Behind Enemy Lines

Year: 2001

Grade: D

Country: USA

Director: Moore

Review

most of the film is pretty by the book action fare, but on occasion it makes attempts at style and creative filmmaking; unfortunately it fails miserably. during one scene wherein the protagonists are trying to evade a missile in their F-18, the action stops and freezes on three still images of the two characters and the plane. each cut is accompanied by this really cheesy swoosh sound and the effect falls completely on its face. on the one hand i feel compelled to give the filmmakers credit for trying something new within a largely formulaic genre, on the other hand (as francis ford coppolla has said), there’s nothing more sad than someone who tries really really hard and fails. owen wilson adds some comic relief, but he didn’t write the film so it really doesn’t have his signature. gene hackman pulls out his usual performance, but it’s not supported by any of the other cast members so it’s all for naught. overall a weak screenplay with ambitious, but failed direction. the score, by don davis of the matrix, provides nothing special.