The Negotiator (1998)

The Negotiator (1998)

Author: Shat on Entertainment May 29, 2026 Duration: 1:08:39

This week, Shat The Movies heads to Chicago for The Negotiator, the 1998 hostage thriller that asks a simple question: What happens when the best hostage negotiator in the city takes hostages of his own?

Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey in a battle of wits, the film turns a police corruption investigation into a tense, talk-heavy showdown filled with double-crosses, suspicious cops, and enough flashbangs to outfit a small army.

Gene and Big D revisit a late-'90s thriller that feels like a mashup of Die Hard, The Fugitive, and a Chicago tourism commercial gone horribly wrong. The guys debate whether Danny Roman's plan is brilliant or completely insane, marvel at the film's stacked supporting cast, and discuss why every Chicago movie seems to feature cops making catastrophically bad decisions.

Along the way, they break down David Morse's hard-nosed performance, the film's escalating paranoia, and the rare action movie that wins battles with conversation instead of gunfire.

Is The Negotiator an underrated thriller from the golden age of adult action movies, or a wildly implausible conspiracy held together by charisma, shouting, and Samuel L. Jackson's ability to dominate every room he's in?

Full movie info below

When a respected Chicago police hostage negotiator is framed for corruption and murder, he seizes a government office and takes hostages in a desperate attempt to uncover the real conspiracy. With the city closing in, he turns to another elite negotiator to help expose the truth before time runs out.

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Remember those Friday nights at the video store, the thrill of finding that one perfect VHS tape to define your weekend? Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review digs into that exact feeling, hosted by the team at Shat on Entertainment. This isn't just a nostalgic trip down memory lane; it's a critical, funny, and often brutally honest re-examination of the films we adored (or just endured) during those decades. Each episode focuses on a specific movie, asking the hard questions: does this classic actually hold up, or were we just easily impressed kids? The conversation goes beyond simple reviews, exploring the cultural context of the time, the lasting impact of these stories, and why certain cinematic magic from that era feels so difficult to replicate today. You'll get deep dives into character choices, plot holes we all ignored, and the sheer practical effects that defined an age. It's for anyone who has ever rewatched a childhood favorite and wondered, "Was this always kind of... weird?" Listen to this podcast for a blend of genuine appreciation and well-reasoned skepticism, all delivered with the passion of film fans who lived through the era of rewinding tapes and hoping the rental copy wasn't too scratched. Join the discussion as we separate the timeless treasures from the nostalgic fluff, one iconic film at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review
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