THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER (1999) ***1/2
Starring: John Travolta, James Cromwell, Timothy Hutton, Madeleine Stowe, James Woods Director: Simon West 116 minutes 1999 Rated R (for graphic violence, rape & sexuality, nudity, and for language)
By Blake French--Based on comments by Richard Blink.
"The General's Daughter" is a masterfully suspenseful thriller in which the audience can only try to guess what the truth is. It's a mystery film, one that works in ways beyond your imagination. The film is so precise in its dialogue, so intelligent in its story, so tense in its confrontations, and so brutal in its subject matter that this can only be described as one of the years most intriguing movies.
John Travolta stars as a Warrant Officer named Paul Brenner, who, with his partner Sara, is assigned to investigate the brutal murder of Captain Elisabeth Campbell, a rising military star and specialist in Psychological Operations, who was found tied up and dead in the middle of a battle training field. The Provost Marshall, Colonel William Kent, has called his friend, Brenner, to examine the case.
However, this is not just any girl here that was killed. Brenner finds out that this is the daughter of retiring three-star general Joe Campbell. He is saddened and is willing to help the investigation in any way possible, but he has his own "army" rules that he demands Brenner to follow, which makes their search difficult.
Things deepen when the investigation leads to an apparent rape of the victim, as it does when the two detectives dig further into the case and undercover secrets that may point to any number of suspects right there in the base, all who appear suspicious and somehow are involved with the victim.
The performance by John Travolta may be Oscar worthy material it is so powerful. His scenes add punch and a jagged edge to everything in the movie. He is perfectly casted and recites his dialog in such a way that during his confronting scenes, the audience is on the edge of their seats and breathless. And not only that, but a comic touch of dramatic relief is provided by Travolta when the going gets too tough.
James Woods is another performance highlight in "The General's Daughter." He provides an uncertain slyness to his character. One that makes the audience become involved and intrigued. Also performing on a high is the humble hearted "Babe" farmer James Cormwell, as the General himself, with robust deepness and a character as far from "Babe's" as they get.
"The General's Daughter" is most certainly worth going to see at the theater, and if you decide to rent it instead of seeing it on the big screen that is still okay, but you will not receive the same effect. Who actually did rape and kill the general's daughter? I think you'll be surprised.
Brought to you by Paramount Pictures.
