Leofwine_draca This is a tense, exciting suspense thriller, one of those rare gems which turns up every few years or so to be forgotten by mainstream audiences and which is yet loved by all those who have seen it. This near-perfect film has a lengthy running time but never outstays its welcome, and comes across as a mixture of DIE HARD and DOG DAY AFTERNOON. In many scenes the tension is worked up to breaking point as things get more and more out of hand as time progresses.Excellent performances also help to add to the entertainment level here, especially from Samuel L. Jackson as the negotiator turned hostage taker. Jackson is charismatic and likable in this particular role and has the viewer rooting for him throughout. Likewise, Kevin Spacey turns up and lends his usual cool charm to the proceedings, delighting in opportunities for his character to lose his temper at intervals and go off his rocker. A nice supporting case also flesh out supporting roles, including the ever-dependable David Morse, and the fantastic J. T. Walsh, whose last film this was, unfortunately.There are a couple of hi-octane action sequences on occasion which appear to be a little cheesy, but this is mainly a thriller full of taut dialogue, loads and loads of plot twists, and characters who may or may not be as innocent as they first appear. I defy anybody to sit through this without getting engrossed in the expertly-crafted story and sucked into the situation. It's definitely one of my favourites of the decade.

SnoopyStyle Top Chicago police negotiator Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is warned by detective Nate Roenick that money is missing from police pension funds. Nate is killed and Danny is framed for it. Internal Affairs Terence Niebaum (J.T. Walsh) investigates. Offshore accounts in Danny's name are found. Danny suspects Niebaum's involvement and takes him, his assistant Maggie (Siobhan Fallon), police commander Grant Frost (Ron Rifkin) and petty criminal Rudy Timmons (Paul Giamatti) as hostages. Danny uses his negotiating skills to demand outsider negotiator Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) as he tries to find Nate's secret informant. Chief Al Travis (John Spencer) and Commander Adam Beck (David Morse) seems intent on taking down Danny.Instead of suspense, this movie goes for overwrought thriller action. Samuel L. Jackson is in his full glory. It has its appeal but the central investigation holds very little interest. Director F. Gary Gray's music video roots are showing. It's fun overblown intensity but it doesn't stick.

Georgian Stanescu One word came out of this film. CORRUPTION. I wasn't actually gonna do a review, considering, I would only have one word. But the action and the scene, was just unreal. It tells a story of a cop Danny(Jackson), was being framed for a murder of another cop. Battles ensues between the cops and the Feds aka FBI get involved. Music score was quite good actually. Very suspenseful, no doubt. hahaah. Chris Sabier gets involved as Danny asked for him. Then during the film, the SWAT team and other police cops Chicago PDs, get involved by breaking what Chris had asked him to do. Then the lawyer or some other cop gets thrown into the ring, Frost. It has then been found that Frost was the one who did the framing. It just goes to show you who you can trust. "You can't trust anyone".

LeonLouisRicci The Fun in Watching this Attempt at High-Concept Action is all the Fine Actors that are on Screen and Make this More than it is. A Cliché Ridden and Ridiculous Story about Corrupt Cops Siphoning the Police Fund and Framing the Supreme Hostage Negotiator that must take Hostages to Prove He is Innocent.There are some Unforgivable Goings-On here. Like when the Movie's Momentum is brought to a Suspension of Disbelief Halt when the First Negotiator to Confront this Savant is Brought On Line, He turns out to be so Contrastingly Incompetent that Contrivance is too Good a Word to Describe what Transpires Between Them. There is also a Similar Stoppage for Many Quotes from the Negotiator Manual. It Reeks of Bad Movie Stuff.But Overall it is Worth a View with Low Expectations and a Really Really Heavy Suspension of Disbelief and a Couple of Anti-Cringe Capsules.