Rating: 
Summary: Oscar Material for Meg Ryan
Review: It's April 2003, and I just viewed the DVD for the first, second, and third time. This may not be a politically correct movie with the war today, but it is one of the best I have ever seen. Meg Ryan, although with limited time in the movie, showed more than just being a cute actress, which she has been stereo typed as. I think the unpredictability of how the ending turns out, shows she is one of the top actors today, and should play more serious roles. This was an Academy Award performance.Denzel, as usual was perfect and so believable in the role. He is without a doubt one of the finest actors of our times. The movie, with the flashbacks, emotions was directed and produced that kept the audience glued to the movie, and brought tears at the end. How I missed this movie when it came out, I don't know, but the casting and acting should have won this movie and Oscar or Golden Globe Award. War is ugly, and ugly things happen we prefer not to know. This movie portrays what families should be told, and although necessay, war is never glorious. This movie should be dedicated to all of the unsung hereos of our Nation that have lost their lives to protect ours. And the true cost of our freedom.
Rating:
Summary: A Meg movie that is not a comedy
Review: Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serving (Denzel Washington) makes the ultimate boo boo. In the heat of the moment he targets our side.
While still in a slump over this he is challenged to check out Captain Karen Emma Walden (Meg Ryan) who is inline for the Medal of Honor (posthumously). We go through several versions of her story as told from different view points of survivors. Meg Ryan does a good job of portraying the different personalities as describe.
Rating: 
Summary: ECHOES OF RASHOMON
Review: Matt Damon can be seen here in one of his first roles, and this role was largely overlooked, overshadowed perhaps by the star power of Meg Ryan (in the least annoying role I have ever seen her play) playing a tough commanding officer during Desert Storm, or overshadowed by Denzel Washington, investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. Damon may even have been overshadowed by the presence of an insane, glory seeking Lou Diamond Phillips. Damon's heroin-addicted character, though, is one of the reasons this film stands out in my mind. Also the story-telling technique of flashing back through different character's eyes is borrowed from such classic films as Kurosawa's Rashomon. It expertly illustrates the importance and use of point-of-view, which is totally different and distorted depending upon whom you consult.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good
Review: On the surface this was a good movie. Denzel Washington must investigate the situation surrounding a medical chopper being shot down and if the commanding office of that chopper, Meg Ryan, should receive the medal of honor. She would be the first woman ever to receive this decoration, and it would be posthumously. Denzel's character receives conflicting information and is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. The cast is rounded out by Lou Diamond Phillips, Matt Damon and a few other familier faces. Under the surface this becomes a better movie. Denzel's character is struggling with a friendly fire incident he was just involved in and is willing to take responsibility that the Pentagon will not allow him. His inner struggle is a fine secondary story line and as any good soldier would do he is doing without the help of his family (his wife is trying to help) or his friend and commanding officer (whom he will not turn to). An excellent insight into human emotion, the conflict of war, the battle of the sexes and one man's struggle to do what is right. A worthwhile addition to any DVD library.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, Engrossing Movie
Review: One of my favorites. A movie that will keep you guessing till the very end. Nat Serling is sent home from the Persian Gulf with traumas and few prospects after being in a friendly fire incident. He is given what should have been an open-and-shut case: investigate a female chopper pilot for the Medal of Honor. Things become tricky quickly as Serling's support is withdrawn when he discovers discrepancies in the witness' stories and he will have to risk everything to find out the truth about what happened on a dark night in Iraq. Magnetizing throughout, this picture is well-conceived and very compelling, and it has messages about society. Excellent directing and writing, as well as amazing acting, this movie shines.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a female military hero in film
Review: One of my top 3 Meg movies. Her acting is good but not great in this flick. What I appreciated most was the depth of her character. The writers and producers deserve kudos for presenting a well-rounded figure of a female military helicopter pilot/caring mom. My favorite scenes in this movie are of Meg in action. She wears no make-up and has a dirty face -- I applaud her for doing this flick "in-the-raw."
Rating:
Summary: Washington and Ryan in a Gulf War "Rashomon"
Review: The basic plot line of "Courage Under Fire" is that Lt. Col Nathaniel Sterling (Denzel Washington) is investigating an incident during the Gulf War to determine whether or not the Medal of Honor should be awarded to Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan). It does not take us long to find out that the title of this film refers to both Sterling and Walden. The initial story on Walden, the pilot of a rescue helicopter, is that she made a spectacular rescue of a downed helicopter crew, then fought off attacking Iraquis after her own copter crashed, dying right before they were rescued themselves. But as Sterling questions the surviving members of Walden's crew, he discovers their various versions do not jive, and he begins to question what is the truth. Moreover, Sterling is haunted by his own actions during the Gulf War, where he was responsible for a "friendly fire" incident that resulted in the death of American soldiers. To complicate matters, Sterling is drinking too much, has grown distant from his family, and is being hounded by a commanding officer who wants the P.R. value of Walden receiving the medal and a reporter who knows something of what happened to the Colonel in Iraq. "Courage Under Fire" makes excellent use of the "Rashomon" technique, wherein we get to see each person's version of what really happened in Iraq. Sterlings own feelings of guilt and responsibility for what happened in Iraq provide an additional level of depth to the narrative (more so than in Kurosawa's original classic film in fact). Some may find the parallel attempts to find redemption to be somewhat heavy handed, but ultimately the film succeeds because of the solid acting performances. In addition to Washington and Ryan, who knew have a scene together, there are solid performances from Lou Diamond Phillips and a very underweight Matt Damon as surviving members of Walden's crew, Michael Moriarity as the General, Scott Glenn as the reporter, and Regina Taylor as Sterling's wife. Certainly this film is closer to the reality of Desert Storm than "Three Kings," but the main enjoyment here is watching Ryan and her crew do the same lines with totally different meanings because of radical changes in context while Washington tries to find meaning in his own life.
Rating:
Summary: Washington and Ryan in a Gulf War "Rashomon"
Review: The basic plot line of "Courage Under Fire" is that Lt. Col Nathaniel Sterling (Denzel Washington) is investigating an incident during the Gulf War to determine whether or not the Medal of Honor should be awarded to Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan). It does not take us long to find out that the title of this film refers to both Sterling and Walden. The initial story on Walden, the pilot of a rescue helicopter, is that she made a spectacular rescue of a downed helicopter crew, then fought off attacking Iraquis after her own copter crashed, dying right before they were rescued themselves. But as Sterling questions the surviving members of Walden's crew, he discovers their various versions do not jive, and he begins to question what is the truth. Moreover, Sterling is haunted by his own actions during the Gulf War, where he was responsible for a "friendly fire" incident that resulted in the death of American soldiers. To complicate matters, Sterling is drinking too much, has grown distant from his family, and is being hounded by a commanding officer who wants the P.R. value of Walden receiving the medal and a reporter who knows something of what happened to the Colonel in Iraq. "Courage Under Fire" makes excellent use of the "Rashomon" technique, wherein we get to see each person's version of what really happened in Iraq. Sterlings own feelings of guilt and responsibility for what happened in Iraq provide an additional level of depth to the narrative (more so than in Kurosawa's original classic film in fact). Some may find the parallel attempts to find redemption to be somewhat heavy handed, but ultimately the film succeeds because of the solid acting performances. In addition to Washington and Ryan, who knew have a scene together, there are solid performances from Lou Diamond Phillips and a very underweight Matt Damon as surviving members of Walden's crew, Michael Moriarity as the General, Scott Glenn as the reporter, and Regina Taylor as Sterling's wife. Certainly this film is closer to the reality of Desert Storm than "Three Kings," but the main enjoyment here is watching Ryan and her crew do the same lines with totally different meanings because of radical changes in context while Washington tries to find meaning in his own life.
Rating:
Summary: I love america
Review: The reason this movie didn't do well was b/c no one could see Meg Ryan leading her troops back in 1996. Now adays she's a big .....and the word "wholesome" doesn't even touch her. The odd thing is that Matt Damon lost 60 pounds to play a crack head medic. that's crazy.
Rating:
Summary: Suberb Acting
Review: The story line, a bit simplistic, could have been more interesting and intriguing. None-the-less the superb acting by Denzil Washington and Meg Ryan made the movie a stunnng success. I was glued to my chair throughout the entire movie.
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