G.I. JANE RATING: 6.5 / 10 --> So-so
Review Date: April 16, 1998
Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Danielle Alexandra and David N. Twohy
Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Demi Moore, Suzanne Todd
Actors: Demi Moore as Lt. Jordan O'Neil
Viggo Mortensen as Master Chief John Urgayle
Anne Bancroft as Senator Lilian DeHaven
Genre: Drama / Action
Year of Release: 1997
A Demi Moore cinematic vehicle directed by the man who brought us another "gung-ho women" movie back in 1991 entitled THELMA AND LOUISE (8/10): Mr.Ridley Scott. His brother is fellow hot-shot director Tony Scott of TRUE ROMANCE (9/10) and CRIMSON TIDE (7/10) fame. Scott Free is their production company.
PLOT: O'Neil (Moore) is selected as a test-case candidate to undergo three months of Navy Seals training, as to identify the capability of a woman in that branch of the United States Armed Forces. Many people want her to succeed. Many others want her to fail. The outcome is this film.
CRITIQUE: This is a 2-hour movie that bored me stupid during the first hour or so, with countless shots of the men, and woman, training really hard (how many sweaty shots of Demi Moore must we endure before we crack?), and politicians and Army heads trying to figure out what to make of the whole thing. "Navy Seals training is hard, and politics is a dirty game"-now there's something we never knew before!! Yawn. To entertain yourself during these early scenes, watch for the Scott brothers' trademark inclusion of a heavy downpour at some point in the film, as well as the eternal shot of a man smoking a big "manly" cigar, and those darn cute rays of sunlight flashing through a shuttered window.
The second half of the film does add a little intensity, and a spec of suspense, but not enough to make it an entirely enjoyable movie. I mean, I don't really think there's anybody out there that can't confidently predict the ending of the film, eh? Having said that, Anne Bancroft is perfect in the role of the steadfast, political piranha Senator, and Viggo Mortensen draws a wonderful performance as the "hard-as-nails" Major Chief. He even gets to deliver my second favourite line from a 1997 film (the first being "Yeah baby, yeah !! from AUSTIN POWERS (7/10)), "Lieutenant O'Neil, when I want your opinion...I'll give it to you." Yeah baby, yeah !!!
Other than that, the last twenty minutes are the only ones to include any kind of "action" in this film (as contrived and obvious as the conclusion does turn out....), and Demi Moore's performance is adequate. But I guess that if you're in the mood for something that starts off slow, gets a little political, and ends on a semi-action tip, then I guess GI JANE should visit your VCR in the near future. Otherwise, skip it and rent the ultimate "underdog beating all odds" movie called ROCKY (8/10). Maybe you've heard of it? Viggo rules.
Little Known Facts: Earlier titles for this movie were "In Pursuit of Honor", "Matter of Honor, A", "Navy Cross" and "Undisclosed". Demi Moore is married to fellow actor Bruce Willis, with whom she's had three children who go by the names of Rumer, Scout Larue and Tallulah Belle (and who said Moon Unit and Dweezel were weird names?). Her own stepfather (real father left before she was born) killed himself when she was 18 years of age. Viggo Mortensen speaks fluent English, Spanish and Danish. Anne Bancroft was born in The Bronx, New York, under the birth name of Anna Maria Louisa Italiano (I think she's Italian, eh?), and has been happily married to director/writer/actor Mel Brooks for over 30 years.
(c) 1998 Berge Garabedian
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