BASIC (2003) - ♦♦

Directed by - John McTiernan

Written by - James Vanderbilt

Starring - John Travolta, Connie Nielsen, Samuel L. Jackson

"A reunion of sorts between the iconic Vincent And Jules of Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, though the circumstances are rather unflattering. It is clear however that regular action thriller film director John McTiernan's Basic thrives upon the meeting between its two leading actors, which is kept to a minimum, almost attempting to recreate the succesful formula of Heat, which features the on screen meeting between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. 

The story is that of a DEA agent investigating the disappearance of a legendary Army drill sergeant and several of his cadets during a training exercise. The plot unravels in clumsy, frustrating and needless complexity. Even the visual style shows an overall lack of a clear vision, or perhaps far too much of an eager ambition in distancing itself from other such military investigative films. 

No matter. The end result is rather weak and almost totally forgettable."

Thriller, USA/Germany