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Dom Robinson reviews
- Cert:
- Cat.no: 22233 DVD
- Running time: 101 mins
- Year: 2001
- Pressing: 2002
- Region(s): 2, 4, PAL
- Chapters: 28
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: English
- Widescreen: 2.35:1 (Super 35)
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: Yes
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £17.99
- Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, Deleted and extended scenes,Pre-vis ejection sequence, Easter Egg, 2 Audio commentaries
Director:
- John Moore
(Behind Enemy Lines)
Producer:
- John Davis
Screenplay:
- David Veloz & Zak Penn
Cast:
- Lt Chris Burnett: Owen Wilson
Adm. Reigert: Gene Hackman
Stackhouse: Gabriel Macht
Rodway: Charles Malik Whitfield
Piquet: Joaquim de Almeida
Capt. O’Malley: David Keith
Lokar: Olek Krupa
The Tracker: Vladimir Mashkov
Behind Enemy Linesis the debut for Irish director John Moore and is rather star-free,save for reliable movie stalwart Gene Hackman and, to a lesser extent,Owen Wilson who I’ve only seen before as the cowboy hick astronautin Armageddon alongside Bruce Willis.
The simple story finds fed-up Navy pilot Lt Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson)heading off on another routine mission, this time being under the threat ofgetting kicked out by Admiral Reigert (Gene Hackman) for being thekind of recruit who he doesn’t think gives a shit about the Navy life, but we,the audience, know he’s a good guy really, he’s just the one with all thescripted wisecracks, but all the other characters aren’t aware of this fact.
While out flying on a routine reconnaissance mission, Burnett and his co-pilotStackhouse (Gabriel Macht) go a little off the beaten track to an areawhere no-one should be about, so they’re far from expecting an EasternEuropean rebel group to be taking up residence and, as Burnett takes photographsof what’s going on, so those on the ground return the favour with a couple ofsurface-to-air missles (SAMs), causing them to crash-land after an exhilaratingcat-and-mouse chase sees one of the missles flooring them.
The plot could seem to be based on the incident from a few years ago in whichAir Force pilot Lt Scott O’Grady was shot down in enemy territory and laterrescued by his forces, but I understand that’s as far as the similarities go.
Once on the ground what follows is very predictable but very entertaining allthe same. The pilots think they’re safe, Stackhouse can’t walk after the crashso takes a seat while Burnett goes to get to higher ground so he can broadcastback to base. While he leaves his friend behind, there’s a genuinely grippingpiece of supense as the enemy find him and, eventually, make an example of him,which is why we’re left with a largely one-man-against-the-elements show. Itwas a shame they dispensed with Stackhouse in the way they did because thetension was dissipated in an instant (and it’s not a spoiler to know that he’skilled off because you know it’s a “one-man-against-the-rest” kind of film)before you take your seat.
Let’s get one thing straight. This is a fantastic fun film – especiallyfor a weekend out – and any action-movie fans will lap it up, especially withthe flashy music video-style delivered in droves, but don’t expect greatthings in respect of characterisation.
Wilson is fine as the all-American hero but his character his clearly definedfrom the outset because he’s the main man on camera. Similarly, Hackman’sReigert is simply the man who barks orders at Burnett but takes them from hisGeoffrey Rush look-a-like superior but ends up going against them when he’stold not to risk life and limb to “get his boy back”. Other than that, anyonecould be playing anyone. You’re left with a series of angry young men on theground pacing the ground or punching a hole in a map as another setback occurs.
The scripting could do with a little rethink in some parts. There’s a slightplot diversion as Burnett thinks he’s been saved by a passing truck afterHackman delays the rescue yet again, but the passengers, a resistance forceagainst the rebels, disappear almost as quickly as they appear, some tenminutes of screen-time later and a plot-hole also rears its ugly head asBurnett somehow escapes after an explosion which separates him from theresistance movement.
The rebels are similarly difficult to attribute names to with paper-thincharacters but it’s easy to spot which is the thick one and which one’shell-bent on revenge, etc, the latter being the leader’s right-hand man,making him rather like Arnold Vosloo‘s Pik fromHard Target -right-hand man to Lance Henriksen, because he makes it his own one-manmission to bring Burnett down.
There’s also a couple of other moments reminding me of other films, one ofCapricorn One – butfor reasons which I won’t divulge so as not to spoil the plot – and anotherof the opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indy stealsthe idol and has to dodge bullets and darts aplenty.
Note that Behind Enemy Lineswas a 12-certificate at the cinema, so why is this DVD a 15? It’s because ofsome of the extras in the deleted scenes and extended sequences, hence theoverall package is a 15-cert. At the cinema, there was one language cut whichwas substituted for a word with less strength, although that has been restored forthis DVD. 12-cert films never go above a “fuck”, so don’t expect anythingstronger.
Amidst the carnage, Owen takes time out to pose.
The film is presented in anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen and for a first filmdirector John Moore equips the frame well, often throwing in stilted imagesakin toSaving Private Ryanas well as putting in other little touches which greatly increase the tensionduring action scenes. Some outdoor scenes after Wilson’s plane crashes downcan look a little less detailed than they should, but it’s nothing to complainabout really.
Soundwise, there’s Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 in English, the latter ofwhich is always better and absolutely rocks for a film like this. The neighbourswon’t thank you for playing this one late.
The extras begin with an HBO Behind the Scenes featurette (6 mins) whichdoesn’t hold any surprises and even ends with a weblink and phone number tojoin the US Navy – yes, I’m sure you’ll get plenty of takers from a UK DVD.The Pre-Vis Ejection Sequence (5 mins) mixes storyboards and basic CGI workbefore the scene was finished. From this menu, press UP and you get to playan Easter Egg sequence lasting 2 minutes and 15 seconds, showingouttakes and a crew member whinging about the weather.
The Deleted and Extended Sequences include an alternative openingcredits sequence, four extended scenes which aren’t massively different andI won’t give details here of the scenes affected so as not to give spoilers,but we’re not missing too much with what was left behind. One deleted sceneis here too, again the name of which I won’t divulge, but one which doesn’tmake much difference as the same thing was quoted in onscreen text towards theend of the film anyway. The original end credit sequence makes an appearanceas well and I don’t see why they couldn’t have left it in.
Finally there are two audio commentaries. The first comes from director Mooreand editor Paul Martin Smith, while the second is voiced by producersJohn Davis and Wyck Godfrey. English subtitles are availablefor both of these too. Commentaries can also be found amongst some of theextras.
Subtitles for the film are in English only, there are only 28 chapters andwhile the menus contain sound they’re all static.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALLBuy this DVD fromBlackstar.co.uk
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.