Search

The General's Daughter

1999, Movie, R, 118 mins

The General's Daughter: Review

GENERAL'S DAUGHTER, THE
starstarstarstar
Beautiful, brilliant Captain Elisabeth Campbell (Leslie Stefanson), over-achieving daughter of politically ambitious General Joseph Campbell (James Cromwell), is found brutally assaulted and murdered on the grounds of the base where she serves under her father's command. Squabbling Warrant Officers Paul Brenner (John Travolta) and Sarah Sunhill (Madeleine Stowe), who share a tangled romantic background, are assigned to investigate and it's strongly suggested that they clear up the case before 36 hours have elapsed and the FBI steps in. Brenner, who served in Vietnam under General Campbell, is appropriately gung ho to find the man or men who killed his idol's daughter. But the investigation quickly turns up some ugly facts about her kinky private life, and it's soon clear to both Sunhill and Brenner that some kind of military cover-up is being maneuvered into place and they're expected to play along like good little soldiers. An extraordinary array of high-voltage star power is deployed in the service of this exceptionally sleazy thriller, whose high-minded concerns about military insularity and the particular troubles of women in the armed forces are all but swallowed up by a swamp of sordid sex hijinks. The second-tier casting is better than it has to be, so the supporting roles (which in some cases are exceptionally badly written) sparkle and add needed luster to the leads, especially Travolta's throwaway performance: James Woods as Colonel Moore, a gimlet-eyed psychological operations specialist with complicated loyalties; Cromwell as the General whose genial public face lies lightly over a deeply flawed character; Timothy Hutton as glad-handing Colonel Phil Kent. But director Simon West seems to confuse visual stylishness with emotional resonance, moody lighting with genuinely malevolent atmosphere, and sanctimonious lip service with genuine concern. The whole lurid business is undeniably entertaining, but it leaves a bad taste. leave a comment --Maitland McDonagh
Advertisement

Shop

John Travolta Thriller Collection (Domestic Disturbance, Face/Off - SCE, The General's Daughter)
Buy John Travolta Thriller Collection (Domestic Disturbance, Face/Off - SCE, The General's Daughter) from Amazon.com
From Paramount (DVD)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $24.49 (as of 11/24/09 12:15 PM EST - more info)
John Travolta Triple Feature (Face/Off, The General's Daughter, Domestic Disturbance)
Buy John Travolta Triple Feature (Face/Off, The General's Daughter, Domestic Disturbance) from Amazon.com
From Paramount (DVD)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $22.49 (as of 11/24/09 12:15 PM EST - more info)

more The General's Daughter products

Advertisement

Related Websites

You might be also interested in the following websites:

Most Popular TV Shows

  1. Dancing with the Stars
  2. The Game
  3. NCIS
  4. American Idol
  5. Wife Swap
more popular tv shows

Most Popular Celebrities

  1. Michelle Obama
  2. Adam Lambert
  3. Tiger Woods
  4. Kym Johnson
  5. Donny Osmond
more popular celebrities

Most Popular Movies

  1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon
  2. The Blind Side
  3. 2012
  4. Planet 51
  5. A Christmas Carol
more popular movies

Top Videos

  1. Family Guy
  2. Dancing with the Stars
  3. Cougar Town
  4. Dancing with the Stars
  5. #5 Adam Lambert - For Your En...
more top videos