Rating: Summary: Action packed fun Review: If you're looking for a movie with action, suspense, blood, and big guns, you'll love this movie. The effects are incredible, especially the first part of the film, before they get shot down over enemy territory. The acting is great and, boy... what an ending. You'll love it!
Rating: Summary: A generous 3 stars.... more like 2.75 Review: I didnt really like this movies and I teeter back and forth from giving it 3 stars or the 2 that it probably is more deserving of.First let me say that this is NOT really a WAR MOVIE. It's more an action movie that is set in a war zone and has some combat. My first gripe is that I was really distracted by the use of the camera in this film. They tried to do too much fancy stufdf with the camera and it was disorientating to me. This is very noticable in the beggining when they are about to be shot down and I DID NOT LIKE IT! It was annoying... I mean just let me WATCH the movie. My second problem is that the movie professed itself to be a war movie while it was not. This is no "saving private ryan" or "enemy at the gates". The plot isn't particularly intriguing and the action in the movie isn't terribley great either. There is a cool battle at the end, though a bit unbelievable and a bit over-dramatized (and plus how none of the americans died is beyond me). I just didnt find very much to like about the movie and too many things to complain about. I rented it on PPV and am not in a rush to see it again. It wasnt completely bad, but it wouldnt be up for an oscar either. This is the kind of movie you rent when there is nothing else good at the video store or that you watch when you are really bored or dont plan to pay much attnetion to anyhow.
Rating: Summary: Saving Pilot Burnett Review: Behind Eneney Lines is a solid, if at times a bit unbelievable, action film.While on a seemingly routine flying mission, Naval pilot Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) sees something that he wasn't supposed to see, on the ground in Bosnia. Even though a fragile peace exists, the U.S. plane comes under heavy fire, and is shot down. Now, as enemy forces, led by Lokar, (Olek Krupa) converge on his location, Burnett must somehow manage to stay alive. On board the USS Carl Vinson, the crew, commanded by Admiral Leslie Reigart (Gene Hackman), must find a way to mount a rescue attempt, without upseting NATO and the diplomats Directed by John Moore, for me the film is made watchable because of Wilson and Hackman. Both men give it their all, for a film that holds few real surprises--Wilson known for comedy or quirky movies, proves he can handle action stuff too. And even though, Hackman could have done this role in his sleep, he makes the most of it anyway. Moore tends to employ too many Saving Private Ryan-esque tricks for my liking here. But is otherwise a capable director. As far as the stunts are concerned...as long as you can REALLY suspend disbelief--you can let all of that slide. The DVD extras are OK. But really could have used a lift Of the 2 commentary tracks included, the most interesting comes from director John Moore and editor Martin Smith, while the track by producers John Davis and Wick Godfrey isn't as easy to sit through. An audio track with the always entertaining Wilson would have been better for sure. The behind-the-scenes featurette is a standard "fluff piece" The alternate "Main Title Sequence", "End Title Sequence", the 3 extended director's cut scenes, and the alternate "Tale Off" montage can be viewed with or without optional commentary. For "easter egg" hunters, the disc has something hidden for you to find. Behind Enemy Lines is just a good film that could have been better. Still if you like Hackman, Wilson and some patriotc florishes, despite its problems--this is for you
Rating: Summary: Best fighter jet scene EVER! Review: Behind Enemy Lines blew me away with its visual eye candy and very good story line. The fighter jet scene has to be the best in any movie. That scene is better than ALL of Top Gun. The plot is very suspensful and the cast is perfect. The land mine scene is my favorite. Sounds SOOOOOOO good on my home theater. The sw was shaking my whole house. Would definetly recomend this movie to anyone. Must have action movie...PERIOD!
Rating: Summary: Wasted story serves as unworthy vehicle Review: The marketing for this film hardly touched on one of the key story elements of a movie like this: the enemy. Commercials and trailers show the bad guys in balaclavas with AK-47s and define them as the enemy. The point? Here we have a good chance to make a Hollywood film and touch on the Bosnian war. Instead we get a waste of everyone's time, including the always-great Gene Hackman. You can't fault him when he has a shoddy script and an overall lame effort around him. During the Bosnian war a US pilot is shot down after discovering illegal movement and activity by the Bosnian Serb army during a cease fire. The pilot and co-pilot get shot down and parachute out. The co-pilot is discovered by the "evil" Bosnian Serbs and then...executed. Right. I guess it's because the Serbs are just bad guys. They're portrayed as no less than an evil crew who like hunting people down and killing them. No flattery here as we get every cliche in the book. Since the story isn't going to make sense, at least we get some good effort by Hackman and Owen Wilson, who isn't too bad for the "hero". With that nose at least he's somewhat believable as a weary soldier. The film delivers some more of the now very tired action techniques of showing flying missles and bullets and planes and cars that look well executed but become utterly boring and unexciting because of their recycled feel. I would have liked to have seen a more delicate treatment of matters in the film, turning out a better story about civil war and intervening powers, but we're left with your typical jingoist trash that provides a short cut to thinking without even being escapist fun.
Rating: Summary: Not the greatest, but still very fun Review: Behind Enemy Lines is one of those movies you can't call a "war" movie, but can't completely call it an "action" movie because it has to do with military. It does have its fair share of action and war violence, but on the other hand, is somewhat poorly written and dosn't have the best action scenes. Behind Enemy Lines is about a Navy Pilot Chris Burnette (Owen Wilson) who wants to quit the Navy because of it's lack of excitement and non-invlovment in the war. Durning a meeting with his captain (Gene Hackman), the captain tells Chris that he is lucky he is not in a fight because with his attitude he would not last more than 5 minutes. The next day when Chris and his co-pilot are sent on a holidy recon-mission, they find some movement on the radar over by a sector that they are not assigned to. They think it is nothing and go to take pictures. What they do not know is that it is a Bosnian war base where they are hiding the bodies of dead civilians that they have killed. When Chris and his pilot take pictures of this, they are isntantly shot down. The soldiers find and kill Chris's partner, leaving Chirs to defend himself behind enemy lines. Gene Hackman in the process is planning to send a team to go recover him but is turned down by the master-chief because of the chances of starting a major war would happen if they went over there. So all-in-all this movie was decent. Not the greatest action/war movie ever, but definatly not the worst. It was still a good time. "Behind Enemy Lines" runs for about 1 hour and 50 minutes. It is rated PG-13 for some strong language, and some scenes of strong violence.
Rating: Summary: WOW Review: The Ground to Air missile schene in this movie is worth getting a Home Theater system and HDTV itself. The story isn't great, but worth buying if you like action movies.
Rating: Summary: One of the best military movies Review: Actually, it's about 3.5 stars; they really need a .5 option here, don't they? Anyway, I have to admit, I didn't expect this movie to be so great. I rented it on hopes that it would be good, and it didn't let me down. Owen Wilson may be one of the most underrated actors in today's distressing 'teen idol' movie business. And Gene Hackman proves once again why he's such a dominant force in film. Wilson stars as Lt. Chris Burnett, a fighter pilot on his way out of the force. Then on a simple routine flight, him and his partner Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht) cross into territory they shouldn't have been near; which makes things take a turn for the worst. Wilson ends up on the run, alone, from the Russians who want him dead. Meanwhile, Adm. Leslie Reigart (Hackman) is forced to put many lives in danger for just one. It's an awesome action movie that holds your attention throughout, even if the plot seems to be a little dull (which it's really not). It ranks right up there with "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Patriot" as one of the best military/war movies one can view. Wilson is great; he handles the action perfectly, and he even chips in some good comedy towards the beginning of the movie. Also, this is not the first time Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson have teamed up. In the same year (2001), both starred in the hilarious hit comedy "The Royal Tenenbaums", a movie that has quite a different style than that of this one. Grant it, I don't think they'll turn out to be the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon of the 00's, but they do work wonders together. In seeing this film, you won't be disappointed with it. Although "Behind Enemy Lines" does not have the blood and guts/guns-in-your-face of "Saving Private Ryan" or even "The Thin Red Line", it's still a good action thriller you souldn't miss.
Rating: Summary: Better than you heard Review: In "Behind Enemy Lines", Owen Wilson stars as Lt. Chris Burnett, a Naval Aviator shot down in Bosnia and on the run from the murderous, genocidal Bosnia army. Gene Hackman is his supperior/father figure, Adm. Leslie Reigart. Hackman guides and comforts Wilson as he attempts to make his way to a safe landing zone where he can be picked up and flown to safety. Along the way, Wilson's character discovers that Muslims are still being slaughtered by the Bosnian Army in the so-called DMZ. Besides the army looking for him, Wilson must also escape from the lethal sniper known only as "The Tracker", who isn't much of a shot and is easily fooled. The film itself is ludicrus. There is no way that any of this could possibly happen. But that does not stop it from being entertaining. What makes this film work is the utter determination of it's stars to take it seriously. They say their lines with absolute conviction, not going through the motions or hamming it up. With a plot like this, hammy acting, which admittedly has it's place in implausible action films, would have ruined it. These actors believe in what they're saying and doing. And it actually adds drama to a film that would have none if the actors didn't at least TRY to convey seriousness. Casting Wilson and Hackman was briliant, as was the casting of David Keith as Reigarts top aide. These men will not let the movie collapse around them. Keith never met a bad line he couldn't deliver with utter conviction. These three make the dramatic scenes work. Wilson seems appropriately disoriented as a pilot who wanted action in his missions but wasn't prepared for it. He's clumsy on the ground and not thinking straight most of the time. He conveys this well. It is now my belief that it is impossible for Gene Hackman to give a bad performance. He is at least good in everything he does. While he is only good here, he's still a commanding presence. The action scenes are also well made. The downing of the plane is one of the best made jet action sequences since "Top Gun". It is exciting and tense, and it is a testament to the director's ability. Wilson's journey through a ruined Bosnia also has some excellent action scenes, such as the attack on the city of Haj, and a harrowing moment in a mine field, in which the director shows some flair. I won't give away the secrets of the totally absurd final actions scene, but say what you will about realisim, it's fun and exciting. The film, upon release in late 2001, was criticized for being too rah-rah American, for being jingoistic. That is unfair. Why must the US being successful militarliy always be called Jingoistic? Is it because NATO wants to keep the American's from succeeding? I will say it is rah-rah American, but not so awful that it's jingoistic. There's no real message in this movie, other than genocide is bad and america's military will kick you butt. In the end, it's only an OK movie, but it's not a disaster. I had fun watching it. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy.
Rating: Summary: Great Popcorn Action Movie Review: Now,I'm not the type who likes Arnold blowing up entire countries or Rambo spraying a village with a minigun of unlimited ammo, but this was one of those types of movies, and, to my surprise, I liked it. Owen Wilson's performance was OK at best, but the action scences were INTENSE, and the plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat. While all that was great, the best part of the movie was by far it's audio side. The sound of explosions, jet engines, and bullets flying was amazing, and the music is more than just the standard heavy metal guitar solo: it actually has good music, music that I would want to listen to more than once. However, even though this was a great movie, it is a great movie ONCE. It's just one of those movies where it's the greatest thing in the world the first time, but makes you want to projectile vomit the second. But that's just my opinion. My advice is: go out and rent it first. If you think you might like to see it again, hey, go ahead.
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