Volume 2 , Number 10
October , 1997
G.I. Jane
By Andy Wallace
As I sat in the tiny, rather dingy theatre, looking periodically at
the Coca-Cola "Screen Test" that is constantly flashing
Adrian Balboa
(rocky 1,2,3,4,5)
at me, I wonder what the hell I'm doing here. Then an image of a hot, sweaty Demi Moore doing pull-ups in a tight tank top spring into my mind, and I remember...
Ok, so maybe my motives aren't pure, but I have never claimed such a
thing, anyway. I was there first to see Demi Moore, a woman I have
had a huge crush on since I saw her in "No Small Affair", second to
see a movie to review.
The story is very 90's - a woman Senator (Ann Bancroft), trying to
further her agenda of increasing the opportunities of women in the
military, talks the military into taking some test cases on, and
selects a hotshot Naval Intelligence officer as her first victim - er,
test case. The woman enters the horrific Navy Seals program (note,
the film was made without the help of the Navy, a tacit denial of
the contents of the Navy Seal training depicted in the film), fights
her way through, comes up against terrible odds, gets almost defeated
by mysterious forces, then manages to fight her way back, eventually
winning.
This is basically a "minority comes into a hostile group, and through
incredible force of will and just general all-around being special,
manages to win over foes, and makes friends" movie. In this case, the
minority is a woman, and the environment is the US military, encompassing
Washington politics and the Navy SEALs training camp. On the way, she
discovers hostile superiors, even more hostile peers in her group, and
an even more hostile Washington establishment. As is necessary, she
also has one or two supporters in her peer group (including the one
black man in the group, who draws parallels between the experiences of
a black man in the Navy and those of a woman), and a haltingly supportive
boyfriend.
Yes, it is somewhat formulaic and predicatble, but don't let that stop
you - the formula is followed well (after all, it works), and the
details that flesh out the story are well put-together.
A side note. Once again, I find myself in the very strange position
of criticising the inclusion of pictures of Demi Moore's body in a
movie. I was one of the 12 people who liked "Striptease", except I
thought they had too many shots of Demi stripping in the movie - it
detracted from the movie itself,which was a pretty decent comedy. In
the case of "G.I. Jane", there was a little too much of a sweaty Demi
in skimpy workout clothes, er, working out. The one-handed push-ups
were especially... but I digress. The issue is that I find myself in
the strange position of wanting to re-edit the movies, taking those
scenes out, or cutting them down. Of course, I'd want to save them
for myself, but they don't really belong in the movie.
That aside, I say, ignore what people think (I got some strange,
knowing looks from the folks at the movie theatre, a single guy
showing up, alone, for a Sunday night showing of "G.I. Jane"), and
go for it. The movie is well made, and will give you a couple of
surprises. Viggo Mortensen, whom I have not seen before, gives a
fine performance as the often brutal instructor, although there is
one scene with him and Demi that will cause many to cringe, at the
very least. The depictions of SEAL training are also brutal, but
fit the image that many have about the elite force. Ann Bancroft is
also very good as the politician who has one agenda - re-election,
and will stop at nothing to achieve it. And Demi - well, there is
generally nothing to say about Demi Moore's performances. Alhthough
she is in no danger of winning an Oscar anytime soon, she is a
credible actress, and does not shirk from the ugly side of a story.
Give it a chance! It's 7 bucks that I'm not upset at having spent
(Unlike wen I saw "Heartbreak Ridge" - ugh!). And Demi, if Bruce
ever gets too boring, look me up...
