‘One Kill’ Begs for More Military Discipline

At its core, “One Kill,” which premieres Sunday night on Showtime, is a tale of honor, ethics and conduct run amok.

Within the framework of a relationship gone wrong, “One Kill” touches on topical issues without delving into them. Anne Heche skillfully stars as Marine Capt. Mary Jane O’Malley, a single mother devoted to her life in the military. All that changes one night when she is awakened by an armed intruder, whom she struggles with and kills in self-defense.

When the intruder is revealed to be much-decorated war hero Major Nelson Gray (Sam Shepard), military officials choose to charge O’Malley with premeditated murder rather than dismiss the case as justifiable homicide like the local authorities did.

The film then follows O’Malley and her defense attorney, Capt. Walker Randell (Eric Stoltz), as they try to circumvent underhanded legal tactics to win her freedom.

While built out of a story with a potential for social relevance, this particular film breaks no new ground in its examination of double standards experienced by women in the military.

As a tale of military justice, this thriller goes AWOL. While the drama is daunting, it simply isn’t engrossing. Too many issues in the plot aren’t adequately explored. Gender roles, ambition, family, loyalty and ethics all get the minimum screen time needed to map out the basic story line.

Director Christopher Menaul’s previous Showtime effort, the well-received “The Passion of Ayn Rand,” also focused on a woman as the central figure of dramatic contention. However, that film used rich characterizations to further the story.

In “One Kill” the actors make the most of what little they have to work with, as the characters are one-dimensional and blatantly good or bad.

Standing out, however, is Eric Stoltz as O’Malley’s attorney. His strong performance gave the character prominence and defined the emotional core of the tale. Randall feels turmoil as he struggles with military norms he has adhered to as a son and officer of a Marine family; norms that he can no longer accept without question.

That revelation becomes as important to the film as his client’s struggle to be exonerated. Watching “One Kill” leaves the distinct impression that too much footage, which would have helped flesh out the story, was left on the cutting room floor.

*

Supporting characters quickly drift in and out despite heavy implications of their deeper involvement in the narrative. Such was the case with Gunnery Sgt. Finch (Philip Akin of “Highlander: The Series”). An apparent ally of O’Malley, he offers the first true statement of witness accountability along with a lack of explanation as to why he would jeopardize his career to her.

Minor details, perhaps, but details create a clear picture.

“One Kill” doesn’t provide a great deal of viewer satisfaction with its rushed, not fully justified conclusion. One character rightly sums it up: “I think that perhaps they feel that if the Marine Corps is getting ready to go downhill they prefer not to be underneath it.” Imagine yourself at the bottom of that hill.

* “One Kill” can be seen Sunday at 8 on Showtime. The network has rated it TV-14-VLD (may be unsuitable for young children with special advisories for violence, coarse language and suggestive dialogue).