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Amazon.co.uk Review
Nick Nolte plays an American photo-journalist covering the civil war in Nicaragua in 1979, finding himself caught in a dangerous and cynical web of duplicity and self-interest, as well as falling in love with fellow American, Claire (Joanna Cassidy). Nolte gradually uncovers the degree of his own government's involvement with the corrupt regime, and inevitably ends up crossing the line from neutral observer to helping the rebel cause.
Under Fire is in essence a reworking of Casablanca, especially as Gene Hackman's network newsman proves to be Cassidy's ex-lover, yet thanks to an intelligent script, strong support from Ed Harris as a mercenary and some genuinely unnerving and frightening scenes of the random chaos of war, it's one which packs a powerful punch. Jerry Goldsmith's evocative score is among his best of the 1980s.
On the DVD: Under Fire is presented in an anamorphic 1.77:1 transfer which is very clean and clear with minimal grain. The well-mixed Dolby Pro-logic soundtrack is highly effective, if not so startling as a 5.1 track. Beyond multi-language and subtitle options, the only extra is the original trailer, which is also anamorphically enhanced. --Gary S Dalkin
DVD Description
Original theatrical trailer.
Interactive menu screens and chapter selections.
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Customer Reviews
Its resonance is the hypocrisy and arrogance of US foreign policy - then supporting South American Juntas through the 1980s and 1990s - and now... It is based upon a true story - the the death of journalist Bill Stewart at the hands of a Nicarguan soldier was filmed by a TV crew and really did change the course of a Civil war - but not before countless "less important" deaths.
The film is driven along by an excellent soundtrack, which sucks you in as the tension builds. Weaved in this is an inevitable but credible love story. The leads all give strong performances.
I think this film has been rather overlooked - perhaps it said too many things the American public did not want to hear. Better than Salvador. A policitical drama and love story about a murder set in a war!
Worth a watch.
The film also boasts an impressive supporting cast, with a star-making turn from Ed Harris as an amiable but deadly mercenary a standout, although Jean-Louis Tritignant's deceptively unsubtle CIA man gives him a run for his money (not so much for his performance - his English was non-existent and it's obvious he's learned his lines phonetically - but because he has most of the film's best dialog). Extremely well directed by Roger Spottiswoode with a promise he never really fulfilled, it's an impressive albeit partisan portrait of a country decaying in the last stages of revolution and also boasts what is possibly Jerry Goldsmith's finest score (which is saying quite something). Impressive stuff.
The DVD's only extra is the superb theatrical trailer, although it does boast a decent widescreen transfer.
The story starts out as a light drama about journalists abroad, butslowly, almost imperceptibly evolves into a drama with real tension and one or two shocks. It has moral dilemmas at the heart of it, as well as a growing feeling of claustrophobia.
Great performances from everyone -but I want to single out Gene Hackman for being truly great in this.
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