The Omega Man wrote in with his review of THE NEGOTIATOR test screening. I believe the film is scheduled to come out in August, but here's an advance look. There are spoilers in the review, but do know that the reviews have been being over whelmingly good on this film, but then how could a film with both Samuel L Jackson and Kevin Spacey be anything but cool? I don't know, and for know that's a question none of us can answer, save with the phrase... ISHTAR 2.

The Omega Man here, I last scooped you on U.S. Marshalls a couple months
back,
you have no idea how happy it made me that I could finally be involved with
your operations, I have been a fan for what seems forever. Well I just got
back from a private advance screening of The Negotiator over at the dubba
u
bee. (Dave Bogart was the password btw) It stars Samuel L. Jackson and
Kevin
Spacey, I think it's coming out in either July or August, at least that's what
I overheard, and man this movie should be a pretty good surprise. I doubt it
will make more than $100 mil, you know WB's track record, but I'd guess it
should do a modest $60-80, though I think it deserves more.

Think The Fugitive meets Die Hard. But this movie has some good drama,
suspense, and character. I don't want to give too much away so just the
facts.
Jackson stars as Danny Roman, he's the star negotiator for Chicago PD and
the
movie opens with a great scene where he basically saves the day. Soon
afterwards his partner tells him he's got an informant who knows
something
about money that was stolen from the police disability fund. It's a pretty big
deal because it looks like it's an inside job. Needless to say the partner is
killed five minutes after that and guess who is set up to take the fall? Of
course, need I say it? Roman. There, I said it. Well after he realizes that
there's no way out Roman takes four poeple hostage on one of the top
floors
of a skyscraper, his chief, a computer crook (played very well by the guy
who
played Kenny in Private Parts- I like this guy why isn't he in more films?), a
secretary, and the head of internal affairs (who just so happens to have
evidence pointing his way-hint hint). Roman demands that another
negotiator
named Chris Sabian is called in from a different precinct, and it happens to
be Kevin Spacey in a great role. Roman's reasoning for this is that Sabian
shouldn't be in on the take so to speak because he's from another precinct.
Most of the best parts of the movie consist of Roman defeating the police at
their own, or should I say his own game.

Jackson and Spacey were perfect choices for the roles, much of the action is
character dialogue driven, Jackson slips into his Pulp Fiction speaking mode
on more than one occasion, and that alone makes it worth the price of
admission. But there's also some great action sequences involving the
police
trying to break in and kill Roman. The best thing this film has going for it
besides the great dialogue is the mystery. There's a couple of plot twists, at
times it reminded me of L.A. Confidential though, probably Spacey's fault,
but
it had a satisfying conclusion. The audience laughed numerous times and
applauded at the end.

The version I saw was definetly not the final edit, there was a temp track
featuring mostly Crimson Tide that was adequate, but I could see where I
think
they are going to fiddle with the movie, once the action gets to the building
it's all locked up for sure, from there it was a four star, no getting up if
you have to go to the bathroom action thriller. Basically the only problem I
saw was the begining, they spend a great deal of time making you
interested in
Jackson's character, so much that the actual hostage situation dosen't start
until about 40 min into the movie, hopefully they'll speed it up a little bit
and get right to it, but I guess it's one of those catch-22's, they need to
make you care about the character otherwise you won't be involved with the
film. I would say the partner's funeral scene was way too long as well as a
standard scene featuring all the cops drinking in a bar and dancing. But hey,
once the movie got started I was on the edge of my seat at least 4 times. If
you get a chance check this movie out, it's gonna be a modest surprise hit I
think.

Last man on earth signing off... "Wawazat!!"