Basic
User Score
3.6 out of 10

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 36
  3. Negative: 19 out of 36

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  1. DonnieB.
    Jul 27, 2006
    9
    It is amazing to see how the world is full of sub-intelligent moviewatchers and critics, who find it hard or impossible to understand a more complicated plot then the one of "Lassie". Such people feel insulted by their own weak ability to comprehend anything more complicated than a wooden edge, so in frustration give a 0 for movies that make people think. What would you give for Revolver? A minus 5?? It's a surprisingly good movie, with an excellent script - if you like to think besides chewing popcorn, watch it!… Expand
  2. TimP.
    May 8, 2006
    10
    A clever thriller from start to finish - highly recommended for those who have a decent attention span. A nightmare for those who don't!
  3. MattS.
    Feb 23, 2005
    9
    The movie is a blast just from the title itself. Come on 'Basic' and it is a complete mind game. Someone complained about not really knowing what happens, well if you really watch it, you get a large portion of the movie from putting pieces together. I see it as you either love or hate this movie, no real in between. The turns and twists either lose your attention or keep you to your seat, and I'm one who enjoyed the ride. I did thing the turns were getting crazy, and had to pause the dvd to think about the connections, but i have rarely been so into a movie all the way through. The plot is more of based on different story-telling flashbacks rather than a complete story being put together like traditional movies where you have the start, the rise, and then the closing. A great piece of a complete mind game that you have to be willing to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Just my opinion, great to hear what others thought!… Expand
  4. LukeG.
    Nov 6, 2004
    9
    [***SPOILERS***] (only small ones) It riles me that so many idiots diss this movie with a 0. Basic is hard to understand, very unlikely to ever happen, but not total unplausable. People don't give Gladiator a 0 because it would never happen and isn't feasable (yeah as if some gladiator could ever kill the Roman Emperor) or automatically rate action movies 0 because every second scene is some stupid action move that is physically impossible. So why is everyone so quick to lay into Basic when the plot is hard to understand (and it has *some* small holes, but no more than most other thriller movies). Jackson is great. Even though he's not in the movie a huge amount, his presence is built up amazingly. Travolta also plays a great role. I really enjoyed the flashbacks with conflicting stories, and all the twists and turns. I also loved the tense filled scenes in the bunker when they are trying to work out who shot who and who should be shot next. If people said the movie was a little unplauable at the end (a certain luckily timed shooting of a certain drug runner) I would say you have a point, but the drama and story-teller through the middle was awesome. Besides, any movie where Jackson stands in the rain with a cape then procedes to shoot and knife people deserves at least a 5. Not cause i'm some action junky but he's just such a good actor. Before people right shit like 'this should be called Basic Garbage' and think they are smart, maybe they should try to get past the fact that they only hate this movie cause they are too stupid to have figured out what actually happened. Even if you hate the plot and think it's stupid, you can't deny the great acting and great story-telling flashbacks. … Expand
  5. PhatMan
    Apr 3, 2003
    9
    I thought it was good. It's got like 4 surprise endings. Some people dig it, some people don't, that's why there's 31 flavours.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
34 out of 100

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 33 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 33
  3. Negative: 15 out of 33
  1. Charlotte Observer
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Toppman
    38
    When the film stumbles to its last and silliest conclusion, you realize much of the plot line was unnecessary -- or couldn't have happened at all!
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  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    50
    Just not worth revisiting, unless one wants to tie one's brain into a knot for no discernible reward.
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  3. Dallas Observer
    Reviewed by: Robert Wilonsky
    0
    Basic really brings to mind a Travolta film from 2000, "Battlefield Earth," in that it's so astonishingly awful it becomes a sort of kinky pleasure; just when you think Travolta has fallen to the bottom of the barrel, he pulls out a shovel and dons his miner's helmet to see what lies beneath.
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