Screenwriter James Vanderbilt wanted to fool a certain type of moviegoer. He said: " . . . those who say 'I know who the killer is' in the first ten minutes."
Director John McTiernan didn't make another movie after Basic for more than thirteen years. This was due to legal troubles related to illegally wiretapping a business associate and an ex-wife, which eventually led to 12 months of incarceration and the forced liquidation of his assets.
Director John McTiernan really enjoyed working with John Travolta and Connie Nielsen on the fight scene. McTiernan said of this: "Take two cats, get a nice, dark closet, throw them in, and slam the door closed."
James Vanderbilt said of this film's screenplay: "I always loved mysteries when I was a kid. I knew that someday I wanted to write one that had many twists, and had the audience guessing up until the last minute."
John Travolta visited the 1st Ranger Battalion in Savannah, Georgia, and observed live fire exercises, while preparing for his role.