'Basic,' friends, is anything but. Director John McTiernan has never been no stranger to shooting classy action-thrillers (e.g., 'Die Hard') and propelling the stars of his films into the trials and tribulations of fame and fortune (i.e., Bruce Willis). The success of this movie had to seem ready-assured in any case with two of Hollywood's leading men in Travolta and L. Jackson on board and acting their stars & stripes off as US Army high-rankers with problems on their hands and potential trenchfoot in their boots. Travolta's self-assured 'ranger' is the most stressed yet commendably cocksure of the two when he's called in to investigate the sus disappearance of Samuel L. Jackson's fiercely commanding character in the jungle while on a routine exercise, soon to discover abounding and cleverly complex conspiracies incorporating cocky alliteration and, wait for it� drugs. Oh yeh, there are always the drugs - and they almost always cause irresolvable problems, but do those involved with them ever listen? No, they don't� but it's reassuring to know that McTiernan has once again put his directing talents to suspenseful use to produce a gripping gloomy and oppressive story (in which the rain pounds and the careful-where-you-tread atmosphere reminds of Platoon's and Sniper's uncomfortable tension, though this is no war movie but a taut thriller merely adhering to army restraint) whose saving grace is its genuine unpredictable twist ending and boldly original plot. Add to that the fact that neither Travolta or Jackson seem to be visually aging whatsoever over the years and surely no one can complain. Simple as that. Although, to blatantly quote Basic's intriguing tag line, 'there are degrees of truth' - while the lies are both dark and deadly. And damn decisive to boot. 5/5 (STEVE RUDD)