Basic (2003): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Basic is a 2003 drama thriller directed by John McTiernan, starring Connie Nielsen, Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta. It runs 1 hour 38 minutes and earned $42.8 million worldwide. Critics gave it 34 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.4/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 38m (98 min)
- Director
- John McTiernan
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Basic About?
The premise of Basic without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
When a disliked drill sergeant and six soldiers from his elite unit disappear during a training mission in Panama, an investigation is launched. Two commandos survive the mission but refuse to discuss what happened in the jungle. A former Army Ranger and current drug agent is assigned to extract information from the soldiers. He soon discovers that Sergeant West was murdered by his own men, but the two soldiers provide conflicting accounts of who was responsible for the killing, complicating the search for the truth.
Basic Themes & Keywords
· 45 tags- flashback
- multiple perspectives
- surprise ending
- covert operation
- day of the dead
- f word
- profanity
- woman
- man
- military
- vomiting
- army
+33 more Show fewer
- panama
- military crime
- death
- shot to death
- shot in the leg
- revelation
- poison
- hostage
- homosexual
- faked death
- corruption
- blood vomiting
- government agent
- drug enforcement
- heavy rain
- belize
- panama canal
- cocaine
- army life
- contradictory accounts
- helicopter
- title spoken by character
- 2000s
- necklace yanked off
- cell phone
- chewing tobacco
- stabbed in the chest
- shot in the forehead
- shot in the chest
- shot in the back
- gun
- racial slur
- murder
Basic Cast
Connie Nielsen leads the cast, with Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta. Directed by John McTiernan.
-
Director John McTiernan
More from John McTiernan
More films directed by John McTiernan, best-rated first: Die Hard, Die Hard: With a Vengeance, The Thomas Crown Affair and The Hunt for Red October.
Basic Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Basic 34 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.4/10.
-
IMDb 6.4 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 34 Metascore
User score 7.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 65% User score
See on TMDB
Basic Plot Summary
What happens in Basic from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
A helicopter hovers over the dense, treacherous Panamanian jungle. Inside, a group of Army Ranger trainees and their commanding officer, Master Sergeant Nathan West, undertake a challenging training mission. Their goal is to navigate the unforgiving jungle during a hurricane, training with live ammunition to hit concealed metal targets before regrouping at a bunker.
Full summary
The whole story of Basic, scene by scene
Basic Box Office
Basic grossed $42.8 million worldwide. $26.8 million came from the US and Canada and $16 million (37%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$42.8M
- US & Canada
- $26.8M
- International
- $16M
Basic Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Basic.
How Well Do You Know Basic?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the seasoned instructor of the Army Ranger trainees?
Cars in Basic
1 car on screen: the AM General HMMWV M1025.
-
AM General HMMWV M1025 Important role
Basic Also Known As
24 alternative titles, including “Zelené peklo” and “Sekcja 8.”.
- Also known as
-
- Zelené peklo
- Sekcja 8.
- Basic - Hinter jeder Lüge eine Wahrheit
- Kuraldışı
- База Клейтон
- Радикальный метод
- Formation Extrême
- 基地疑云
- Básico
- База «Клейтон»
- Basic - Farligt uppdrag
- Kiképzőtábor
+12 more Show fewer
- Instrucția
- Βασικός Στόχος
- 베이직
- בייסיק
- Violação de Conduta
- 閉ざされた森
- Първично
- Kleitono bazė
- รุกฆาต ปฏิบัติการลวงโลก
- Morilske igre
- Básico y letal
- Ubojite namjere
Seen Basic?
Movies Like Basic
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Base, Man Down and The Kill Team.
Basic FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Basic, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Basic?
Basic runs 1 hour 38 minutes (98 minutes).
When was Basic released?
Basic was released on March 28, 2003.
Who directed Basic?
Basic was directed by John McTiernan.
More films by John McTiernan Who is in the cast of Basic?
Basic stars Connie Nielsen, Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta.
How much did Basic make at the box office?
Basic grossed $42.8 million worldwide ($26.8 million domestic, $16 million international).
How is Basic rated?
Basic has 6.4/10 on IMDb, 34 on Metacritic and 65% on TMDB.
Does Basic have a post-credit scene?
No. Basic has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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