ironhorse_iv
When Demi Moore, appeared on the red carpet with a bald head and a muscular built, for the premiere of 1996 'Striptease'. There was a lot of good buzz for her next big film, 1997's 'G.I Jane'. However, once the public got a hold of the film directed by Ridley Scott. The buzz turn into negative press. Without spoiling the well-shot movie, too much, one of the reasons, why this film didn't do so well at the box office, was, because viewers and critics, alike were under the impression that was going to be, a very realistic depiction of what life is like, for a woman to go through Navy SEALS training. However, the film wasn't like that. Actually, the movie was heavily fictional story of a Navy servicewoman, Lt. Jordan O'Neil (Demi Moore) being the first woman to enrolled in the Armed Force's 'the Combined Reconnaissance Team' (CRT) training program; a fictitious special operations until, that brings together operators from across all branches of the military into one group. Because of that, all the marketing for this film, including the trailers were misleading. It's hardly about Navy Seals at all! No wonder, why, this movie was called 'G.I Jane', despite the fact that the acronym is mostly used to describe the soldiers not sailors. 'The CRT' sounds like a team that a toy company like Hasbro would create, rather than the Department of Defense. Despite that outrageous figment artistic license, the movie training story is still not very well told. One such example is the out of the blue force action scene, toward the end of the movie. The idea that a national emergency situation, would require trainee's support, over years upon years, of well-trained, ready to go, Armed Force's special operation personnel is highly illogical. Not only that, but wouldn't it, make more sense, that the team that should support the U.S Army Rangers, in their mission, shouldn't be the trainees, but the Army's own, Delta Force or Green Berets. After all they're all in the same reconnaissance branch. Also, in real-life, any special operation trainee in any branch would probably take up to 2 years of training before, they ever saw combat. Such is the case with the real Navy Seals recruits. For them, they first have to go to Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School for 8 weeks; before advancing into BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL), training for another six months; follow up with another 3 weeks in parachute jump school/ plus 26 week course in SEAL Qualification Training (SQT), before finally, finishing off with SEAL Tactical Training (STT) that, normal workup or pre-deployment workup, including SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) is a 12- to 18-month cycle divided into three phases with them going to many different locations. The idea that this film is presenting, with a trainee skipping school programs and leapfrog toward any training site, within a few months, with the same instructors, plus go to war, with them, is not bound in any reality. No wonder, Moore went so far as to call then-President Bill Clinton to try to get advice from the Pentagon for the movie script. It's clear that screenwriters, David Twohy and Danielle Alexandra, had no clue, in what, they were doing. Despite the unrealistic inaccurate depiction of how the United States military operates their training courses, I still have to give Moore, some praise. While, her acting in this movie was alright; Demi really did look the part. Because of that, I highly disagree with critics, with her deserving a Razzie Award for Worst Actress for this film. If anything, Anne Bancroft's performance as Senator Lillian DeHaven was the worst. It was hammy and way too over-the-top for the character she's playing. As for Viggo Mortensen. He does a pretty damn good job of portraying Command Master Chief John James Urgayle. However, the idea that his character would trumped up charges of O'Neil being a lesbian (violating the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy), seem a bit, out of character, but once again, that's the writer's fault, not the actor. It's lazy writing. As for the infamous POW scene, where the Master Chief beats her up and threatens her with rape. Surprisingly, those acts are justified. That's is what would happen if she was indeed captured by the enemy. While, there are those, who particular annoyed by this, because instructors are not supposed to physically abuse recruits. Under SERE-C, it's possible that it could happen, however, very unlikely under regular SERE training. Especially if the trainee outrank the Master Chief; such as O'Neil being a Lieutenant. So that was a bit odd. As for her having mistreatment from other recruits. It also could happens, as shown in real-life scandals like 'Tailhook', but it's likewise very rare, due to trust and teamwork being so vital in the military. Still, no one can deny, there is some sexism in the Armed Forces; after all, women weren't allowed to serve in any special operation roles, until January 2016; which is kinda depressing, because, when it comes to utilizing women in those fields; the United States is in the dark ages, compare to countries; which already had a number of female soldiers holding their own, reaching and surpassing the standards of their duties. As of this date of this writing, there has yet to be a natural born female to join the Navy Seals; which is sad, because everybody should had the fighting chance to serve their nation, if they want to. The idea of women having not enough brawn power to be in special operation is really outdate excuse. The majority of missions don't fail, because of the lack of man power. They flop, because the lack of smart strategies and misused of resources. Much like this movie. Regardless, of that, I hope, this movie's positive message would encouraged women to fight. Maybe, one day, there will be a good real-life 'G.I Jane' story to tell than this fictional half-ass version. One can hope.
aldebaran68
OK. I'm European/ME background so not the greatest fan of the US military esp. not Hollywood depictions of it. I don't want Islam in Europe (they tried twice before, not a 3rd time thank you), but nor do I want the West intruding there. Libya, Syria, and Iraq we should not be there. So I don't like the Libyan bit. Yes it happened for real as a Western intervention, no I still don't like it. It was ineffective and unsuccessful. I hated the invasion of Iraq 2003. Why am I saying all this? Because for all the 'US military is the Best in the World' as this movie tries so hard to portray (best, meanest, roughest, toughest etc.) it hasn't won a single war since against Japan 1945. GW1 was a 100hr 'turkey shoot' hi-tech war against peasants. The US military is not the best in the world, just the most expensive, and the smallest by population resource base (about less than 1% of the population). I thought Blackhawk Down was a more realistic portrayal of the US SF in an Islamic environment. Now to Demi More. I thought she performed a thankless role well. Didn't do her career much good though… Personally I do not approve of or agree with women in combat roles. Not one bit. Any other part of the military-welcome, but not combat. Esp. not in the ME where it seems at least 60% of the US effort has been for the last 15 years. There is presently a huge controversy in the US about opening up the SF to women. They the SF operatives apparently do not want it. Only the politicos (very well portrayed in the movie) want it for stupid non-military or operational reasons. If a woman in uniform is captured in the ME by Jihadis, she will endure a nightmare that will scar, damage and ruin her for life.Out there attitudes to khuffar (Infidel/non-Muslim) women in uniform are many times worse even than for Muslim women who rebel against the religion. What DM went through with Master Chief would be 'a walk in the park' compared to what she would undergo in reality at Jihadi hands. So that argument about women in combat is mostly unrealistic. And the film portrayal, while maybe realistic about the training, is unrealistic about what an enemy would do to a Woman in uniform... Not merely 'a bit of roughness' but utter screaming barbarity... The point of GI Jane was to portray women going into SF training then into combat. It failed to show the outcome of that reality in the fully conflictual (Iraqi/Syria) ME. Possibly it only wanted to portray her readiness to operate in a unit while not showing 'cultural context'. This was cheating IMHO. Imagine GI Jane in Blackhawk down. That would much more realistic. Imagine her as a chopper pilot, like the guy who got dragged off. This movie failed to portray the argument of women in SF except in the most 'entertaining' light. So it was entertaining, for that I gave it 5. But for lack of realism in its representational purpose I wouldn't give it more. A 'Blackhawk Down' scenario with a female operative would have been much more realistic
