Plot: What’s it about?
I find it hard to believe that years ago John Travolta was simply trying to get work. When I look at his performances in the past starting with Pulp Fiction, I can not help but wonder how many bombs were made in the 1980’s that might have done immensely better had he been involved. “The General’s Daughter” is another in a line of outings for Travolta.
Produced by the same man that gave us Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games, the story centers around Paul Brenner (Travolta), a Criminal Investigative Division (CID) agent working at Fort MacCallum deep in Georgia. The commanding officer of the base, General Campbell, is about to retire and is considered a prime candidate for the vice-presidency. Problems and scandal threaten however, when his daughter, played by the beautiful Leslie Stefanson, is found murdered on the base.
A particularly gruesome murder it seems, Brenner is tapped to head the investigation and is immediately put under more pressure when informed he has thirty six hours to do what he can until the F.B.I. moves in and takes control of the case. That is the least attractive option for Campell because of the attention and media focus that will result. To make matters worse, he finds that Sarah Sunhill, a former love interest played by the beautiful Madeleine Stowe is working with him on the case. As a rape counselor (“Our victim doesn’t need counseling. She’s dead.”) she immediately begins to assist in the fast paced investigation.
The resulting couple of days opens grizzly doors that they never even saw coming. While there is a hint of predictability to the plot, not all of the people that I expected to be guilty were and vice versa. This is a thoroughly engaging movie with a solid cast including James Cromwell, Timothy Hutton, James Woods, and Clarence Williams III, who all deliver engaging performances. Throughout the movie, the average citizen will realize tough the military can be since members of the armed forces are not afforded the same rights as a civilian, such as the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney, and the right to a speedy trial. The military and civilian worlds are incredibly different in a lot of ways, and part of that is accurately conveyed in this movie.
Video: How’s it look?
I’m amazed at how many films I’ve seen over the years. This was one that I’d totally forgotten about (then again, a lot of Travolta’s films fall in that category) and, I thought, I remembered liking. That’s beside the point, of course, as we’ve now got this little 1999 gem on 4K for those of you who were waiting. And it looks good. Granted, I’d not seen it since its release on DVD and we’re going back 25 years, so there’ll be no A/B comparison! But once I popped the disc in, I could immediately tell it was a step in the right direction. There was a clarity that you immediately associate with a 4K transfer. Colors seemed bolder and brighter, detail was much improved and while there was still the slightest bit of grain, it was in no way distracting. This looks good.
Audio: How’s it sound?
A late 90’s action/adventure movie will generate a few things when it comes to audio. Mainly the (over)use of the surround channels. I don’t know what it was, but they just seemed to be going all the time. That’s not a bad thing, of course, but I found it distracting. I even checked my setup and all was well. Vocals are sharp and crisp and the front stage is fairly active as well. I don’t fault the DTS HD Master Audio mix, rather some of the choices that was made with it. This is a mixed bag that ultimately delivers.
Supplements: What are the extras?
DISC 1 (4K)
- Audio Commentary – Director Simon West gives a fairly standard, yet informative track. He talks of “getting things right” when it came to the military things, working with Travolta, shooting locations and so forth. It’s the same track that appeared on the DVD years ago, but worth a listen if you’ve never indulged yourself.
DISC 2 (Blu-ray)
- Audio Commentary – Same as above.
- The General’s Daughter – Behind the Secrets – A brief EPK that gives us everything we need to know in a couple of minutes. I had to tell myself that this was made during the fledgling days of DVD, so while I’m sure they (and we) thought it was cool at the time, it’s now just a run-of-the-mill featurette.
- Deleted Scenes – Four total that run just over ten minutes. These include an alternate ending (which I personally think they should have used), but nothing more.
- Theatrical TrailerÂ
- Theatrical Teaser
The Bottom Line
I’d totally forgotten about this film. It’s actually got a decent cast though it didn’t really hold up to the other political thrillers like Patriot Games or No Way Out. Still, if this one is your thing – it’s never looked better.
