The Negotiator 1998

As Lieutenant Danny Roman (actor name), a seasoned hostage negotiator for the Chicago Police Department’s east precinct, is summoned to meet his partner Nate Roenick, he’s met instead with the brutal reality of Roenick’s murder - a shot to the head, with no signs of forced entry or struggle. The scene is eerily quiet, punctuated only by the arrival of responding officers, who immediately deem Roman a prime suspect. This shocking turn of events sets in motion a catastrophic chain reaction that will unravel the very fabric of trust within the department.

Roman’s world begins to crumble further when Internal Affairs inspector Terence Niebaum, someone Roenick’s anonymous informant had fingered as a potential embezzlement conspirator, takes charge of the investigation. As Niebaum digs deeper, he uncovers a damning piece of evidence: a paper trail leading from Roman’s household to an offshore bank account, containing one of the exact amounts stolen from the department’s disability fund - a pot Roman, as a board member, had access to. With embezzlement and homicide charges hanging precariously in the balance, Roman finds himself forced to surrender his gun and badge, and his once-loyal colleagues begin to regard him with suspicion.

As tensions escalate, Roman confronts Niebaum in a desperate bid for cooperation, only to be rebuffed. In a calculated move, Roman takes hostage three people: IAD administrative assistant Maggie, commander Grant Frost (Roman’s friend), and con artist Rudy Timmons. With the building evacuated and surrounded by his own CPD unit and FBI agents, Roman issues an ultimatum: he demands the return of his badge, information about Roenick’s informant and killer, a department funeral in the event of his demise, and the presence of Lieutenant Chris Sabian (actor name), the city’s other top negotiator. Roman chooses Sabian because, hailing from the west precinct, he’s eliminated as a suspect in the disability fund scheme; more importantly, Sabian is known for his measured approach, preferring to talk down situations rather than resorting to tactical action.

As Roman and Sabian engage in a tense standoff, their mutual distrust of each other begins to dissipate, replaced by a begrudging respect. However, their fragile rapport is severely tested when the CPD’s west precinct commander, Adam Beck (actor name), attempts a hastily planned breach that backfires catastrophically, leaving SWAT officers Scott and Markus held captive, with Scott appearing to have met his untimely demise.

As a desperate ploy to restore power to the besieged building, Roman makes a deal with Sabian, trading Frost’s freedom for the electricity. With the help of Rudy and Maggie, Roman infiltrates Niebaum’s computer system and uncovers a web of deceit: corrupt officers had filed false disability claims, which were processed by an unknown insider on the disability fund’s board. The investigation also yields recordings of wiretapped conversations, including a revealing chat between Roenick and his widow that hints at his impending meeting with an informant before his untimely demise.

Sabian, armed with Roman’s findings, attempts to negotiate the release of the hostages by claiming to have identified Roenick’s mole. However, Roman sees through Sabian’s ruse when Niebaum’s files reveal a stunning truth: Roenick himself was the informant. When Roman confronts Niebaum in his office, shattering the window and leaving him vulnerable to sniper fire, Niebaum confesses that Roenick had provided wiretaps implicating three of their squadmates in the embezzlement scheme: Hellman, Allen, and Argento. According to Niebaum, these corrupt officers had offered Roenick a bribe, but he refused to take it, resulting in his brutal murder.

As Niebaum speaks, the very same corrupt officers secretly infiltrate the room through the air vents, masquerading as part of a team tasked with taking Roman down if he started killing the hostages. Upon hearing Niebaum’s confession, they open fire and brutally slay him before he can reveal the location of the incriminating wiretaps. Undeterred, Roman single-handedly fends off the attackers and his former squadmates, utilizing the flashbangs he had seized from Markus and Scott during their previous botched breach attempt.

As the stalemate between Sabian and the authorities reaches a boiling point, the FBI seizes control of the operation, slamming shut the door on negotiations and relieving Sabian of his command. With Roman poised for arrest, Maggie drops a bombshell: Niebaum’s home office could have been the repository for Roenick’s wiretapped evidence all along. Sabian re-enters the besieged building, warning Roman about the impending breach, and is met with a revelation that shatters his perceptions - Scott, thought to be lifeless, is still alive, gagged by duct tape. The tide of suspicion begins to turn in Roman’s favor as Sabian grants him a chance to prove his innocence amidst the chaos. As FBI and SWAT teams storm the building, rescuing hostages and securing the area, Roman sees an opportunity for escape and slips into the ventilation system, disguising himself as a SWAT team member.

Meanwhile, Sabian and Maggie track down Niebaum’s residence, only to come up empty-handed in their search for the wiretapped evidence. The corrupt police officers arrive on the scene, but are swiftly repelled by Frost’s sudden appearance, attempting to reason with Roman. Observant and astute, Sabian notes Frost discreetly securing the front door and pilfering a loaded firearm, his suspicions piqued. The truth slowly unfolds as Sabian realizes that Frost is the mastermind behind the conspiracy, the insider on the disability fund’s board and Roenick’s cold-blooded killer.

With Frost in tow, Sabian plays along, feigning Roman’s demise and offering to destroy the incriminating floppy disks they’ve uncovered in exchange for a share of Frost’s ill-gotten gains. Frost agrees, unwittingly confessing his crimes before crushing the evidence and shooting Niebaum’s computer to pieces. As he exits the property, Frost is met with an unwelcome surprise: Sabian only grazed Roman, who has been broadcasting Frost’s entire confession over police radio frequencies to a gathered audience of officers. Mortified, Frost attempts to take his own life, but Beck intervenes, shooting him in the shoulder and effecting his arrest alongside the other corrupt officers. As Roman is whisked away to an ambulance with his wife by his side, Sabian tenderly hands over his badge, his duty fulfilled, before departing into the sunset.