Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
Smart casting and sensible plotting make Behind Enemy Lines an above-average military thriller. Perfectly timed to bolster US patriotism, the film is partly set (during a hypothetical "day after tomorrow") on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, which was on alert status in the Persian Gulf when this film was released theatrically in the States. Proving his versatility as an unconventional movie star, Owen Wilson plays a navy navigator who is shot down over Bosnia during a reconnaissance mission. Pursued by rebel Serbian forces, Wilson must fight for survival while his commanding officer (Gene Hackman) plots a daredevil rescue.
After a successful career in TV commercials, Irish director John Moore makes a promising feature debut on Slovakian locations, borrowing a few techniques from Saving Private Ryan while adding impressive flourishes of his own. The gung-ho ending's a foregone conclusion, but it works like a charm after the movie's exciting game of cat and mouse.--Jeff Shannon
Product Description
The war was supposed to be over, but the battle to survive has only just begun, When U.S. Navy pilot is shot down over a recon mission over Bosnia, he must fight to stay alive and evade hostile Serbian forces.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Pete Murphy
Format:DVD
Although it's possible that there's some politically correct people out there that can't enjoy a film if it uses stereotypes, gratuitous violence (most of which ended on the cuttingroom floor anyway), or "typical" Hollywood hamfistedness when tackling issues of recent times that they don't fully understand, Behind Enemy Lines is *still* a great deal of fun. It's pure Saturday night in popcorn entertainment. It's brash, it's loud, there's a ton of explosions, and deep down in there there's something of a message, although to be honest you'd be hard pushed to find it.
The film follows a disillusioned Navy fighter pilot, on the verge of leaving the service as he's lost track of what it is that he's supposed to be fighting for, who then gets shot down over Bosnia during a routine surveillance mission on Christmas Day. He has to evade capture, and eventually try and get to a pick-up point where he'll be lifted to safety by a rescue team from his aircraft carrier. Throw into the mix a bit of genocide, executions, a long chase a la The Fugitive, political wrangling and a surprising amount of tension and suspense and you've got the recipe for a great night in.
Owen Wilson makes for a decent hero, and the film is edited in a flashy style that's both visually appealing and moves along at a fair old pace. Gene Hackman sleepwalks through his role as "The Admiral", chewing on scenery and barking just like you think he will when you see his name in the opening credits.
The film follows a disillusioned Navy fighter pilot, on the verge of leaving the service as he's lost track of what it is that he's supposed to be fighting for, who then gets shot down over Bosnia during a routine surveillance mission on Christmas Day. He has to evade capture, and eventually try and get to a pick-up point where he'll be lifted to safety by a rescue team from his aircraft carrier. Throw into the mix a bit of genocide, executions, a long chase a la The Fugitive, political wrangling and a surprising amount of tension and suspense and you've got the recipe for a great night in.
Owen Wilson makes for a decent hero, and the film is edited in a flashy style that's both visually appealing and moves along at a fair old pace. Gene Hackman sleepwalks through his role as "The Admiral", chewing on scenery and barking just like you think he will when you see his name in the opening credits.
Behind Enemy Lines is actually a lot better than you'd think it would, or probably should, be and even though you get the rousing flagwaving anthemic music during the final action sequence, this isn't enough to detract from everything that went before it.
... Read more ›5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
I watched this movie on blu-ray and was staggered by the quality of the picture and the sound, I would use it to show off my system to anybody interested. Even my wife enjoyed it and she isn't into this type of film usually.
The flying sequences are brilliant and (honestly) my sofa actually shook when the planes take off, and the explosions and gunfire are frightenly realistic.
We are all entitled to our own opinions, but sometimes I just can't understand how such a good movie can be given a 1 star rating and the picture quality criticised when it is so superb. Maybe the whole thing is down to the equipment being used, or dare I say a bad copy.
The flying sequences are brilliant and (honestly) my sofa actually shook when the planes take off, and the explosions and gunfire are frightenly realistic.
We are all entitled to our own opinions, but sometimes I just can't understand how such a good movie can be given a 1 star rating and the picture quality criticised when it is so superb. Maybe the whole thing is down to the equipment being used, or dare I say a bad copy.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
I disagree with the 1 star rating this movie is a good film not great but good fun! The picture quality is good aswell far better than the dvd and the sound if your listening it on surround sound you feel like your in the film. This is worth buying if your just starting your collection!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By M. Barrett
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
In many ways this is an old fashioned movie. We start with a hero who has problems with authority but is good at what he does. His superiors are frustrated with him, but recognise something of themselves in him to. The hero rises to the occasion, keeps going when others would have laid down and died, and ultimately prevails.
That's a type of film which appeals to me anyway, but many in this genre are dull and formulaic, and bring nothing new.
What raises this one up above its peers is the setting. The madness of "limited intervention" is exposed as serving only those who are willing to exploit its weaknesses for their own ends. The frustrations of those who strive to retain their morality and common sense is neatly juxtaposed against the attitudes of those who are happy to pay lipservice to accords signed thousands of miles away which have no effect on the ground. Faced with an uncomfortable truth, this latter type turns away and chooses ignorance, for fear of being forced to take action. This is not a situation unique to the former Yugoslavia, but it reached its nadir there and that is something of which we cannot be reminded too often.
Behind Enemy Lines is not Schindler's List, but it's no empty-headed "Top Gun" either. Owen Wilson's performance confirms that as well as being a comedian and an excellent writer, he's a convincing dramatic actor too.
Buy it and enjoy it, and feel happy that every time you show it to a friend you will be reminding them of what happened to the people of that torn-apart country while Europe looked on and did little.
That's a type of film which appeals to me anyway, but many in this genre are dull and formulaic, and bring nothing new.
What raises this one up above its peers is the setting. The madness of "limited intervention" is exposed as serving only those who are willing to exploit its weaknesses for their own ends. The frustrations of those who strive to retain their morality and common sense is neatly juxtaposed against the attitudes of those who are happy to pay lipservice to accords signed thousands of miles away which have no effect on the ground. Faced with an uncomfortable truth, this latter type turns away and chooses ignorance, for fear of being forced to take action. This is not a situation unique to the former Yugoslavia, but it reached its nadir there and that is something of which we cannot be reminded too often.
Behind Enemy Lines is not Schindler's List, but it's no empty-headed "Top Gun" either. Owen Wilson's performance confirms that as well as being a comedian and an excellent writer, he's a convincing dramatic actor too.
Buy it and enjoy it, and feel happy that every time you show it to a friend you will be reminding them of what happened to the people of that torn-apart country while Europe looked on and did little.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This film has some of the best flight sequences I have ever seen. The cinematography is superb, and one gets a glimpse into the speed a pilot experiences as he tries to outmaneuver an oncoming missile; it also shows the "nuts and bolts" of the ejection seat process, which I found fascinating.
Having fairly low expectations for this film, I was amazed at how entertaining and visually stunning it actually is, and am surprised it did not receive greater success in its theatrical release.
It takes place in Bosnia during an imaginary time, with US forces under NATO command, and though fiction, it uses captions at the end, telling the audience what happened to the characters, as if it were a true story.
Having fairly low expectations for this film, I was amazed at how entertaining and visually stunning it actually is, and am surprised it did not receive greater success in its theatrical release.
It takes place in Bosnia during an imaginary time, with US forces under NATO command, and though fiction, it uses captions at the end, telling the audience what happened to the characters, as if it were a true story.
Filmed on the USS Carl Vinson, and in Slovakia, with the beauty of the Carpathian mountains as a backdrop for the horror of a war zone, director John Moore keeps the pace of this film constantly pumping. Though some characters are somewhat cartoonish, and the script at times silly, much of the acting is good. Gene Hackman can always be depended upon for a solid performance, and Owen Wilson does well as the main protagonist, who starts out as being a rather shallow, whiny fellow, and grows with his extreme experience, as he plays a cat and mouse chase with a Serbian "tracker", played by Russian actor Vladimir Maskov. Gabriel Macht is excellent in the smaller part of the fighter pilot Stackhouse.
Yes, there are times the plot is contrived and not altogether believable, but this is more than made up for by the dazzling cinematography by Brandan Galvin, a fine score by Don Davis, and astounding visual and sound effects…and if you like jets and choppers the way I do, you are guaranteed to like this film.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 246 reviews
3.5 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gene Hackman never made a bad film
DVD was dirt cheap arrived within a couple of days, the film is a classic, just
like the heading. For that price you can't fault it
like the heading. For that price you can't fault it
Published 8 days ago by Marie Herbert
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thrilling
A good story - kept you on the edge of your seat without too much flag waving - actors fitted their parts well
Published 22 days ago by Paulm
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good fun; Wilson's best film by a country mile
There have been a huge number of films about the morally ambiguous wars of the last couple of decades (that assumes you agree with me that there are morally unambiguous wars). Read more
Published 1 month ago by fat man on a bicycle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!
Always thought this film was brilliant. Action all the way through! That's why we bought it in Blue Ray which doesn't disappoint. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Reckless
4.0 out of 5 stars
Behind Enemy Lines on blu-ray
Good action modern war film which highlights the Balkan struggle of the 90's.Excellent video and audio on a decent AV set-up. Recommended.
Published 11 months ago by djw19
1.0 out of 5 stars
A Very American View of War
You could probably excuse Gene Hackman's role in this - presuming he's taken the Michael Caine route, of course, and decided he's done enough 'quality' work and deserves the right... Read more
Published 19 months ago by jijiandnoah
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fast-moving post-war thriller
Generally, I'll watch films with Gene Hackman's name in the credits and, alhtough this is not one of his best roles, indeed it is not a lengthy role compared with the film as a... Read more
Published 19 months ago by RR Waller
2.0 out of 5 stars
These americans are good
Clearly this US pilot was no US pilot but some sort of super commando. Even Arnies Commando would have trouble with the ending to this. Read more
Published on 25 Nov 2010 by Will
4.0 out of 5 stars
ACTION MEN
HACKMAN AT HIS USUAL BEST, A VERY CONVINCING ROLL, AND OWEN WILSON TAKING ON A ALL ACTION ROLL, A BREAK FROM HIS COMEDY PARTS,A REALLY GOOD COMBINATION, AND EXCITING MOVIE!!!
Published on 10 July 2010 by Mrs. Flora Holmes
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
GREAT ACTION PACKED FILM FROM START TO FINISH. ANY FILM WITH GENE HACKMANN IN IT IS ALWAYS GOOD. RECOMMENDED
Published on 10 Mar 2010 by Mr. G. Honey
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
