Watch Basic

Basic is a 2003 thriller movie directed by John McTiernan and stars a brilliant ensemble cast, including John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Connie Nielsen, Tim Daly, and Harry Connick Jr. The plot revolves around the investigation of a murder that takes place in a U.S. Army training base in Panama. The movie starts with a group of soldiers finishing their training and getting ready to leave the jungle when they suddenly hear gunshots. They quickly rush to the source of the noise, where they find a dead body of their sergeant, Eliazbeth W. West (played by Brian Van Holt), lying in a river. All the while, John Travolta's character, DEA agent Tom Hardy, watches from a distance as the scene unfolds. This crime scene sets the stage for a gripping and twist-filled story.

Tom is called in by his old army buddy, Colonel Bill Styles (played by Tim Daly), to investigate the murder of Sergeant West. As Tom questions the soldiers present at the time of the shooting, he quickly learns that their stories don't add up. Each solider has their own version of events, and each claims that they killed the sergeant in self-defense.

To help him solve the case, Tom enlists Captain Julia Osborne (played by Connie Nielsen), a military intelligence officer. The two of them quickly discover that the soldiers are hiding something, and everything is not as it seems. This leads Tom and Julia to work together to uncover the truth, and as they do, they come across some shocking information about the soldiers' past.

What follows are a series of twists and turns that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. As Tom and Julia dig deeper into the soldiers' past, they begin to realize that the soldiers are not who they seem to be. Each soldier has a dark secret, and the murder of Sergeant West is just the tip of the iceberg.

However, the duo's investigation is not without challenges. They have to navigate through a maze of lies, deceit, and hidden agendas, all while trying to stay one step ahead of their enemies. At the same time, the military brass is breathing down their necks, putting pressure on them to solve the case quickly and quietly.

The film takes us through the twists and turns of the case, which ultimately leads Tom and Julia to discover some shocking truths about the murder, the military, and each other.

The acting in Basic is superb, with John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson delivering outstanding performances. Their chemistry is palpable, and they bounce off each other, creating a sense of tension and unpredictability. Connie Nielsen also delivers a solid performance as the military intelligence officer, who is both tough and vulnerable.

The visuals in Basic are stunning, with the lush jungle setting providing a beautiful backdrop for the film's gritty and violent story. The film's soundtrack, composed by Klaus Badelt, adds to the tension and drama of the movie, ramping up the action when needed.

Overall, Basic is a taut and suspenseful thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. Its twists and turns are sure to keep you entertained and engaged throughout the film. If you're a fan of crime thrillers and action movies, then Basic is definitely worth a watch.

Basic is a 2003 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4 and a MetaScore of 34.