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Amazon.co.uk Review
Basic is a military mystery that offers multi-layered deception as its dramatic raison d'etre, but with plenty of machismo attitude as befitting a semi-effective thriller from Die Hard director John McTiernan. John Travolta stars as an ex-Army Ranger-turned-DEA agent, recruited by an Army investigator (Connie Nielsen) to solve the fratricide of a reviled Sergeant (Samuel L Jackson) who was allegedly killed while commanding a Special Forces training mission in the hurricane-swept rainforests of Panama. Two survivors (Giovanni Ribisi in a showboat role and Brian Van Holt) recall the ill-fated mission as the truth unfolds, Rashomon-style, in a series of repetitive flashbacks. Tricky enough to hold one's attention as it grows increasingly irrelevant, Basic is so enamoured of its bogus ingenuity that its ultimate twist is a letdown. A second viewing might prove rewarding, if only to confirm that it all holds together. --Jeff Shannon
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having just seen this movie on DVD I have to say that it was an enjoyable movie. Some great twists and turns. Travolta was great in his role as hardy and samuel Jackson was also outstanding in his role as west.
Although the story line was at times a little bit difficult to follow I would have to say that this is a good film if only for the reason of the two lead actors back together after pulp fiction.
I would say to all of you watch this one.. as it keep you interested all the way in the end where the real story becomes really clear.
i would give this out 7 of 10 as a rating.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Twist-wise this is a heckuvagreat movie. It's a steaming, down and dirty whodunnit-to-who under the guise of an army training exercise gone wrong. A Special Force team goes into the jungles of Panama, under the supervision of Samuel L. Jackson (West,) but they don't all come out. The onus of finding out what happened falls on Connie Nielsen (Osborne), but then Tim Daly (Styles) brings in John Travolta (Hardy) to take over the investigation.
It's not Travolta's best role, but he does a passable Hardy, the great inquisitor. Connie Nielsen steals most of the movie, even though her accent grates on the nerves sometimes, but otherwise she's got what it takes. Timothy Daly is good for most of the movie (until the end), and there just isn't enough Samuel L. Jackson to go around.
Poor Giovanni Ribisi - he must be really tired of being type-cast by now. He plays the same role, once again, for the umpteenth time.
My problem with the movie is that a lot of the scenes are shot out of focus and in the dark - so it's hard to figure out who's doing what to whom most of the time. (My copy didn't have sub-titles, and the close-captioning was pathetic, so that didn't help much)
Any attempt to summarize the plot would contain spoilers, so I won't. Spending a few hours on this 3.5 star movie, wouldn't be time wasted.
Amanda Richards
Format:DVD
Really good film. Start was a little slow and confusing but it soon picked up and a real twist at the end... very enjoyable.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
One big foggy mystery
I am the kind of film viewer who has the knack of losing a plot. Very quickly. So when I came to the end of Basic for the first time, thoroughly confused and befuddled, I supposed... Read more
Published 21 months ago by kango
Basic
It's secreative and fall of mystery's. It's a combination of a military cover up, fake your own death mystery and a detective film. Read more
Published on 12 April 2010 by Ben Nicholson
Military Con Action
A movie with a lot of twists and turns. Nobody seems to be who they really are. Very wicked! Very entertaining! Keeps you on your toes! Great entertainment!
Published on 23 Jun 2009 by Markus Nyffenegger
Briliantly Esoteric Moment by Moment
When things go wrong in the armed forces, an investigative procedure often follows. In this film, when you think you've got it figured out, you're wrong... Read more
Published on 19 April 2009 by Sonny D
There is no stopping of history
Panama after the Reagan's military intervention. The American armed forces are trying to keep the main passage of south American drug up north to the US under control. Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2008 by Jacques COULARDEAU
Such a waste of good talent?
I watched this film twice in the hope of understanding really what the purpose was of actually making it? Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2007 by Inmi Opinion
What..
This movie is great !!!!! such an awsome story, and very scray..... lol
Not much "action" but its brilliant
Not much "action" but its brilliant
Published on 6 Dec 2007 by William Wright
Poor, poor, poor, poor.
An unbelievably poor film. The storyline is far too complicated to follow without a notebook and pen to keep up with what's supposed to be happening and by the time I actually... Read more
Published on 9 Sep 2007 by M. Davies
Not so simple
hi, this is a film that requires all you're attention or you will not get one bit. it's about some soldiers dropped into the jungle for a training excercise but it all goes wrong,... Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2007 by Now You Know
Terrible
Not very good. Basic is a rather ironic title for this boring, obvious and slow affair. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson don't ever step out of second gear in this poor film. Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2007 by Tangerine
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