“Basic” is a gripping thriller directed by John McTiernan that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Starring John Travolta, Connie Nielsen, and Samuel L. Jackson, the film follows the story of Tom Hardy, a former Army Ranger turned DEA agent. Hardy is pulled into a complex mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sgt. Nathan West and his elite Special Forces trainees during a training exercise in the jungles of Panama. With only two survivors, both reluctant to cooperate, Hardy teams up with Capt. Julia Osborne to uncover the truth. As they delve deeper, they unravel a web of lies and deception, leading to shocking revelations about the fate of the missing Rangers. With a runtime of 98 minutes, “Basic” delivers suspense, action, and intrigue, making it a must-watch for fans of thrilling crime dramas.
Basic Movie Info:
Movie: Basic
Year: 2003
IMDb Rating: 6.4
Genres: Action / Crime / Drama / Mystery / Thriller
Language: English
Director: John McTiernan
Actors: John Travolta / Connie Nielsen / Samuel L. Jackson / Tim Daly / Giovanni Ribisi / Brian Van Holt / Taye Diggs / Dash Mihok / Cristián de la Fuente / Roselyn Sanchez / Harry Connick Jr. / Georgia Hausserman / Margaret Travolta / Dena Johnston / Nick Loren / Cliff Fleming / Steven Maye / Jonathan Rau / Tait Ruppert / Timothy S. Wester / Chris Byrne / Curtis Ricks / Charles L. Fails
Runtime: 98 min
Release Date: 28 Mar 2003 (Canada)
Country: Germany / United States
Synopsis: Tom Hardy, an ex-Army Ranger turned DEA agent, is drawn into an ever-widening mystery surrounding the disappearance of the feared and often hated Sgt. Nathan West, as well as several of his elite Special Forces trainees on what appears, at first, to have been a routine training exercise during a hurricane in the jungles of Panama. Only two survivors are found, Dunbar, and a badly wounded Kendall, the son of a high-profile Joint Chiefs of Staff official. Neither is willing to cooperate with Capt. Julia Osborne’s investigation. So base commander Col. Bill Styles calls in ex-Ranger Hardy, an old friend and a persuasive interrogator. Osborne disapproves of Hardy who is on leave from the D.E.A. after having come under suspicion of accepting bribes from local drug traffickers. She is also uneasy when she learns that Hardy once trained under West and hates him almost as passionately as his current recruits. With time running out, Hardy and Osborne call a temporary, if uneasy, truce. Hardy cajoles a confession out of Dunbar, who claims that Sgt. West and the missing Rangers have been murdered and their bodies blown away by the hurricane. When they later interview Kendall, he confirms that the other Rangers and West are dead. But, in almost every other way, his story contradicts Dunbar’s. What happened to West and his Ranger team? And what were they really doing out there in the jungle? As each layer reveals more lies and greater deceptions, Hardy and Osborne inch towards the horrible truth about the fate of the missing Rangers. Written by Sujit R. Varma