Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jeff "

  
  Behind Enemy Lines is a decent action film. The film is a departure for Owen Wilson who has worked exclusively in the comedy genre. Behind Enemy Lines is not a perfect film, but for what it is, the film succeeds somewhat at being entertaining despite the fact that the film at times… More
  Behind Enemy Lines is a decent action film. The film is a departure for Owen Wilson who has worked exclusively in the comedy genre. Behind Enemy Lines is not a perfect film, but for what it is, the film succeeds somewhat at being entertaining despite the fact that the film at times fails at displaying a conventional, believable plot. If you can forget that aspect of the film, you may be able to enjoy it. I did like the film, but it's not one of those films that I'll watch again anytime soon. The film is entertaining for what it is, but it never does succeed at being an effective and good action that will really astound you. Owen Wilson is decent here, and Gene Hackman is wasted here however. The film could have been much better than this, but for the most part, it's a pleasant time waster that does entertain despite its somewhat ludicrous plot. The film is nothing I'd call great, but for what it is, it succeeds at being mindless entertainment. Behind Enemy Lines is a popcorn flick pure and simple. Though this film could have been better, Behind Enemy Lines is a decent film that manages to entertain, and be mindless, fun entertainment. The film could have been worse, but the end result is a decent action film that delivers some decent action despite the fact that the film lacks any strong plot development to really make this a memorable action film to watch. Worth watching at least once.

• Manu G

  
  Prepare to cross the line. Very good movie! It's shocking to see Owen Wilson in this film since usually his roles are in comedies but he did quite good as a air force soldier. The story was interesting and in a few moments intense, not bat at all. Lt. Chris Burnett has lost… More
  Prepare to cross the line. Very good movie! It's shocking to see Owen Wilson in this film since usually his roles are in comedies but he did quite good as a air force soldier. The story was interesting and in a few moments intense, not bat at all. Lt. Chris Burnett has lost faith in his job in the Navy and wants to get out, and is even forced to do a reconnaissance mission with his friend Lt. Jeremy Stackhouse over Bosnia. During the mission, they fly their jet off course to check out a suspicious target that turns out to be the site of a mass grave that contains bodies of Bosnian Muslims. The main perpetrator of the massacre, Gen. Miroslav Lokar, has the plane shot down in order to avoid having the plane obtaining evidence of the massacre. Stackhouse ends up getting killed, while Burnett finds himself alone on the run from Lokar's ruthless soldiers. Burnett's commanding officer, Rear Admiral Leslie Reigart, has trouble gaining approval from his own commanding officers to carry out a search-and-rescue mission to save Burnett. From encountering a major battle in a war-torn town, to mine fields, to Serb soldiers seeking the pilot, and to a highly skilled sniper, will Burnett be able to escape Bosnia, or will he suffer the same fate of his comrade?

• Dean M

  
  Superb and touching action-thriller film. The action sequences and visual effects are superb. The missile-jet scene has some of the best surround sound I have ever heard in an action scene, along with super visuals. Owen Wilson's travails, as he tries to stay alive in hostile… More
  Superb and touching action-thriller film. The action sequences and visual effects are superb. The missile-jet scene has some of the best surround sound I have ever heard in an action scene, along with super visuals. Owen Wilson's travails, as he tries to stay alive in hostile territory while red-tape holds up his rescue efforts, are fascinating. The action scenes are quite different, too. The characters were solid, and director John Moore emphiseses the war - torn cities of Bosnia quite well. Wilson is excellent at portraying a character way out of his comfort zone, and Vladimir Mashkov's chilling as a Serbian sniper.

• Mike S

  
  No deeper analyze is required as to why this has received such heavy critism. It's naive, stupid and questionably executed. Just take the choice of music for example, which in some places sounds like something out of a high school comedy. Also to add to the list of negatives is… More
  No deeper analyze is required as to why this has received such heavy critism. It's naive, stupid and questionably executed. Just take the choice of music for example, which in some places sounds like something out of a high school comedy. Also to add to the list of negatives is the unfitting humor. Some of it works, but too often it doesn't. If this was an action-comedy I'd been fine with it, but in regard to the seriousness of the story, it feels completely out of place. Too much joking around, when the characters ought to have survival on their mind. It's as if it's been directed by a kid whose playing war with real actors. No sense of thought behind his actions and with camera movements so irratic, it appears random and unplanned. Moreover, the fact that they hired Owen Wilson to play the main character, is like letting Robin Williams star as Jason Bourne. Not the most suitable choice. What speaks for it in positive terms though, is the action. I can't say it ever bored me, and it's got enough excitement value to keep you watching. So in the larger frame of things, it's not half-bad. Just lacking a soul and a brain and some meat on its legs. For such a skeleton of a movie though, it sure knows how to run and keep a good pace.

• Conner R

  
  Kind've just an odd casting selection, but it's not as corny as you might expect. The fact that it's Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson makes it worthwhile and the plot is somewhat original and engaging. I would say it's something that's fun to watch on tv if you… More
  Kind've just an odd casting selection, but it's not as corny as you might expect. The fact that it's Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson makes it worthwhile and the plot is somewhat original and engaging. I would say it's something that's fun to watch on tv if you have nothing better to do.

• Jennifer D

  
  Ah-MAZE-ingly predictable plot. Wow. But it was on AMC and I was battling a migraine. Still, Owen Wilson in a serious role kept me intrigued enough to not turn it to other crappy cable shows. I did find it amusing that for the first 70% of the movie all Owen Wilson did was run....

• Dan S

  
  An occasionally intense and superbly acted war movie that is weighed down by a "Hollywood"-feeling plot and a ridiculous finale. Besides "Bottle Rocket", this might be Owen Wilson's best performance, I'd like to see him try some more dramatic roles. The… More
  An occasionally intense and superbly acted war movie that is weighed down by a "Hollywood"-feeling plot and a ridiculous finale. Besides "Bottle Rocket", this might be Owen Wilson's best performance, I'd like to see him try some more dramatic roles. The ending, as expected, is predictable you never truly feel fear for the soldier's life because the movie doesn't do a great job coloring him in the first place. However, most of the action scenes are well-done, Wilson does what he can with his character, and this makes this movie a "maybe" see.

• Anthony L

  
  A below average action film with a very unconvincing performance by Owen.

• Jani H

  
  Owen Wilsons effort to become an action star fails. I could probably end it right here but I guess I have to explain myself... "Behind Enemy Lines" is another generic action movie that tries to score but misses the goal. Sure there are some scenes that have some tension in… More
  Owen Wilsons effort to become an action star fails. I could probably end it right here but I guess I have to explain myself... "Behind Enemy Lines" is another generic action movie that tries to score but misses the goal. Sure there are some scenes that have some tension in 'em but the end scene were they rescue Wilson's character (like you didn't know that would happen!) is full of clichés. Imagine Wilson skip his first rescue attempt and slide on the ice and shoot accurate shots with a 9 mm against soldiers who have no sense of self protection. Owen Wilson is no action star, that's for sure. He should stick with comedies and leave the genre to washed out WWF wrestlers... (You know I'm kidding about the wrestlers, right?) On the plus side, the cinematography has its moments, and the tension suprises the viewers at times, but I think it's best that you watch it once and forget it immediately after that.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"In War There Are Some Lines You Should Never Cross."</i> Owen Wilson stars as Lt. Chris Burnett, a naval aviator aboard the U.S.S. Carl Vinson who's frustrated with the strict "hands-off" political policies that prevent him from experiencing… More
  <i>"In War There Are Some Lines You Should Never Cross."</i> Owen Wilson stars as Lt. Chris Burnett, a naval aviator aboard the U.S.S. Carl Vinson who's frustrated with the strict "hands-off" political policies that prevent him from experiencing combat against hostile Bosnian forces in his F/A-18 Superhornet jet. Burnett's commander, Admiral Reigert (Gene Hackman), thinks that the brash pilot doesn't have what it takes to be in the millitary, but the eager young officer soon gets the chance to prove his mettle. While conducting a routine photographic reconnaissance over a remote area of the Balkans, Burnett captures grisly images that serve as proof of genocidal crimes, but his plane is blown out of the sky. He's soon pursued on the ground by the forces of Lokar (Olek Krupa), a Serbian paramilitary leader intent on covering up unthinkable crimes, while Reigert defies the NATO orders of his superior (Joaquim de Almeida) and risks his career to mount a covert rescue mission. <b><u>Review</u></b> I want go into much detail, but to sum it up: Behind Enemy Lines is a cheesy, generic action flick with a dumb, clichéd plot (if you consider that a plot), unrealistic, gung-ho action, and a distasteful covering of the conflict in Bosnia. If you're looking for a summer action flick, with its share of guns and explosions, it'll do fine (though there are definitely better), if you actually enjoy quality films and enjoy intelligence, skip it. Wilson, an American pilot, disobeys orders and ends up getting shot over Bosnia. Of course, we have Hackman, the American officer who will risk countless lives in order to get "his man back".

• Curtis L

  
  Okay.

• Dean !

  
  A good film starring Owen Wilson in a change of role for him. Has plenty of action, and a good storyline. One of the better military based action films of late.

• Al S

  
  An explosive high-octane action-thriller. Slick, smart and fast paced. Spectacular action, exhilerating drama and adreniline pumping thrills. Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman are teriffic. An totally awsome movie.

• danny d

  
  pretty good, survival story

• Stuart B

  
  I know... Owen Wilson in an action role... sounds bad but is actually pretty good :)

• Khris N

  
  i liked this movie - Owen Wilson shows he is much more than a funny guy - i like based on true story movies - and this one was made well - a blend of truth and action!

• Chris W

  
  It's actually pretty decent. I was surprised.

• Luke B

  
  Owen Wilson runs around for a couple of hours and doesn't even have the decency to be funny. While Hackman acts like a grouchy old general dude. So Hackman doesn't act really. Very poor and easy to parody whilst watching it.

• Mouhannad S

  
  I really liked this film. It is entertaining and a decent retelling of the classic "good guy running from the bad guy and being rescued by the other good guys.

• Deb S

  
  When the pilots of a fighter jet on a surveillance mission sees something they aren't supposed to, they are shot down 'behind enemy lines'. One pilot is killed, and this forces the other to be on the run. It's up to the Navy to get him back safe and sound. Navy… More
  When the pilots of a fighter jet on a surveillance mission sees something they aren't supposed to, they are shot down 'behind enemy lines'. One pilot is killed, and this forces the other to be on the run. It's up to the Navy to get him back safe and sound. Navy Admiral to Reigart (Gene Hackman) fights his NATO superior for the right to go and rescue his man even though the warning is stark: any attempt to intervene and rescue Burnett (Owen Wilson) risks severely undermining an already brittle peace process. What I didn't like: The ability of the navigator, who while trying to escape, is able to dodge countless number of bullets and mine shrapnel. Not to mention his ability to not be affected by the weather at all, despite not eating at all. Meanwhile towards the end, the whole movie seems to be little more than a recruiting advertisement for the US navy. What I liked: It's fast-paced with some good action scenes including a pretty intense airplane scene and a super-slow motion shot of a soldier stepping on a nearby mine. In conclusion, this is a watchable, if unoriginal, war thriller that you will watch because you're a Hackman/Wilson nut, just so you can you crossed it off your 'To See' list.

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