Basic

Rating:
Summary: The Kings of the gold screen have reunited
Review: This has got to be the best Travolta film out there today, the cast is plentyful and the dark tense action thriller is worth the watch. Sam is great too, the storyline is strong and as the movie says, 'Basic'. 10/10

Rating:
Summary: Painful to sit through
Review: Travolta and Jackson cannot save this film with their professional acting skills that are wasted in an abhorrant pile of celluloid. I got roped into the beginning with family and had to endure the entire thing, though I felt like groaning in pain with each new plot 'twist'.

As the token woman/love interest, Connie Nielsen's (Southern?? who knows) accent goes in and out throughout the film leaving the viewer wondering where in the world she is from. Despite the severity of the situation (a multiple military homicide), the writers felt the need to force a highly unbelievable romance between Travolta and Nielsen's character that is never followed up nor does it have room to develop. It's as if in-between the interrogation and flashback scenes, they said "Hey, how about Travolta comes on to the woman whenever they're alone?"

It doesn't help matters that pertinent information is not disclosed until right near the end...not that it matters, since the final "twist" (give me a break) is explained as it happens, with no grounding in the previous material that the audience has seen. Complete debacle.

Rating:
Summary: HAD TO CHUCKLE!
Review: I thoroughly enjoy reading what others say about what they have seen and I had to chuckle that so many got left in the dust in understanding the movie.

Travolta's character knew more than he let on yet he had a mystery to solve -- who was the peron behind the drug running?

That the whole scheme was a set up was easy to figure out -- but who was on who's side? Little missy had brains but not the knowledge to figure it out -- Hardin didn't like where his smart-talking investigation was leading.
And don't you think that we have these kind of guys out there backing up our military?
Will be watching this one over again -- only complaint I have is their barnyard language - but then I guess they think that makes them men?? Kind of illiterate, what?

Rating:
Summary: Well Acted Tripe
Review: What can one say about a movie with so many unconvincing twists and turns that it eventually tears it's own head off? Also, how can you reunite the classic screen team of John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson from Pulp Fiction and then only have them in one brief scene together?The acting is very good from everyone involved but they can't save a fundamentally silly, unbelievable screenplay.The dialogue is quite silly at times but the actors including Giovanni Ribisi and Taye Diggs tend to rise above it.I won't even go into the plot because A} I don't want to give too much away if you haven't seen it and B} I don't want to have a brain aneurysm trying. When movies suck people tend to blame the actors and say "Travolta made a bad movie", but the truth is it's usually the screenwriters fault and this is definately the case here. If you like any of the actors in this movie, then it's worth renting but definately not purchasing.

Rating:
Summary: Fair movie with lousy ending
Review: SOME of the acting is good, if you can overlooked the fact that the provost Marshal's accent comes and goes in every other scene, but the ending ruins a fair movie.

WIthout giving away the "twist" if you accept that the ending, then the entire rest of the film makes no sense what-so-ever. If your one of those people who asks "then why would he have done that?" DONT see this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Movie Deserves Better Reviews
Review: This is getting low reviews and it doesn't deserve them.... completely. the movie, especially the ending, is surprising. We never really know what's going on although we think we do. regular movie goers will probably be able to tell SOME of what is really happening (you may be able to guess fairly early who the bad guy really is if you see a lot of movies) but even if you guess a LOT, the ending will still provide many surprises for you and the ending will make you WANT TO SEE THE MOVIE AGAIN FROM THE BEGINNING. Go ahead because it is better the 2nd time.

Rating:
Summary: Basic Bore
Review: Coming on the sucess of military thrillers, like A Few Good Men, and The Generals Daughter and with a great cast, Jackson, Travolta, Sanchez, Ribisi, Diggs, and a great trailer, Basic falls short and doesn't make it through basic training.

Samuel L Jackson stars as Col West a basic DI in the Army Rangers unit. Jackson leads a team of Rangers into the Jungles of Panama and sure enough, you guessed it something goes wrong. Two Rangers survive and a rescue chopper captures the firefight. West is killed and a young Ranger survives along with a Generals Son of course. Travolta an ex-ranger is brought in to interogate a subject who won't talk to anybody. Somehow with a donut (Yes a donut) the man talks. Travolta is then told of a the generals son who survives played by Giovani Ribisi (You can bet he fired his agent after this.) Between the two men the stories differ and you find yourself eventually saying Who cares who killed West, when's this movie going to end. Travolta and Sanchez do a good job as a team and just when it's wrapped up so you think, another twist is revealed which causes you to just bang your head and say NO MORE! NO MORE! The ending makes no sense, answers no questions and throws the whole plot out the window.

I was so dissapointed. I was looking forward to this movie and sadly wasted a netflix rental on it. If you like the cast, wait for TBS or TNT to air it as it should have been a TV movie.

Yet another Travolta bomb. <Shakes Head>

Rating:
Summary: Basic who done it mystery
Review: Yep this is one of those movies that anyone could have done it after you figure out what was done. Actually John Travolta did a pretty convincing job.

During a training mission in Panama, Sgt. West (Samuel Jackson), unloved leader type, is killed along with some collateral damage. Tom Hardy (John Travolta), the renegade type, is called in to investigate. He is teamed up with rookie investigator Osborne (Connie Nielson) no chance at chemistry type. We get led around by our nose as information mysteriously appears during the several conflicting stories (several conflicting flashbacks). There are a few good shoot-em-up scenes. You have seen this before and you know the drill (maybe). Naturally last minute clues that were too dangerous to tell you sooner appear near the end of the movie.

If you enjoy this type of movie I suggest you watch "Courage Under Fire" (1996)

Rating:
Summary: Basic... WASTE OF TIME
Review: Before watching the movie, check out the "Extras" where no one involved in the movie can even agree with what the movie is about. They can't even agree what "genre" the movie is.
Basically the movie meanders on with EVERY character lying for the whole length of the movie - is Sam dead, alive, good, bad? Who done it or DIDN'T do it? Why?
The REAL question should be why was this junk even made? Why did Travolta & Jackson even bother. The movie provides Travolta with his worst role since Vinny Barbarino and Jackson his worst role since appearing regularly on the Pee Wee Herman Playhouse with Geri curls. Don't these guys believe that they have more talent than this?
Quote: People mistake me for Laurence Fishburne all the time. SORRY SAMUEL

John Row

Rating:
Summary: Ultra-Contrived
Review: This flick was so convoluted and ultra-contrived that I have to think the only purpose the director had in mind was to totally confuse and deceive the viewer into a narcoleptic trance. Absolutely devoid of flow, and even though the action sequences are bearable, after the third or fourth flashback- you just find yourself thinking what else is there I could be watching instead.