Basic (2003 film)

Basic is a 2003 crime-action thriller film directed by John McTiernan, written by James Vanderbilt, and starring John Travolta, Connie Nielsen and Samuel L. Jackson. It is the second film starring Travolta and Jackson after Pulp Fiction. The film follows a DEA agent solving the mystery of a bungled training exercise that leads to the deaths of multiple Army Ranger trainees and their instructor. Basic was released by Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing) on March 28, 2003 in the United States, Canada and Japan, with Constantin Film releasing in Germany. The film received negative reviews from critics regarding its overall plot and numerous twist endings. The film was also a box-office bomb, grossing only $42.8 million worldwide against a $50 million budget. As of 2026, it is McTiernan's most recent film given his subsequent criminal charges and eventual incarceration related to wiretapping.