MESSAGE BOARD: Movie reviews

June 20, 1999
Web posted at: 5:50 p.m. EDT (2150 GMT)

By Reviewer Paul Clinton

(CNN) -- Where John Travolta goes, ticket buyers usually follow, so there's sure to be plenty of interest generated by his latest effort, "The General's Daughter." As the title implies, this story is about a general's daughter, who turns up dead in a very nasty way. Sadly, she's not alone. The film itself is -- belly up, DOA, a total stiff, and belongs 6 feet under. I believe I've made my point.

Capt. Elisabeth Campbell, played by Leslie Stefanson, is found strangled, naked, and staked out spread-eagle in the middle of a military base. This, of course, does not go unnoticed.

Called into investigate this tawdry murder are Travolta, as Warrant Officer Paul Brenner, and Madeleine Stowe, as Warrant Officer Sarah Sunhill. He's with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division. She's a rape specialist.

They have a past romantic relationship. It's just one of many issues brought up and then never mentioned again in this film.

Within the military, these two have total power to arrest anyone, anywhere, for any reason. Assisting in their investigation is the fort's Provost Marshall, Col. William Kent, played by Timothy Hutton.

As the case continues, everyone comes under suspicion -- including the murder victim's father, who is also the base's lieutenant general, played by James Cromwell. It seems that daddy and his little girl have some major issues. He failed to support her during a terrible time in her past, and she reacted by having S&M sex with everyone on the base and recording it all on videotape.

Again, a big deal is made out of the fact that it's S&M sex and that it's been recorded. Where do these plot points lead? Nowhere.

Capt. Campbell's immediate superior on the base is Col. Robert Moore, played woodenly by James Woods. Before she was murdered, he was her friend, protector and maybe her lover -- we never really know. We never really care. He's also a suspect.

In fact, everyone is a suspect. I'm not sure, but I think even the guy selling popcorn in the lobby was a suspect.

Meanwhile, somebody is running around in a black mask trying to hinder the investigation by knocking Brenner out a few times and attempting to kill Sunhill. Unfortunately, he fails again and again, and the movie continues.

When Brenner solves the case, he's finally forced to make a choice: The truth, or the honor of his beloved military. As they put it in the film, "There are three ways to do things; the right way, the wrong way, and the Army's way."

Where to begin? So many things wrong, so little time. A lot of the plot is pure window dressing that goes nowhere. Characters are introduced and situations presented, then ignored like a side dish nobody ordered.

The main plot is very contrived and there are endless clever, condescending scenes with dialogue about how clever and condescending the characters think they are.

The scenic design, the stylized lighting, and camera work are excellent, but overshadowed by director Simon West's Tony Scott-macho complex: Employ lots of testosterone and if anything moves, blow it up.

As always, Travolta's strong screen presence holds the audience like a vise, and Stowe is excellent as usual -- but this "whodunit" potboiler boils down in the end to a big ol' "who cares."

"The General's Daughter" is rated R for graphic images relating to sexual violence including a strong rape scene, the aforementioned perverse sexuality, nudity and language. 125 minutes.