Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

John Moore

Writers (WGA):

Jim Thomas (story) &
John Thomas (story) ...

Release Date:

30 November 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Action | War | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

In War There Are Some Lines You Should Never Cross.

Plot:

A Navy navigator is shot down over enemy territory and is ruthlessly pursued by a secret police enforcer and the opposing troops. Meanwhile his commanding officer goes against orders in an attempt to rescue him.

Plot Keywords:

Rescue | Navy | Navigator | Reconnaissance | Mine Field

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Owen Wilson	...	Lt. Chris Burnett
Gene Hackman	...	Admiral Leslie McMahon Reigart
Gabriel Macht	...	Stackhouse
Charles Malik Whitfield	...	Capt. Rodway, USMC
David Keith	...	Master Chief Tom O'Malley
Olek Krupa	...	Miroslav Lokar
Joaquim de Almeida	...	Admiral Piquet (as Joaquim De Almeida)
Vladimir Mashkov	...	Sasha
Marko Igonda	...	Bazda
Eyal Podell	...	Petty Officer Kennedy
Geoffrey Pierson	...	Admiral Donnelly (as Geoff Pierson)
Aernout Van Lynden	...	Aernout Van Lynden
Sam Jaeger	...	Red Crown Operator #1
Shane Johnson	...	Red Crown Operator #2 (as Shane Mikael Johnson)
Don Winston	...	Red Crown Operator #3

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for war violence and some language.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Serbo-Croatian | Spanish | Czech

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | UK:12 | South Korea:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Denmark:15 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Australia:M (original rating) | Ireland:12 | Ireland:15 (DVD/VHS release) | UK:15 (DVD/VHS release) | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:14 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38516) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Koliba Studios, Bratislava, Slovakia

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In the football scene, the filmmakers actually tried to have the catapult shuttle kick the football off. Unfortunately, the shuttle completely obliterated the ball, forcing a Navy Master Chief to just chuck the ball in the air for the desired shot.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: An ejection seat disappears near bottom left corner of the screen after the pilots pull their chutes - the seat falls, then disappears before leaving the frame.

Quotes:

Chris Burnett: You're an optimist, sir. See I had you figured for a grouch.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (2009) (V)

Soundtrack:

My Weakness

Watch it every time

The photographic quality and soundtrack is superb. Would almost make you want to visit this part of the world as a tourist. If it didn't have such a terrible history - and not just the last twenty years.

The film has been roundly criticized as "flag waving" and trite. But ask yourself; wouldn't you want Gene Hackman on your side, and anyhow if it was in your power as Task Force Commander wouldn't you bend the rules. The peacekeepers were constantly outfoxed in this conflict anyhow.

The scene where the pursuing soldiers can't see Owen in the mire is shocking at every level. And gets close to what the countryside hides.

But for me the stand out part is Sacha (Vladimir Mashkov), who is actually Russian, but is so true to the part it makes the entire film for me.

And if you liked this, try Hunting Party with Richard Gere (another actor switching out of type for this part of the world) and see if you wouldn't do the same.