Denzel Washington is a dispatcher for the NY subway system and is manning his post when a hostage situation occurs. John Travolta plays the main bad guy.
This type of film seems to be Denzel's specialty. It's very character driven leaning more on the acting than the story. Not that the story is bad, it's just ok.
The problem is that they tried to shoehorn a few too many characters into the movie. For example:
-James Gandolfini plays the mayor whose going through a scandal and soon to lose his office.
-John Turturro plays a hostage negotiator who helps Denzel thought the event.
Both do a good job, but their characters didn't really need to be in this movie. Thus, too much time was spent on them, when it could have been given to Washington and Travolta's characters.
They even attempt to give a few of the hostages backgrounds, and it comes off as rushed.
There's only so much time in a movie...
Still, it was entertaining, mainly due to the two main stars.
Not a classic, but a decent rental.
6 out of 10.