THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER RATING: 4 / 10 --> This movie sucks
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By-the-numbers: A film which introduces characters, situations, dilemmas and developments that we've seen before in a parade of other films. A film which can easily be guessed out by the end of frame number one. A film which is packed to the cap with predictability, leading to very little tension, excitement, suspense or interest on the part of its paying audience. In short, a cliché-ridden formula film. Welcome to my review of THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER.
PLOT: An undercover Army detective and a rape counselor find themselves locked inside an investigation into some bigwig General daughter's rape, torture and murder. They must delve through all of the unspoken Army rules and the hush-hushes, to figure out the conspiracy behind the shocking murder.
CRITIQUE: By the numbers (see above). This film is just there. It sits there on the big screen for a couple of hours, floats around, goes away, hopefully never to be heard from again. It is so predictable that even a blind man could see its plot points coming a mile away. It's as suspenseful as a leaf dropping from a tree. It's as action-packed as a Canadian curling tournament. Get the picture? I sure did...it's too bad that it took my friend and I less than two minutes to figure out the entire plot, and to break down each scene before it was even completed. Easy as pie. It's unfortunate because James Woods and John Travolta actually have one extremely enjoyable scene together near the beginning of the film, but alas, t'was not to be (That scene alone scored two of my four points allotted.) Woods chews it up in the few scenes that he's in, Travolta passes the test, Cromwell plays, well, Cromwell, and Stowe is window dressing with a smile (MIA since 12 MONKEYS (8/10) it seems).
And this predictability isn't reserved only to those who have seen films like COURAGE UNDER FIRE or A FEW GOOD MEN, it runs deep inside every one of us who knows to suspect someone as soon as they see their obvious guilty mug on the big screen. It's like riding a bike. Other scenarios which sponge out any tension, suspense or interest from this film include every single character eventually "breaking down" to the investigators without much reason given, a ridiculously placed background relationship between two of the lead characters, as much action as my grandparents bedroom nightly, and a directorial style that can only reward director Simon West with a solid nomination for the "Best Poor Man's Michael Bay Doing his Best Poor Man's Impression of Tony Scott" (Add two scenes with sunlight shining through some half-open shades for grit and integrity, and an all-out rainfall for the finale for further chaos, and you're a great director. Yawn. Yeah, whatever Tony...I mean, Simon.)
And aren't we all sick of hearing about these Army "bad boys" and their overdone "code of silence"?! Enough already! Next subject, please. See it on video if you wanna fall asleep after seeing a much better movie like AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN (8.5/10). Otherwise, save yourself the trouble and go take a crap instead. You'll feel much better afterwards. Trust me.
Little Known Facts about this film and its stars: Ironically, John Travolta turned down the lead role in AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, which eventually went to little Dickie Gere. Ironically on James Woods' part, he completed one of his earliest acting roles on TV's "Welcome Back, Kotter", starring none other than John Travolta. Actor James Woods recently confirmed reports of his "big dick" on Howard Stern's radio program. Unlike rocker Tommy Lee, Woods is also alleged to have an IQ of 180. He apparently scored a perfect 800 on his verbal SATs and a 779 on the math section. What a man! John Travolta is married to actress Kelly Preston, and they have a son named Jett (Travolta loves them planes!). Word on the street is that the kid was apparently conceived during a weekend at Demi Moore and Bruce Willis' home. Director Simon West's first film was the Jerry Bruckheimer produced CON AIR (6.5/10). Before that, he directed TV commercials including the Budweiser ad with the dancing ants. Yippee! Veteran director John Frankenheimer (RONIN (7.5/10), THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE) portrays the character of General Sonnenberg in this film. The IMDb reports that when Senator Robert Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, it was his good friend John Frankenheimer who had personally driven him there that day. Clarence Williams III, who plays Colonel Fowler in this film, is known to some from his role as "Linc" in the original "Mod Squad" TV series. Younger folk may remember him as Prince's father in PURPLE RAIN.
Review Date: June 16, 1999
Director: Simon West
Writers: Christopher Bertolini and William Goldman (based on
novel by Nelson DeMille)
Producer: Mace Neufeld
Actors: John Travolta as Paul Brenner
Madeleine Stowe as Sarah Sunhill
James Woods as Colonel Moore
Genre: Thriller
Year of Release: 1999
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(c) 1999 Berge Garabedian
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