The Negotiator

This television movie is one of Takashi Miike's more straightforward genre exercises. It's all well-done on a pretty modest budget, and the twisty plot is more interesting than it initially seems to be. As is often the case with Miike, his pacing is a little loose and ragged and the final 20 minutes drag mercilessly.

Quite an interesting setup to the story, but the ending was boring and melodramatic. The "twist" is ineffective. The whole atmosphere of the movie seems too subdued and depressed - it needed more spice and verve. Maybe the characters are too Japanese. Miike didn't really squeeze the best out of this movie, but I don't know if he even cares because he directs 4 or 5 every year.

Entertaining yarn about a hostage negotiation, with enough twists to keep it interesting, but not really enough substance to make it memorable.

good movie

Sort of a family drama within a cop flick, it's filled with weak plot twists and takes itself way too seriously. Very lame coming from Miike.

Entertaining performances from Spacey and Jackson brighten up an otherwise mediocre cop drama.