Dead Silence

Three escaped convicts, including ruthless Ted Handy (Coates), have hijacked a busload of deaf children and their teacher (Matlin) and are holding them hostage in an abandoned slaughterhouse. Veteran FBI agent John Cooper (Garner) is called in but he not only has to deal with a tense and possibly tragic situation but with a grandstanding politician (Smith) who's criticizing his every action and the last-minute arrival of another hostage negotiator (Davidovich). Based on the novel "A Maiden's Grave" by Jeffery Deaver.