The General's Daughter

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The General's Daughter

R

Released Jun 18, 1999

1h 51m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

21%

Tomatometer

90 Reviews

46%

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50,000+ Ratings

When the body of Army Capt. Elizabeth Campbell (Leslie Stefanson) is found on a Georgia military base, two investigators, Warrant Officers Paul Brenner (John Travolta) and Sara Sunhill (Madeleine Stowe), are ordered to solve her murder. What they uncover is anything but clear-cut. Unseemly details emerge about Campbell's life, leading to allegations of a possible military coverup of her death and the involvement of her father, Lt. Gen. Joseph Campbell (James Cromwell).

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Critics Consensus

Contrived performances and over-the-top sequences offer little real drama.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

No doubt about it, to divulge the plot would spoil the experience -- you'll be shocked to discover, and maybe even surprised to learn, just how lame the damn thing really is.

Rated: 1.5/4

Apr 25, 2003

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Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

In terms of tone, the film is all over the map.

Nov 6, 2002

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Common Sense Media Editors

Common Sense Media

The General's Daughter's attempt to present an expose of sexism in the military is clumsy at best and as subtle as a chainsaw.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 21, 2022

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: D

Mar 22, 2013

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Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 1/5

Aug 7, 2008

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Narciso R

Horrific accent from Travolta. Terrible movie. NRJ.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/11/24

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anthony m

I disagree with panning critics' nitpicking. It was a well-made movie about a murder, and there was a surprise ending --- something that seems for some reason unpopular with critics. The African folk song at the outset is captivating, and the southern Spanish moss helped provide verisimilitude. I noted that half the audience liked it while a quarter of the critics did. Why the discrpency?

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

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Dawna H

Watch it…. you'll enjoy it although if you're not overly sensitive to some content…. Justice will prevail and remember it's not over until the credits roll.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

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Audience Member

The betrayal of the daughter by her father made me sick. I have a daughter. Had to turn the movie off.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

The General's Daughter is a fast gripping thriller about military conspiracies. Its well-incorporated political elements never outweigh its entrainment and suspense unlike the pious, preachy and insufferably patronizing modern Hollywood movies. John Travolta's dramatic delivery makes quite a strong character with genuine aplomb and inalienable valor.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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jelisije j

A movie that doesn't waste any time to develop its story and its characters. Highly underrated film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Simon West

Director

John Travolta

Paul Brenner

Madeleine Stowe

Sara Sunhill

James Cromwell

Lt. Gen. Joseph Campbell

Timothy Hutton

Col. William Kent

Leslie Stefanson

Capt. Elisabeth Campbell

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The General's Daughter: Official Clip - Did the General Do It?

2:51

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - Interrogating a Rapist

2:55

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - YOU Killed Her!

2:42

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - The Military Covers Up Rape

3:00

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - John Travolta Arrests James Woods

2:17

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - Secret Sex Dungeon

1:50

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - Are You A Soldier or A Policeman?

2:59

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - Brutal Motorboat Kill

2:52

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - The Murderer's Minefield

2:52

The General's Daughter: Official Clip - Violent Interrogation

2:54

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The General’s Daughter takes on a hokey feel with all the overacting, wrong shooting style, and unbelievable plot points.

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Synopsis

When the body of Army Capt. Elizabeth Campbell (Leslie Stefanson) is found on a Georgia military base, two investigators, Warrant Officers Paul Brenner (John Travolta) and Sara Sunhill (Madeleine Stowe), are ordered to solve her murder. What they uncover is anything but clear-cut. Unseemly details emerge about Campbell's life, leading to allegations of a possible military coverup of her death and the involvement of her father, Lt. Gen. Joseph Campbell (James Cromwell).

Director: Simon West
Producer: Mace Neufeld
Screenwriter: Nelson DeMille, Christopher Bertolini, William Goldman
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures International
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $102.7M
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround

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