Cinephile (Action Films): Behind Enemy Lines
3/5 Stars
Plot: “A disillusioned pilot shot down over war-torn Bosnia is ensnared in the conflict in war-torn Bosnia. In the crosshairs of the enemy and an assassin, the spoiled pilot runs for his life as his commanding officer risks all to save him.”
Review: As Behind Enemy Lines opens on a US Naval air carrier at sea, we watch Owen Wilson as Burnett goes through the routine checks required before take-off. Instantly, I thought, is Owen Wilson about to have a Top Gun moment? With a plot that feels more survival-at-all-cost than beautifully filmed dog fights, the answer comes soon enough.
Burnett is bored and ready to return home. The war he signed up for has never materialized. Angry and disillusioned, his commanding officer, Reigart (Gene Hackman), is more than happy to oblige the request. But then on a routine reconnaissance mission, Burnett and his pilot enter a no-fly zone over Bosnia. Rebels, angry with the betrayal, launch rockets to bring the plane down. This leads to some of the most intense moments of the entire movie.
On the ground, the film morphs into a race for survival as Burnett runs through setting after setting while being chased by rebels who want him dead. As the rally point changes, the film forces you to feel the anger, desperation, and search for hope of Wilson’s character.
The plot of this film is simple enough. Sure, there are some geo-political and line of command dramas that add intrigue to the story, but quickly you will understand what this story is trying to achieve. On the surface, I was on board and loving the idea, but the movie suffers from choices that force it to falter.
Poor soundtrack choices distract from the action on screen. It can often feel as if the music director just scanned through 90s alternative radio and picked popular songs hoping to bring in a younger and edgier audience.
Mostly, I love John Moore’s directorial choices in this movie; that is when he sticks to a single style. This film can feel all over the place. It left me wondering why the director made specific choices. An overabundance of quick pans, slow-motion shots, and quick edits left me distracted and not engaged fully in the film.
And then there is the ending. The ending almost ruins the entire film. It takes place on a frozen lake. Burnett is attempting to turn on a distress beacon attached to the seat ejected from his jet. With the beacon turned on, Bosnian rebels begin an all-out assault, but not far behind comes the U.S. calvary. What happens next can feel Michael Bay-eseque as the screen explodes in an orgasm of bullets and slow-motion pumped with more patriotism than my little American heart could handle. When the dust finally settled, I found myself disappointed the film did not choose a more subtle route.
Still, this is a film I recommend you watch. The pacing is enthralling. It reminded me of 1917. It never quits and rarely takes its foot off the pedal. With a few different choices, we could have gotten a movie more deserving of recognition, but a fun adventure nonetheless.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
