A Few Good Actors in One Poor Movie

Rating: Null/10 (9 April 2000)

This film was a disappointment for me, mainly because I admire both Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson. This was a movie with a good and timely premise, but a bad script. Lee, Jackson, and the other players do their best, but can't salvage the film from its basic implausibilities.
Irksome technical errors [especially military details] abound, but far worse are the many basic inconsistencies in the plot itself. The filmakers try to evoke a sinister government cover-up in the spirit of "Clear and Present Danger," but the silliness of this plot point is so transparent that the most rabid conspiracy theorist would laugh at it. There are a few brief action scenes early in the film to liven things up, but the rest is pretty dull, despite the efforts of the lead actors.
If you want a military justice drama, choose "Paths of Glory", "The Caine Mutiny", "A Few Good Men", or "Courage Under Fire", in that order of preference. If you feel the need to see this one for yourself, wait for the video.