Basic (film)

Basic is a 2003 thriller film directed by John McTiernan.

Plot

A helicopter circles over the Panamanian jungle. On board is a team of Army Ranger trainees and their instructor, Master Sergeant Nathan West (Samuel L. Jackson). Their objective is to move through the jungle while a hurricane rages above, using live fire to hit pop-up metal targets, then rendezvous at a small bunker.
Seventeen hours later, a Ranger (eventually identified as Ray Dunbar), emerges from the jungle carrying one of his wounded comrades, Second Lieutenant Levi Kendall, on his back. Another soldier then walks out of the jungle and started shooting at Dunbar. This soldier, later identified as Mueller, is killed in self-defense by Dunbar. Apparently, the mission has gone horribly wrong. The rest of the team, and West, are presumed dead.
In an interrogation room back on base, Captain Julia Osborne (Connie Nielsen) makes little headway with Dunbar, who refuses to talk. Dunbar is given a pad of paper and pen and he writes that he will only speak to a fellow Ranger, someone from outside the base, and draws an "8" inside a circle on the piece of paper. Noticeably spooked upon seeing the "8", base commander, Colonel Bill Styles (Timothy Daly), calls in an experienced interrogator and friend, Tom Hardy (John Travolta). Hardy, an ex-Ranger is now a DEA agent who is presently under investigation for suspicion of bribery. Hardy and Osborne, initially wary of each other, are forced to work together during the 6 hours they are given before the CID transportation from Washington will arrive to take Dunbar and Kendall away to initiate an investigation. Styles wants the investigation kept quiet.
[edit]Dunbar's Story
During the interrogation, Hardy revealed to Dunbar that he served under West when he was a Ranger. Dunbar mentioned that West is infamous for being a ruthless, tough-as-nails sergeant. One trainee in Dunbar's unit, a soldier named Pike, earned West's wrath more than any other. Pike was selected for the Panama training mission along with Dunbar, Kendall, Mueller and two other soldiers, Nuñez and Castro. Since he seemed to have plenty of reason to hate West, it is suggested that Pike had enough motive to murder him. At this point, Dunbar refuses to say anything more.
[edit]Kendall's Story
Hardy and Osborne then go see the other surviving team member, Second Lieutenant Levi Kendall, who is recovering from gunshot wounds sustained during the mission. It is revealed that Kendall is the son of a Joint Chiefs of Staff general. At the hospital, Hardy runs into Dr. Peter Vilmer (Harry Connick Jr.), an old friend, and also Osborne's on-again, off-again lover.
Kendall reveals to Hardy and Osborne that he is a homosexual, and claims that West hated him because of it. Kendall also claims that West silently threatened his life in the helicopter, shortly before the mission began. Kendall was partnered with Castro for the mission and he says he feared that West may have bribed Castro to give him a "training accident".
Kendall claims that West was killed by being hit in the back with a white phosphorus grenade, and that Pike confessed to the crime, thinking that his comrades would go along with it. However, the team decided to turn Pike in when they would be picked up the next morning. In the middle of the night, Pike tried to rouse Kendall's sympathies by playing to their mutual hatred of West. Pike proposed they kill Mueller and Nunez and convince Dunbar and Castro to back them up. Kendall dismissed Pike's suggestion then went back to his sleeping area, but later spotted Pike whispering to Dunbar. According to Kendall, Dunbar then went back to his bag, extracted his pistol and aimed it at the sleeping Mueller. Kendall intervened, and caused Mueller to shoot Castro. After Castro was hit, he fired frantically striking Nunez, Kendall and Pike. Nunez and Pike were killed and Kendall was wounded. Dunbar then carried the wounded Kendall on his back through the jungle, exchanged fire with Mueller, and was picked up, as seen in the beginning of the movie. When asked why Dunbar would go through all the trouble of carrying him out of the firefight, Kendall suggested that perhaps Dunbar expected him to cover for him in gratitude.
[edit]Dunbar's Second Story
Dunbar, upon further questioning, says that Kendall is lying and proclaims that he didn't shoot West. However, Kendall said earlier that West was killed with a phosphorus grenade, Kendall never said anything about West being shot.
Dunbar also claims that Mueller and Kendall were selling prescription drug injection kits called "combat cocktails" which help dull physical pain and sharpen the mind, and that Mueller shot West because he was aware of their drug dealing. Dunbar claims that Mueller then used Pike's grenade, which he had stolen from his pack earlier. Back at the bunker, Mueller tried to pin the blame on Pike, but when Pike began pointing out evidence that threw suspicion on Mueller, a fierce argument began and Mueller shot Pike in the head. A firefight broke out in the bunker and Castro and Nunez were killed. Dunbar rescued Kendall, hiked through the jungle, killed Mueller and was picked up by the helicopter.
At Hardy's request, Dunbar provides proof of the alleged drug-dealing operation. He also says that it was Vilmer who supplied the drugs to Mueller and Kendall.
[edit]Kendall's Second Story
When Osborne and Hardy return to the hospital, they speak briefly with Dr. Vilmer. After a short interrogation, during which Osborne breaks his nose with a phone book, Vilmer admits that he distributed drugs to Mueller and Kendall and that he falsified drug tests so that the soldiers would come up clean. Vilmer is subsequently placed under arrest.
Hardy and Osborne then go to confront Kendall, who is acting very strangely and refuses to give them any useful information. However he still claimed that Dunbar was the guilty party. After a few minutes, Hardy notices that Kendall is bleeding out of his ears. Suddenly, Kendall starts vomiting blood and then abruptly dies. However, right before Kendall dies he uses his blood soaked finger to draw what Osborne initially interprets as the symbol for infinity, but shortly after, she realizes it is an 8. She shows this to Hardy, who first denies knowing what the 8 may symbolize. After a brief physical fight, he takes her aside and explains the conversation he had earlier with Styles. There is rumored to be a group of ex-Rangers in Panama, trained under West, who turned rogue and became drug-dealers. They call themselves Section 8.
Styles is furious that Osborne and Hardy talked to Kendall a second time after he explicitly ordered them not to. He relieves Osborne of duty and asks Hardy to leave. He informs them that Dunbar and Vilmer will be taken away shortly on the transport plane that has arrived from the U.S. and he considers the investigation closed.
At the stockade, Vilmer remarks to Hardy and Osborne in an offhand manner that he will be on the same plane with Pike. Hardy corrects him, saying that he'll be on the same plane as Dunbar, but Vilmer says that's not right. He says Ray Dunbar is black. This means that the white "Dunbar" Hardy and Osborne have been questioning is in fact Pike, the man whom West antagonized during training (according to his own story). Pike had switched his tags with Dunbar's in order to throw off the local authorities, then disappear after being transported for trial. Hardy and Osborne rush back to the base just as Pike is being taken onto a transport plane. Hardy grabs Pike and holds his face dangerously close to the plane's whirling propeller. The two engage in a brief screaming match, although what they say is inaudible. Pike then drops to his knees, out of breath. After-wards, Hardy and Osborne lead Pike away to interrogate him again now that they know the truth.

Pike's Final Explanation
In Pike's new story, West was not shot. Pike claimed West knew about the main operation going on at the base, cocaine smuggling. He claims West confronted the Rangers in the bunker and told them that he would turn them in to authorities in the morning and tell Styles everything. A brief Mexican standoff ensues and West escapes the bunker. Nuñez chases after him, and gets shot by West. Shortly after Castro and Mueller go looking for West, Pike finds Dunbar dead, West shoots Kendall, wounding him, and tries to convince Pike to give himself up. Mueller manages to kill West. Pike shoots at Mueller, and then, knowing that he would be blamed if West died, took Dunbar's dog tags. It is still thoroughly established that he managed to escape, carried Kendall through the jungle, killed Mueller and was picked up by the helicopter.
To prove his story, he gives Hardy, Osborne and Styles, the number of a crate where Vilmer had stowed cocaine.
Hardy then talks to Styles alone; he says that he is curious why West wouldn't tell Styles about the drugs as soon as he suspected something. Hardy then accuses Styles of lying and he believes West did in fact go to him, and he was behind the drug dealing operation the whole time. Rather than side with West, he ordered Mueller and Kendall to kill him and then poisoned Kendall afterward to keep him quiet. Styles laughs off the accusations, but as Hardy starts to leave Styles offers him a percentage of the operation, once he's back in business to keep his mouth shut. Hardy says he will consider and turns to leave. Styles draws his weapon and was about to shoot Hardy, but instead was shot and killed by Osborne who had been secretly watching outside his office.
[edit]Final twist and explanation
After the Military Police wrap up the investigation into Styles' shooting, Osborne is about to leave the base for the night and Hardy tells her that all she has to do concerning the shooting is "Tell the story right". Osborne recalls hearing that phrase during both Kendall and Pike's stories, particularly in describing how members of the conspiracy planned to cover up West's death.
This makes Osborne suspect Hardy may be somehow involved, especially since he hated West and because Section 8 contains West's former trainees. She tails him out of the base and watches as Pike runs out from some bushes and into Hardy's jeep. She follows them by car and then by foot through the streets of Panama City and watches as the two of them enter a doorway with a big eight ball hanging above it. Osborne sneaks up behind Hardy and Pike, with her weapon drawn, believing that they are behind both Section 8 and West's murder. She becomes confused when West, very much alive, walks up behind her. Castro, Dunbar and Nuñez are also there.
They reveal to Osbourne that Section 8 is actually a black-ops anti-drug unit led by Tom Hardy (who is actually a Colonel). The mercenary story is a cover to spook the cartels. Dunbar, Castro, Nuñez and Pike (their names are revealed to be fake) infiltrated the base to investigate the cocaine trafficking that was going on, and discovered Mueller, Kendall and Vilmer were responsible. West, not realizing that Styles was also involved, informed him of their findings. Styles responded by ordering Mueller and Kendall to kill West. The training mission was in fact a set-up to get rid of Mueller and Kendall, and fake West's death (in order for him to join Section , and Hardy went to the base to confirm Styles' and Vilmer's involvement. West and Hardy then offer Osborne a job.


Cast

John Travolta as Colonel Tom Hardy
Connie Nielsen as Captain Julia Osborne
Samuel L. Jackson as Master Sergeant Nathan West
Timothy Daly as Colonel Bill Styles
Giovanni Ribisi as Second Lieutenant Levi Kendall
Brian Van Holt as Ray Dunbar
Taye Diggs as Jay Pike
Dash Mihok as Mueller
Cristián de la Fuente as Castro
Roselyn Sánchez as Nuñez
Harry Connick, Jr. as Dr. Peter Vilmer



Credit： Wikipedia










基地疑云，是2003年在欧洲上映的一部惊悚片，该片的主演约翰-特拉沃尔塔和塞缪尔-杰克逊，在1994年因《低俗小说》而分获第67届奥斯卡奖最佳男主角、最佳男配角提名。《基地疑云》是两人于1994年之后首次再合作的作品。

基地疑云 Basic (2003)
　　类型：惊悚 / 剧情 / 悬疑
　　更多中文片名：基本悬凶
　　更多外文片名：Formation extrême
　　片长：98 min
　　国家/地区：德国 / 美国
　　对白语言：英语
　　发行公司：20世纪福克斯阿根廷分公司
　　上映日期：2003年3月28日 加拿大
　　官方网站：Sony Pictures
编辑本段
演职人员

　　导演：约翰·麦克蒂尔南 John McTiernan电影海报(11张)
　　编剧：詹姆斯·范德比尔特 James Vanderbilt ....(written by)
　　主演：
　　约翰·特拉沃尔塔John Travolta
　　萨缪尔·杰克逊Samuel L. Jackson
　　康妮·尼尔森Connie Nielsen
　　乔瓦尼·瑞比西Giovanni Ribisi



剧情简介

　　这世界上有两种事实，一种是我们所看到的事实，一种是背后隐藏的真正的事实。
　　看到的往往是那些像是现实的假象，而另外一个我们看不到的才是真正的答案。
　　在巴拿马丛林的美军训练基地里，发生了一起神秘的失踪事件。6名受训学员出发进行常规的军事训练，却连同教官韦斯特(萨缪尔·杰

克逊饰)在飓风后消失得无影无踪。韦斯特素以严厉著称，和学员之间的关系一向十分紧张。仅存的两名幸存者却保持缄默，不愿与官方合作。整个调查陷入了僵局。
　　无奈之下，基地指挥官只好请来昔日的学员哈代(约翰·特拉沃尔塔饰)，现在的美国药品管理局官员协助调查。但是军方调查官员朱丽娅少尉(康妮·尼尔森饰) 却并不欢迎他的到来。因为其一，哈代被怀疑与其当地毒品贩子有非法交易；其二，哈代也曾是号称魔鬼教官韦斯特的门下弟子，并且和其他的受训者一样对他心存怨恨。
　　随着调查的展开，哈代与朱丽娅为了整体利益，决定暂时封存彼此的不信任。哈代更使用非常手段从幸免的学员丹巴口中套出惊人“事实”：韦斯特和其他失踪学员是被人谋杀，并且尸首已经被飓风吹走。但另外一个学员肯达尔的供词却与丹巴的大相径庭。
　　究竟是谁在说谎，或者两人的说法都是谎言？究竟在这个神秘的丛林里发生了怎样的故事？随着调查的继续，更多的谎言，更多的欺骗浮出水面，而一个可怕的事实，也在逐渐向哈代他们靠近……
　　基地疑云 剧照(6张)经过缜密的思考，汤姆找到比尔，并揭穿了比尔才是真正的幕后指使者，是他暗示米勒和利瓦伊杀死韦斯特，后又担心事情败露，下毒暗杀了利瓦伊。比尔试图用金钱收买汤姆，遭到拒绝。正当比尔准备谋杀汤姆时，被一直躲在门外的朱莉看到，危急时刻她果断击毙了比尔，救出了汤姆。案子结束了，和朱莉道别后汤姆返回驻地。隐约中朱莉发现了派克的身影，她感觉事情蹊跷，于是偷偷跟踪汤姆来到了一处隐藏在地下的俱乐部。现场的情况令朱莉大吃一惊，韦斯特、邓巴以及那些在演习中死去的队员此刻都在这里。韦斯特说出了真相，他早就知道米勒串通威尔莫贩卖毒品的事情，在上报比尔后，比尔没有做出任何处理。这让韦斯特感到奇怪，于是和队员们一起利用演习的机会逼米勒出手，制造全军覆没的假象，才使得比尔浮出水面。现在朱莉也可以加入他们，为巴拿马地区整治贩毒付出自己的一份力量。



影片阵容

　　在漫长的电影生涯中，约翰·特拉沃尔塔已经不知经历过多少次大起大落了，2000年《地球战场》让他狠栽了一个跟头之后，《剑鱼行动》的成功又使他状态恢复了不少。但接片质量的不稳定，始终是困扰特拉沃尔塔的一个很大的问题。也许也正是看到了这一点，他炒掉了原来的经纪人，并且在接片上保持了极大的谨慎，甚至连《芝加哥》的邀请也已自己曾拍过歌舞剧《油脂》而拒绝了。现在看到《芝加哥》的大获成功，不知道是不是他会有些后悔。
　　大器晚成的萨缪尔·杰克逊，熬过了默默无闻的70、80年代后，终于在90年代迎来了自己的事业收获期。先是在91年凭黑人导演兼大学校友斯派克·李的名片《丛林热》初露锋芒，接着94年的《低俗小说》不仅使影迷们从此记住了这张面孔，还使他获得了当年的奥斯卡提名，萨缪尔·杰克逊从此一发不可收拾，《杀戮时刻》、《终极警探3》、《王牌对王牌》、《交战规则》、《杀戮战警》、《惊心动魄》……一系列出色电影中的出色表演，使他成为当今活跃在好莱坞一线的为数不多的黑人演技派明星之一。2002年一年更是片约不断，除了《星战前传2》里惊鸿一瞥外，还有《变线人生》、《极限特工》和《51号公式》三部影片与观众见面。今年萨缪尔也没闲着，除这部《基地疑云》外，还有《S.W.A.T.》、《Country of My Skull》和《The Blackout Murders》等等。



影片轶事

　　《基地疑云》是编剧詹姆斯·范德比特创作的首个剧本，也是他首次担任监制，在此片之前，他的另一部手稿《黑暗降临》已经先行完成制作并已在今年1月和观众见面，据说电影公司为了买下《基地疑云》的剧本可是付出了不少代价，范德比特获得了40万美元的预付款，这对一个新人来说确实非常慷慨。
　　范德比特表示：“我从小就对神秘悬疑的事物感兴趣。那时我就决心总有一天要写一个充满了曲折和疑团的故事让所有的观众到最后一刻才能猜出答案。”而另一个制片人，本片制作公司凤凰影业的首席执行官迈克更是对剧本极为吹捧，他表示自己一下子就被剧本吸引住了，并且盛赞其充满“希区柯克影片”般的高超悬念设置。他尤其对影片通过多名角色分别叙述各自事实，慢慢推动情节的《罗生门》似的表现手法感到满意。
　　不过影评人们却对范德比特的剧本诸多挖苦，他们嘲讽《基地疑云》和《黑暗降临》同样的幼稚可笑，“相信很多观众从已开始就能够从影片的欲盖弥彰中了解到幕后的黑手是谁了。我最想说的就是也许制片公司也许在本片投拍前就好好修改一下这个烂剧本。”
　　约翰·麦克蒂南+约翰·特拉沃尔塔+萨缪尔·杰克逊？初看上去似乎是个很令人期待的组合，使人脑海中产生类似《终极警探》+《低俗小说》之类的美妙联想，但是这多半是痴心影迷的美丽误会罢了。麦克蒂南的作品年表上除了《终极警探》1、3外虽然也有《猎杀红色十月号》这样的经典作品，但他最近几年却在一直走背字，几乎是拍一部赔一部，《13勇士》、《疯狂轮滑》……或许只有未来的《终极警探4》才能挽救他免遭“票房毒药”封号的命运，我们只希望这部《基地疑云》不要成为又一部《最后的动作英雄》或者《地球战场》吧。