Basic (2003)

From the start, there is a strange and combing feeling of the story unfolding. The military, a hard core training tool for those about to go to war or even make it in peace-time. It is hard, it is cold, it is calculated, of course. If it weren't we would have been over taken by some foreign government long ago. Not to say that, that isn't what is slowly happening now...don't get me started. I watched in slow amazement as Samuel's character took flight after the interview with the young soldier, started. John reminds me a little of his role in The General's Daughter, but then it clears a sort of different pathway. I enjoyed watching the elements of the story take place and then seemingly change direction, to a certain extent. Definitely a good paced action and thought provoking military story that leads you and keeps you from any stretch of 'Boredom'.

This was one of those "I watched it but I could enjoy it again." Type features where, just once is not all. You can learn something new if your mind is in a 'discovery' mode.

Some films... once you know what has happened, people tend to think "I've already seen it." But yet, there are stories like this that just take you by surprise.

And for me that is what it is all about. Good actors of course can do, but it is all involved with the writing and direction and I love this director's brain. I met Samuel L Jackson in L.A. gassing up his Lincoln Navigator, he was dressed in black leather attire very impressive man. I enjoyed that.

Another great John McTeirnan directed piece, that has brilliant performances and a smart script.

Recommended (****) Highly.

Fmovies: There's a whole lot of deep analysis going on here, but in the end, since so many others have analyzed this to death, I would recommend just watching it with an open mind and seeing if you find it entertaining.

I thought it original to a point, well acted out, and while predictable on a couple points, for the most part, leaving me wondering when we would find out the absolute truth of what the heck was going on...

Maybe later I will put something more in depth here, but for now, beware of the critics and their "plot holes," because in the end, aside from a couple very small glitches, this was pretty well done.

Basic engages your attention pretty early on and keeps you guessing throughout with the twists and turns in the storyline and its refreshingly unexpected ending.

As you would expect Travolta and Jackson are both superb, as is Connie Neilson. The characters build well, the writing is very solid, and the story is quite original.

All in all 'Basic' is a good thriller that is a little complex and confusing for the casual movie fan.

Definitely worth watching, but not a classic

7/10

Basic fmovies. Army Ranger Dunbar (Brian Van Holt) is being interrogated by Captain Julia Osborne (Connie Nielsen). The situation is very serious: Dunbar's team mates from Special Forces trainees and their sergeant Nathan West (Samuel L. Jackson) are all missing, presumed dead. The only other survivor aside from Dunbar is Kendall (Giovanni Ribisi), and he is lying in a hospital bed, in critical condition. There is a big chance Dunbar is guilty but when he says he will only talk to another ranger like him, Osborne's supervisor Styles (Tim Daly) decides to call in a favor from his old friend/ex-Ranger Tom Hardy (John Travolta)- despite her objections.

Osborne and Hardy don't at first get along that well. After all Hardy has left the army, is now a DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agent. It doesn't help build her trust that there have been some bribery charges against him and he is sort of suspended.

But when Hardy proves himself as great an interrogator as Styles said he was, Osborne decides to follow his lead. After all, he has gotten both Kendall and Dunbar to talk. The problem is, their stories are contradicting. And even more confusing is the fact that Kendall seems to be showing Dunbar in a guilty light despite the fact that he saved Kendall's life.

So what is the real story? Did one of the soldiers finally lose it because of how horribly West treated them? Or is it a whole lot more complicated than that?

I loved this movie. In fact, I adored it. I do have a weakness for John Travolta movies- especially thrillers: Do Face Off, Broken Arrow, Swordfish, Mad City ring a bell? Yes, there are more but these are my favorites and Basic joined them right away. The difference of Basic, though is that the action doesn't exactly involve Travolta. We get flashbacks to the awful stormy location where the soldiers were supposed to complete their training. There is great suspense and as many great twists as in a John Grisham novel. I loved how the story surprises and entertains and impresses you at all times. The movie, in my opinion is horribly underrated at 6.3 on IMDb. I think it is a solid 8 but I rated a 9 for the entertainment level and frankly to get the movie closer to the rating it deserves.

A very strong drama/thriller with a great cast. Now, that's my kind of movie.

Movie Reviews: http://pinartarhan.com/blog/

From the trailer it was hard to make out how intricate the movie actually was. I had earlier taken it to be an army movie that was sure to showcase some war-like situations. However I was proved wrong when I actually found the movie to be a sort of a thriller. The story retains a training program which turns out to be chaotic when all those rangers who had stepped down to train in the formidable forest area end up shooting each other except for two fellow rangers. The mystery was slowly revealed by two fellow Rangers as to what really happened in the woods while training, both leading the story to a different direction. They both were trying to complicate things by telling their part of the story which although seemed true but in fact wasn't. John Travolta was called on to interrogate the two rangers who had survived from a training facility region(which turned out to be a battleground as there were those who shared a grudge for Samuel Jackson while those who considered it inhumane to kill him) and ended up killing the rest in an accident as the story of those survived rangers suggested. Connie Nielsen however had the habit of snooping around and so figures out the rest of the mystery eventually which was an eye-opener. Find out for yourself what the actual mystery was as I was really surprised to find out the consequences eventually myself and would recommend everyone to watch the movie. I'd rate the movie 7 for the suspense as I kind of like watching movies that has something thrilling to offer.

The movie deals upon a commando of brave soldiers . During the training , the sergeant (Samuel L. Jackson) is killed . A previously soldier and now DEA agent (John Travolta) has to solve who is the killer . He investigates the disappearance of a legendary Army ranger drill sergeant and several of his cadets during a training exercise gone severely awry . He's helped by an officer (Connie Nielsen) . They will have to face off difficult enigmas until to find out the truth .

The picture blends action , suspense , whodunit , thriller , emotions and is pretty entertaining . The flick is tense and mysterious from the beginning till ending and is neither boring , nor dull but entertaining . The screenplay of the film has a twisted plot and the final gets an extraordinary surprise . Runtime film is overlong but is fast-moving and for that reason is amusing . The movie is similar to classic ¨Rashomon¨ (by Akira Kurosawa) and ¨The Outrage¨ (by Martin Ritt) , regarding deeds since various points of sight as people explain them . Every time the story of the bunker is retold , each person has a different partner . Interpretation by John Travolta is top-notch likeness to Connie Nielsen . Samuel L. Jackson's acting is limited , he has a secondary but excellent role . Direction by John McTiernan is outstanding and stunning . The picture will appeal to mystery enthusiasts and suspense lovers . Rating : 7/10 above average. Well worth watching.