Behind Enemy Lines (Blu-ray) (2001)

"A resounding hit!  Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
"One great movie!  Larry King, CNN
"A solid victory!  Richard Shickel, Time Magazine
"...a 21-gun salute to the commitment and preparedness of the U.S. military.  Rita Kempley, The Washington Post
"An adrenaline-pumping action ride!  Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Editor's Note On a reconnaissance flight over eastern Europe, disillusioned naval pilot Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) and his partner, Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht), photograph a scene they were not meant to see. When their plane is shot down and Stackhouse is quickly captured and executed, Burnett must struggle to survive in unfamiliar hostile territory with a cold-blooded assassin and hundreds of enemy troops on his heels. Meanwhile, on an American battleship in the Adriatic Sea, Burnett's commanding officer, Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman), attempts to negotiate his soldier's return amidst tense political and military maneuvers. Soon Burnett discovers exactly why he's being hunted, making his situation--and Reigert's actions--even more perilous. Benefiting from Wilson's straightforward performance and Hackman's typically engaging presence, BEHIND ENEMY LINES proves itself with a solid story (loosely based on real-life events) and excellent action sequences. Shot in a cold, icy light, John Moore's film features a nail-biting aerial chase, a tense race across a grenade-filled wasteland, and a stunningly explosive final battle. Wilson, typically cast in quirky comedic roles, is an unlikely action hero who turns out to be the movie's secret weapon. By avoiding excessive macho posturing, BEHIND ENEMY LINES is smarter, more exciting, and better looking than most Hollywood military thrillers.

	David Keith
	Gabriel Macht
	Gene Hackman
	Owen Wilson
	Brendan Galvin - Cinematographer
	David Veloz - Screenplay
	Don Davis - Original Music By
	Jim Thomas - Based On Story By
	John Davis - Producer
	John Moore - Director
	John Thomas - Based On Story By
	Nathan Crowley - Production Designer
	Paul Martin Smith - Editor
	Stephanie Austin - Executive Producer
	Zak Penn - Screenplay

Entertainment Weekly
"...Wilson is, as always, an endearing performer....He charms with a stoner's laconic calm..." 12/07/2001 p.66-7

New York Times
"...A taut wartime rescue thriller that sustains a relentless buzzing energy..." 11/30/2001 p.E19

Variety
"...Moore captures the pure chaos of urban warfare as effectively as anything since Stanley Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET..." 11/26/2001 p.25-30

Box Office
"...An action-packed flag-waver..." 02/01/2002 p.62

ReelViews 8 of 10
Behind Enemy Lines might just as well be called Run Owen Run, because roughly 50% of the film features Owen Wilson running towards a goal or away from his enemies. This thriller, which is constructed on the foundation of a time-honored formula, succeeds purely on its ability to generate an adrenaline rush. It also boasts the kind of ending that encourages an ovation from an enthusiastic audience. It's not great art, but it is effectively manipulative filmmaking, and offers a fairly uncomplicated portrait of individual heroism...Even though this is only his debut, Moore has a clear sense of what works in this sort of motion picture. The premise is familiar and the storyline formulaic, yet the execution is effective enough that it keeps us involved for the running length. - James Berardinelli

Reel.com 6 of 10
Cleverly cast against type, Texan space-case Owen Wilson is "Longhorn" Burnett, a hotshot Navy air navigator thoroughly bored with his post on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Carl Vinson. Almost every day he suits up with his pilot, Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht), and warms up his jet for a reconnaissance mission over Bosnia. Almost every day he's told to stand down at the last minute, since nine times out of 10, it's just a case of Vinson's commander, Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman), running the crew through his strict drilling regimen...If Hollywood wants to make a movie about modern war, why not take an actual event that had American soldiers come under fire on a dubious mission cooked up by clueless politicians? Oh wait, they did - it's called Black Hawk Down. - Tor Thorsen