent, taut thriller, The Negotiator delivers... 9/10.
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- The Negotiator
- 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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