Negotiator, The MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -2

Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is a respected police officer and expert hostage negotiator. Time after time he is commended for putting his own life in danger to save a hostage. But when his partner is viciously gunned down, Roman is framed for the murder and set up with false theft charges. The only way out for him is to turn the tables on his accusers and take hostages. He knows the world listens when lives are at stake and he knows he can prove his innocence if he can just buy a little time. With SWAT teams surrounding the building and corrupted cops itching to gun him down, Roman must rely on the help of a total stranger. So he asks Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey), another respected negotiator from an outside precinct, to be brought in to mediate. Sabian squares off against his savvy opponent, while attempting to diffuse the explosive situation that threatens to spiral out of control.

The Negotiator is an intense "who dunit" film that will keep viewers guessing to the end. And as always, Spacey and Jackson are superb to watch. The Negotiator does touch the heart strings of viewers with the death of a police officer and its effect on his family. However, it switches gears rather rapidly into the world of the negotiator and the question of what is his objective. There are several hostage scenes in which people are held at gunpoint. And in the opening scene a young girl is held to the ground by her father, with a shotgun to her head. Roman himself threatens to kill hostages and does have to defend himself against his own fellow officers. Some of the more graphic scenes include a man getting shot at point blank range in the head, another being shot in the chest and still another being shot in the stomach. The overwhelming use of over 100 obscenities, and the massive amount of moderate violence should keep discerning viewers from seeing this film.

Preview Reviewer: Sherry Oswald
Distributor: Warner Bros. 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA. 91522