Review of Negotiator, The

Introduction

Samuel L Jackson and Kevin Spacey need no introductions, both accomplished actors and stars of numerous good films.

They come together in an action thriller set in Chicago which features Jackson as a Police hostage negotiator who is framed for embezzlement and murder. In a desperate attempt to clear his name, gamekeeper turns poacher as Jackson takes a group of people hostage in the Chicago civic building. Spacey, another negotiator is called up to try to talk him down. As the tension mounts, the truth begins to unfold.

Video

The video is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and as with most other Warner releases is of a very high standard throughout the film. There are no signs of dirt or grain and the image is crisp and stable.

Being mainly set in a skyscraper in Chicago, the film has some stunning scenes and is well filmed with plenty of long-shots and aerial photography.

Special effects wise there are plenty of explosions and gunfire and it all looks pretty good.

Audio

The sound is Dolby Digital 5.1 and like the video is of a very good standard throughout the film.

The soundstage is used to very good effect with all channels used for effects, incidental noises, music and explosions etc.

There`s a great deal of dialog in this film and it is all very clear and you never miss a word.

Features

Aside from the trailer there is a 16 minute "behind-the-scenes" featurette which is pretty interesting and is basically an interview with the director F Gary Gray in which he talks us through the initial design concepts, location and shooting of the film.

The movie is packaged in one of Warner`s usual snapper cases and contains a list of the 39 chapter breaks.

Conclusion

Quite often action thrillers with far fetched plots just don`t work - too much time is spent on filming the location and action, and not enough on the dialogue or cast. The Negotiator manages to combine both of these elements and as a result is a very enjoyable movie.

There is plenty of entertaining action, but the movie also has plenty of fast-paced dialogue and despite a 134 minute running time hold the viewer`s interest from start to finish. The cast is superb - Jackson and Spacey both deliver top notch performances and they seem to gel together very well on-screen.

The video and sound are excellent, and there is an interesting interview with the director also on the disc.

Recommended.