Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Basic

Play trailer Poster for Basic R Released Apr 18, 2003 1h 38m Mystery & Thriller Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
21% Tomatometer 141 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
During a special operations training mission in Panama, four U.S. soldiers are killed mysteriously, and their leader, Sgt. Nathan West, goes missing. A military investigator, Capt. Julia Osborne, has trouble convincing the two survivors to talk about what happened that night. A more experienced investigator, Tom Hardy, is brought in to crack the case. However, when the survivors do start talking, their stories differ from one another.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Basic

Basic

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Basic gets so needlessly convoluted in its plot twists that the viewer eventually loses interest.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (141) Critics Reviews
Nell Minow Common Sense Media Basically bad and sorry attempt at a thriller. Rated: 1/5 Sep 30, 2010 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Director John McTiernan does a swell job with James Vanderbilt's sneaky script in keeping us guessing. Mar 31, 2010 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 1/5 Dec 19, 2003 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed A poor effort with a confusing story and ridiculous plot twist after plot twist. Apr 29, 2009 Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Rated: 1/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 2/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Kams A When there are too many twists you sort of expect the next one and get it right. That's what is wrong with this one. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/27/24 Full Review Carlos T Filme: Violação de Conduta Assistido: 15-6-24 Elenco: @johntravolta @samuelljackson @connienielsenofficial @tayediggsinsta @iamdelafuente @harryconnickjr @roselyn_sanchez @dizmihok @thebrianvanholt Giovanni Ribisi Modelo: #ação #policial Duração: !h 39 m Ano: 2003 Minha opinião: Um filme de detetive do exercito. Após a morte de vários soldados em um exercício na floresta. E com o resgate de 2 sobreviventes e é chamado Tom (Travolta), um policial da narcortico que foi expulso do exército. E junto com ele tem a Sgat. Osborne (Nielsen), e juntos irão desvendar este enigma das mortes. Será que foi apenas uma vigança por maus tratos do sgat. Nath (Jackson) e isto culminou na morte de vários soldados? Mas com o decorrer dos depoimentos de Kendall e Dumbar que são os sobreviventes o quebra cabeça vai se montando. Nesse meio acaba aparecendo o Dr. Vilmar que faz drogas para que os soldados aguentem o forte treinamento. E aonde parecia que estava resolvido o caso, aparece agora novos indícios, mas agora é de trafico de cocaína. E os motivos do assassinato do sgat Nath agora muda, como ele tenha descoberto o esquema e assim o eliminaram. E sendo Kendall um dos chefes do esquema, sendo que ele também é filho de general. Mas para queima de arquivo acabam envenenando ele. Neste momento Tom estoura seu pavil e tem o testemunho da verdade de Dunbar que na verdade era Pike. E que neste mato também havia outro o cabeça de tudo que é o Comandante Style era o verdadeiro cabeça. E com o caso resolvido agora temos Osborne que descobre sobre a organização 8. E quem esta nela? So assistindo. Um filme cheio de reviravoltas ao estilo de “A filha do General” ou “Questão de Honra”. Um filme legal de assistir e com boas atuações dos atores. Parabéns. Roteiro e enredo bons, apesar de corridos, temos de estar antenados na estória. Vale apena assistir? Com certeza. Nota: 8 Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/15/24 Full Review Coralie M I do like criminal mysteries...army stle; the General's Daughter; is another winner there. This is a gem that might take you tumbling into the heart of 'what DID happen?'; that should perhaps be best summed up by the prisoner's innocuous 'who cares what happened there? It's how you tell the story that matters' Something like that For me, the lingering question remains: was John Travolta's character undercover at thr beginning of the movie 🤔 Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/19/24 Full Review Kyle M While twists pleasantly struck unsuspecting viewers then refine the film's watchability by sharpened focus, becoming a praiseworthy effective impact giving the affected picture another level unveiled, this ironically-titled film overdid to the point of losing its footing. Stars a nice cast amid exceptional production merits for effective momentum, the many unfolding twists it contains scrunches in convolution whilst remain engaged till you feel both grips loosen when facing "clever" indecision. (B-) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/11/24 Full Review Forged S Billed at the time as the return of John McTiernan (of Die Hard and Predator fame) and the reunion of John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson. There was even a piece on how Travolta (specifically) had gotten in great shape for his role. And what was the result? Honestly, at the time, I wasn't impressed. Sure, it was an alluring, military noir, set on a perpetually rain-soaked military base as an military investigator tried to uncover a mystery with multiple points of view and twists abound. But something about the movie felt, lacking. At. That. Time. But watching the film today, I have a deeper appreciation for the storytelling and the classic Rashomon multiple point of view troupe. Plus, Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta are absolutely amazing together even if they hardly share any screen time. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review Matthew T Travolta with another stinker Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 12/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Basic

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Cold Creek Manor 12% 22% Cold Creek Manor Watchlist The Manchurian Candidate 79% 63% The Manchurian Candidate Watchlist TRAILER for The Manchurian Candidate The General's Daughter 21% 46% The General's Daughter Watchlist Happy Here and Now 50% 43% Happy Here and Now Watchlist Wilderness Survival for Girls 50% 38% Wilderness Survival for Girls Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis During a special operations training mission in Panama, four U.S. soldiers are killed mysteriously, and their leader, Sgt. Nathan West, goes missing. A military investigator, Capt. Julia Osborne, has trouble convincing the two survivors to talk about what happened that night. A more experienced investigator, Tom Hardy, is brought in to crack the case. However, when the survivors do start talking, their stories differ from one another.
Director
John McTiernan
Producer
Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer, Michael Tadross, James Vanderbilt
Screenwriter
James Vanderbilt
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Phoenix Pictures, InterMedia Film Equities Ltd.
Rating
R (Violence|Language)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 18, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$26.5M
Runtime
1h 38m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
Most Popular at Home Now