Too many fans seem to be blown away

Strictly average movie

disgusting, overrated, pointless

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I am a sucker for these military hero movies. Come from a military family myself. This movie is formulaic, follows the Hollywood norms beat by beat. But it works! Everyone is excellent: acting, writing, photography, etc. I'd watch it again. And again. Demi Moore, BTW, is perfect, strong but feminine. This time, the hero is a woman. Hurray!

I've always thought that Ridley Scott's G.I. Jane is the movie Michael Bay made in another reality where he matured a little more. I mean that as a compliment to Sir Ridley and the film. The crisp, aesthetically lighted style has Bay written all over it, but it's employed alongside a human story of one girl facing some truly daunting odds. Demi Moore plays Jordan O Neill, a determined, plucky individual who has her mind and heart set on going through the infamous Navy SEAL training, making her the first woman to undertake the task. She just wants to do her training like the rest of her peers, but unfortunately her situation comes with a tirade of media attention and notoriety, something which she never signed on for. Corrupt politician Theodore Hayes (the late Daniel Von Bargen smarming it up) wants to ruin her, and he's at odds with a pushy Senator (Anne Bancroft is as stiff and sour as the glass of kentucky mash she constantly pulls from). Meanwhile, Moore begins her training, thrown in with a bunch of testosterone fuelled dudes, rabid dogs who don't react well to a girl in their midst. Her instructors do their best, but she meets quite the adversary in Master Chief James Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen) a no nonsense guy with a razor sharp intellect and a personality to fuel it. Mortensen gets to do something really special with the role. Where other drill instructors in film are somewhat caricatures, monstrous, profane loud-mouths with all the depth of a wood plank, Urgayle has a metallic edge that encases real human qualities beneath. Mortensen latches on to that right off the bat, blessing the film with a fully three dimensional person. The cast is great as well, with work from Kevin Gage, David Warshofsky, Jason Beghe, Morris Chestnut, Jim Caviesel and the legendary Scott Wilson who is mint as the cranky base commander. His dialogue is straight out of a Mamet script and Wilson bites down hard, especially in a scene where he verbally owns Bancroft. Moore is combustible, lacing her take no prisoners attitude with the grace and power of her femininity. She's also in wicked shape too, her physique a reflection of both Jordan's commitment to her goal and Demi's steadfast need to tell the best possible story. This one is far better than some critics would have you believe, with a story arc both suited to the character and theme. It's also just plain powerhouse filmmaking that chimes in on all the right notes. Awesome stuff.

G.I. Jane (1997): Dir: Ridley Scott / Cast: Demi Moore, Viggo Mortensen, Anne Bancroft, Scott Wilson, Morris Chestnut: A film about a woman in a man's world with violence being the key factor. Demi Moore gives a convincing portrayal of a woman in military training and trying to withstand painstaking labour, crude gender jokes, and eating out of a trash bin. She exercises constantly and even shaves her head to blend in but outside forces attempt to sabotage her. What really comes across is her sense of human worth and her demand to be treated equally. During war games her entire troop is captured and she endures torture at the hands of her commander. Director Ridley Scott is skilled at presenting realism but the screenplay is marred with clichés and predictable ending that borders on farce. Scott has made superior films such as Blade Runner and Alien but this is hardly ranking up there with films that demonstrated greater skill. Moore displays a real sense of individuality while her co-stars surrender to stereotypes. Viggo Mortensen plays her heavy handed commander in what is easily a predictable stereotype with all the integrity of a playground bully. Anne Bancroft is also wasted in a role of a woman who is stuck so far back in tradition that it is a wonder that she exists in real time. For Moore this is barely a step up from Striptease. Message of equality is strong. Score: 5 ½ / 10

Senator DeHaven (Anne Bancroft) pressures the Navy to be gender blind. They accept as long as a woman test case can measure up to the men's standards. They figure on the U.S. Navy Combined Reconnaissance Team which has a 60% wash out rate. DeHaven picks Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil (Demi Moore) out of the approved candidates for her looks. Command Master Chief John James Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen) is their trainer. She has to overcome expectations, sexism, politics and the pressure of the program to succeed.There is nothing surprising or original in this movie. It's got all the training and director Ridley Scott is an expert at jazzing up those 'action' scenes. The most compelling originality comes from Demi Moore shaving her hair. I do have to say that she looks fierce with the bald head. She looks fierce generally and Scott has her exercising up a storm. The movie probably needs some of the other characters to step up but nobody can ever be on the same level as Demi.