Behind Enemy Lines

Rating:
Summary: Great escapism for the blow 'em up crowd
Review: "Behind Enemy Lines" is a great example of the action film that is so fast-paced, so visually dazzling, and so tense that the viewer doesn't have much time to think about the film itself. Owen Wilson plays battle-untested Navy navigator Chris Burnett who, while on a reconnaissance mission, is shot down over Bosnia. Although both Burnett and his pilot escape alive, it quickly becomes clear they are in extreme danger. While commanding officer Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman) begins plans for a rescue mission, he is hampered by those in command over him.

While the premise itself is formulaic - we've all seen this scenario many, many times - the tight pacing serves the movie well, as the viewer is thrust from one suspenseful scene to another, with barely time to breathe between each. The cinematography supplies a gorgeous texture that contrasts powerfully with the destruction Burnett must both witness and turn from to save his life. Both symbolic of the theme and visually powerful is the enormous statue of the Virgin Mary that Burnett parachutes past, her face beautiful on one side, blown away on the other. Upon seeing this early in the movie, you know that this action film will have its message.

This thriller provides great, tense escapism, with people, buildings, and trucks blowing up or being shot to pieces every few minutes. The suspense is aided by several original scenes, such as the heat-sensing satellite images being watched aboard the aircraft by carrier personnel. They can see Burnett being approached but can't understand why his pursuers walk right by him. Unfortunately, if you stop to long to consider things that happen, and how people react, you'll run right smack into implausibilities, clichés, and just plain stupidity.

I was torn about how many stars to give this film. I was riveted throughout despite its over-simplification and relative predictability. The strongest feature of this film is its ability to draw the viewer into the plot and keep him there. Just don't think too much about it afterward. Four stars if you want to get lost in an action thriller, three stars if you want something more.

Rating:
Summary: Good True Story
Review: Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson star in "Behind Enemy Lines". This true story is based on a young man's undercover mission gone wrong. A lot of action is contained in this movie that keeps the audiences interested. However, the plot could have been more in depth. Despite its fairly accurate events, many unanswered question still remain that the writers never revealed. Most scenes have been done before by many other film producers. The computer effects are at its prime, remaining realistic-looking, that keep audiences amazed. Its sound effects from the weapons offer a more intense experience to the action theme. Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson are unfortunately not at their best in their careers, though their personas are credible. However, not much demand went through their characters, which is mostly the plot's fault. "Behind Enemy Lines" is great for those curious to what happened. Some mixed reviews may arise upon the movie outcome, but it has many interesting moments.

Rating:
Summary: Hollywood Tripe
Review: Lame. Supposed to be loosely based on the actual shootdown of a US aircraft over Bosnia, this is just another Hollywood rah-rah movie. The flight scene where the good guys get shot down is the movie's high point. Unfortunately it lasts only two minutes and comes early on. From there it's admiral Gene Hackman looking tough and uttering inanities (ordering his crew to "triangulate" Owen Wilson's location seconds after Wilson told him where he was located; or ordering "intel" to tell him who was chasing Wilson moments after Wilson told him he was being chased by Serbs). Typical tripe.

Rating:
Summary: Bland
Review: The only reason I gave this movie 3 stars instead of 2 is because of the early movie flight sequences. Usually whenever this movie is on HBO, I watch this part and then turn something else on. The rest of the movie really sucks. And I, personally, am getting tired of Gene Hackman playing the same roles over and over.

Basically, the flight sequence is probably the coolest air scene ever in a movie. Top Gun can't even compete really. The fireball is hokey, but overall the sequence is done pretty well. The rest of the movie is boring. Nothing to do with flying at all. It's one man versus an entire army, and guess who wins? It's a good old patriotism movie (This movie came out like a few months after 9/11, if I remember correctly).

Rating:
Summary: action galore
Review: a cool action movie with great set pieces that blow you away literally. the part where the building explodes and Wilson's hearing goes off is really a neat thing. theres a lot of dizzy camera work but it pays off in the end, tough the final battle with Wilson and the sniper doesnt add up entirely.

Rating:
Summary: Behind Enemy Lines - The Movie
Review: To me this movie has a weak story and is boring. Gene Hackman's talent is wasted. Owen Wilson should be in comic movies only.

Rating:
Summary: Touch of Intrigue and Solid Military Action
Review: I was concerned that this movie would either be influenced by the continued backlash from Viet Nam or would be so incredibly over-the-top as to be completely unbelievable. I was pleased that the movie combined a bit of political intrigue with generally realistic military action to yield a very enjoyable movie. There are a few moments where the movie is unbelievable, but those moments are few enough to get you to the end.

Lt. Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) and his friend and partner Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht) are flying a routine mission over Bosnia. They fly into territory into which they are not permitted. During their flight they see something on the ground that causes them to take a closer look. Using their new digital image recording system they take high-speed pictures of an area that incriminates Serbians in aggression towards Bosnians. The Serbians shoot down the F-18 with SAMs, later blaming the incident on rebel Bosnians.

Once the plane is shot down the two vulnerable pilots are quickly found by Serbian forces. Stackhouse is quickly executed, causing Burnett to yell in anguish and anger, which of course was a serious mistake because Stackhouse's executioner hears Burnett, and the chase is on.

This movie is all about the chase. Burnett runs for his life, trying to reach an extraction point. The Serbian executioner that murdered Stackhouse chases Burnett almost to the end of the film. During the chase there are several incidents that were very creative, though incredible in their coincidence. One example happens when Burnett has a large group of Serbians on his heels. The chase is being watched from Burnett's aircraft carrier, the Carl Vinson. When Burnett trips and falls according to the infrared image, the anxious crew of the Carl Vinson are sure he is dead, yet the chasing Serbians miraculously do not find him. You'll have to watch the movie to see why.

Burnett tries continually to make his way to the rendezvous point for extraction, and is continuously stymied. Eventually the Serbians convince NATO that Burnett has been killed by the rebels, and the Carl Vinson prepares to head for home. But, as we all know, Burnett is still trying to get out. I'll not spoil the ending, which is the one portion of the movie that is really over-the-top, more reminiscent of James Bond than the military.

While the movie contains flaws in how the action is portrayed, for entertainment and patriotism it is a good bet, particularly if you enjoy military action movies.

Rating:
Summary: above par...in some areas
Review: this is one of the better action/military flicks to come out lately, the special effects are pretty good and the story carries on at pretty decent quality, i just wish the ending had been a little better/smarter/though out, its just abit too arrogant to think 75 or so guys armed to the teeth with a tank, mind you, shooting at one man running straight ahead, all happen to miss, but strangely i didn't feel the ending ruined the movie for me, cause it was an action flick to begin with. All in all:

definitely worth renting/on the dvd issue u can judge for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: A direction master piece
Review: As it is written in the movie's review I don't want to repeat the story again.So I begin from my point.
Although the story,events,etc... do not deserve any word better than "classic hollywood" action movie,the thing that makes this movie unique is for sure the directing.As John Moore-an ex-commercial director- had mentioned it,the movie is generally based on how realistic and good a movie can be made by small budget.Throughout the movie there is dominantly way of 360 degree camera movements,professional aerieal shots,and fast forwarding editing movements makes the movie a good directed but as I said a lousy plotted movie.I think for movie fans who seek for good directing and photographing in a movie, aircraft's being chased by intelligent missles,the flash backs are trully must-see pieces .

Rating:
Summary: A very moving epic
Review: Oh, when I got this video, I'll tell you now: I believed that it was Sunday Afternoon material. But, my views have changed threefold since then. It really is an epic; a tale of how willpower can survive men of the highest caliber in the most serious and severe conditions. It's Christmas: everyone is in a good mood. But one proud man stands up to the captain: he's had enough of the damn navy: shouting, dying, crying: why should he do it? He tells Gene Hackman, playing the role of the captain. He's upset, and ridicules him bigtime. He sends the pilot and his best buddy to fly recon over Bosnia, now named Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the militia see them and shoot them down. They're the real Milosovich crew. It's a cat and mouse chase: and to cut a long story short, the young pilot's friend gets shot before his own eyes. The pilot runs for miles: through railway stations, explosions, death pits and assassins. People think he's dead. But he gets home safely.
I'll give this video four or even five stars, and as a fictional thing, it really brings home how the military deals with real war situations.