Cast: Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman, Joaquim de Almeida, David Keith, Olek Krupa, Gabriel Macht, Vladimir Maskov
Director: John Moore
Producer: John Davis
Screenplay: David Veloz and Zak Penn
Cinematography: Brendan Galvin
Music: Don Davis
U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Behind Enemy Lines might just as well be called Run Owen Run, because roughly 50% of the film features Owen Wilson running towards a goal or away from his enemies. This thriller, which is constructed on the foundation of a time-honored formula, succeeds purely on its ability to generate an adrenaline rush. It also boasts the kind of ending that encourages an ovation from an enthusiastic audience. It's not great art, but it is effectively manipulative filmmaking, and offers a fairly uncomplicated portrait of individual heroism. In today's fervently patriotic climate, where anyone and anything associated with the U.S. military is regarded as nearly sacred, Behind Enemy Lines should do very well.
The movie takes place at some unspecified, not-too-distant time in Bosnia. Behind Enemy Lines does not attempt to dissect or explain the complicated social and political situation there. Instead, we are presented with a straightforward scenario. An American reconnaissance plane veers off course during a flyover and is shot down because its crew sees something they aren't intended to see. Once downed, Lt. Chris Burnett (Wilson) must flee for his life from a bunch of Bad Guys (identified only as being Serbs) who are out to get him. Meanwhile, back on his home aircraft carrier of the USS Carl Vinson, Admiral Reigart (Gene Hackman) is trying to organize a rescue effort. But he is being stymied by NATO Admiral Piquet (Joaquim de Almedia), who is concerned that a U.S. incursion into Bosnia at this critical time could cause a peace accord to disintegrate. For Reigart, that isn't good enough when one of his men is down.
The film develops parallel storylines. The first involves Burnett's danger-laden trip to the town of Hac, where he is supposed to be lifted to safety. Along the way, he must avoid the well-armed troops of the local Serbian military leader, Lokar (Olek Krupa), and an assassin (Vladimir Maskov) whom Lokar has assigned to kill him. Meanwhile, on the ship, Reigart risks his career by trying to find a way to get Burnett out of harm's way without directly disobeying an order. Piquet becomes a villain of sorts simply because he comes across as a bureaucrat standing in the way of a righteous mission, but his form of villainy pales in comparison to that of the ruthless butchers seeking to eliminate Burnett.
Behind Enemy Lines is the product of first-time filmmaker John Moore, who was brought to this project after producer John Davis was impressed by a SEGA video game spot directed by Moore. The freshman director, in conjunction with cinematographer Brendan Galvin, creates a busy and restless video canvas, employing steadycams shots, hand-held camera shots, filters, jump cuts, and freeze frames. As has become the norm for this sort of film, huge chunks of the film are assembled in the editing room as we are subjected to an almost dizzying number of cuts. Although the obvious intent is to replicate a sense of the in-your-face chaos and disorientation of battle, there are times when Moore's video chicanery seems more like showing off (shades of Oliver Stone).
Owen Wilson is a shrewd choice to play the film's protagonist. Like Bruce Willis in Die Hard, Wilson brings an everyman quality to the role. We can easily identify with Burnett - he's not an Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, or Jean-Claude Van Damme. Gene Hackman, the consummate veteran, lends a hard-nosed dignity to the part of Admiral Reigart. Meanwhile, Olek Krupa and Vladimir Maskov provide suitably nasty villains. Unlike Joaquim de Almedia's Piquet, who comes across as merely misguided, Krupa and Maskov play individuals who are evil to the bone.
Even though this is only his debut, Moore has a clear sense of what works in this sort of motion picture. The premise is familiar and the storyline formulaic, yet the execution is effective enough that it keeps us involved for the running length. Behind Enemy Lines is a crowd-pleaser, and Moore rarely gives us enough down time to reflect on its weaknesses. In addition, the movie doesn't wear out its welcome. At just under 105 minutes, it's the right length. With some of the same plot elements in place (senior officer puts his career on the line to save a junior officer in danger), Behind Enemy Lines would make a solid double-feature with Spy Game. There's more action in this movie, but, in terms of overall entertainment value, the films are at about the same level.
© 2001 James Berardinelli