Sam (John Travolta), made redundant by a museum, storms into the building and confronts the curator with a rifle and dynamite.

Also in the museum is Max (Dustin Hoffman), a disgraced TV reporter hankering to get back to the big time.

The gun goes off, a guard outside is injured and the museum seals itself, leaving Sam and Max trapped with a touring party of local children.

Playing both ends against the middle, Max seizes and manipulates the story. Alas, the changes of mood foisted on Travolta here drain sympathy from his character until it's hard to decide whose side, if any, we should be on.

Audience apathy results and even the ending lacks punch.