RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Behind Enemy Lines
Behind Enemy Lines

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
36 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:127

Fresh:46

Rotten:81

Average Rating:4.7/10

Consensus: The plot for Behind Enemy Lines is more jingoistic than credible, and the overload of flashy visual tricks makes the action sequences resemble a video game.

Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

US Box Office: $58,767,833

Synopsis: On a reconnaissance flight over eastern Europe, disillusioned naval pilot Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) and his partner, Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht), photograph a scene they were not meant to see.... On a reconnaissance flight over eastern Europe, disillusioned naval pilot Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) and his partner, Stackhouse (Gabriel Macht), photograph a scene they were not meant to see. When their plane is shot down and Stackhouse is quickly captured and executed, Burnett must struggle to survive in unfamiliar hostile territory with a cold-blooded assassin and hundreds of enemy troops on his heels. Meanwhile, on an American battleship in the Adriatic Sea, Burnett's commanding officer, Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman), attempts to negotiate his soldier's return amidst tense political and military maneuvers. Soon Burnett discovers exactly why he's being hunted, making his situation--and Reigert's actions--even more perilous. Benefiting from Wilson's straightforward performance and Hackman's typically engaging presence, BEHIND ENEMY LINES proves itself with a solid story (loosely based on real-life events) and excellent action sequences. Shot in a cold, icy light, John Moore's film features a nail-biting aerial chase, a tense race across a grenade-filled wasteland, and a stunningly explosive final battle. Wilson, typically cast in quirky comedic roles, is an unlikely action hero who turns out to be the movie's secret weapon. By avoiding excessive macho posturing, BEHIND ENEMY LINES is smarter, more exciting, and better looking than most Hollywood military thrillers. [More]

Starring: Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman, Gabriel Macht, Charles Malik Whitfield

Starring: Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman, Gabriel Macht, Charles Malik Whitfield, Joaquim de Almeida, David Keith, Olek Krupa, Vladimir Mashkov

Director: John Moore

Director: John Moore
Screenwriter: Zak Penn, David Veloz, John Thomas, James Thomas
Producer: John Davis
Composer: Don Davis
Studio: 20th Century Fox

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 12

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Behind Enemy Lines

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
101 - 120 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Behind Enemy Lines is junk food, but it's patriotic junk food, and it's tasty enough.

Full Review Source: Fantastica Daily | comment Comment
11/30/01
Staci Layne Wilson
Staci Layne Wilson
Fantastica Daily

Cliches, cliches, cliches -- they keep coming as fast (if not faster) than the assaulting action.

Full Review Source: Jeff Huston's Believe Me | comment Comment
11/30/01
Jeffrey Huston
Jeffrey Huston
Jeff Huston's Believe Me

In many ways resembles a methodically played game one step removed from a real drama.

Full Review Source: Fresno Bee | comment Comment
11/30/01
Donald Munro
Donald Munro
Fresno Bee

A ridiculously shallow hack job.

Full Review Source: Eclipse Magazine | comment Comment
11/30/01
Sean O'Connell
Sean O'Connell
Eclipse Magazine

A rip-roaring, flag-waving, gung ho war drama with a surprisingly effective turn by Owen Wilson

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
11/30/01
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

An unapologetic flag waving military action flick that just happens to suck really, really bad.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
11/29/01
Erik Childress
Erik Childress
eFilmCritic.com

The film is an exhausting collection of airplane CGI Firefox-style and heroic slow-motion establishing shots with shutter-staggered sprints through minefields.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
11/29/01
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

Calibrate your filter, sift through the stuff you don't like, and you might enjoy yourself.

Full Review Source: IFilm | comment Comment
11/29/01
Dave White
Dave White
IFilm

Sure, the film's flashy visuals (apparently geared to engaging video game-impaired attention spans) are entertaining, but its cynicism is distasteful.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
11/29/01
Maitland McDonagh
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Provides about as intense an immersion in military ambience as a Hollywood movie could hope to provide in just over 90 minutes.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
11/29/01
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The script's labored efforts to push the proceedings into a thought-provoking military drama -- and draw some clear moral issue -- are, at best, flimsy.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
11/29/01
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A perpetual din of screeching metal and roaring jet engines; if we wanted to hear planes this loud, we would enlist.

Full Review Source: Orlando Weekly | comment Comment
11/29/01
Steve Schneider
Steve Schneider
Orlando Weekly

Takes a simple premise and simplifies it even further; it's a comic book with very few of the frames colored in.

Full Review Source: culturevulture.net | comment Comment
11/29/01
Bob Aulert
Bob Aulert
culturevulture.net

A video and commercial maker as well as a military-hardware buff, Moore knows how to mount a visual assault.

Full Review Source: Detroit Free Press | comment Comment
11/29/01
Terry Lawson
Terry Lawson
Detroit Free Press

It sent two of America's most watchable actors -- veteran Gene Hackman and Dallas native Owen Wilson -- to war without a script.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
11/29/01
Jane Sumner
Jane Sumner
Dallas Morning News

Some good action, immature screenplay.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
11/29/01
Ross Anthony
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

With his perpetual smirk, average-guy physique and appreciation of the apparent hopelessness of his situation, [Wilson] makes Burnett an Everyman to whom we can all relate.

Full Review Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel | comment Comment
11/29/01
Todd Anthony
Todd Anthony
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

A sleek, slick war movie that works as an adrenaline-pumping action ride and as a great recruitment ad for the U.S. Navy.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | comment Comment
11/29/01
Steven Rea
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer

Looks like an MTV dress rehearsal for Black Hawk Down.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Daily News | comment Comment
11/29/01
Gary Thompson
Gary Thompson
Philadelphia Daily News

The premise is familiar and the storyline formulaic, yet the execution is effective enough that it keeps us involved for the running length.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
11/29/01
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
 
 
101 - 120 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
all

Latest News for Behind Enemy Lines

July 06, 2007: Warner Bros. Planning a Remake of "The Dirty Dozen"
At first I was completely annoyed when I read the news. Then I heard who was writing the remake, and I felt a little bit better. More...

May 22, 2006: An Evil Trio of "Omen" Clips
Breathlessly looking forward to June 6th so you can finally get a glimpse of the all-new Damien and his devilish ways? Then head on over to IGN FilmForce and get a gander at... More...

April 28, 2006: Thor, Hulk, Captain America ... and a Few More New Marvels
While the hiring of Jon Favreau as "Iron Man" director is pretty exciting movie-geek news, it seems that Marvel's Avi Arad has a whole bunch of new projects just... More...

January 27, 2006: Teaser Bulletin: Omen 666
In a year that promises a whole bunch of horror remakes (some welcome, some not) there's one that's sure to cause a bunch of tongue-wagging, and it's John Moore's redo of... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

70% 70% Where the Wild Things Are 03/12
83% 83% Paranormal Activity 03/12
89% 89% Zombieland 03/12
76% 76% The Informant! 03/12
— The Strength of Water 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Zombieland

Zombieland

Director Ruben Fleischer's favourites

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
118
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
178
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
85
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
59
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
44
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
42
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
32
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
25
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
21
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
14
  • Total Recall: Children's Book Adaptations
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
14
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
10
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
20
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
7
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
20
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Behind Enemy Lines at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Behind Enemy Lines at IGN
  • Behind Enemy Lines at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Win tickets to Cold Souls
Win tickets to Cold Souls External Link

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.