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Behind Enemy Lines

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Behind Enemy Lines

PG-13

Released Nov 30, 2001

1h 46m

Action

War

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

36%

Tomatometer

132 Reviews

62%

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250,000+ Ratings

A Navy pilot (Owen Wilson) is shot down over enemy territory, and struggles to survive the relentless pursuit of a ruthless secret police enforcer, a deadly tracker, and countless hostile troops. With time running out, the injured pilot's commanding officer (Gene Hackman) goes against orders to carry out a desperate rescue mission.

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Critics 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.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C

Sep 7, 2011

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Action movie with intense peril and devastation.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 14, 2010

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Dec 30, 2006

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It isn’t one of the great war movies, again and again disrupted by poor editing choices, but it’s still modest entertainment.

Rated: 5/10

Mar 2, 2025

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Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

Drearily gauzed over with a blue-tinted aesthetic, peppered with questionable depictions of its antagonistic forces and featuring a woefully miscast Owen Wilson in the leading role, there’s not a lot to admire about the film.

Rated: 3.5/10

Sep 22, 2022

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

With director [John] Moore's blue-gray pallor over most of the film tinged with intermittent splashes of color and [Martin] Smith's music-video style editing, Behind Enemy Lines explodes into an anthem for the U.S. and our servicemen and women.

Nov 6, 2019

Full Review

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David H

The critics are stupid this is an excellent movie

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/26/25

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Ralph R

Behind Enemy Lines is one of those movies that doesn't try to be anything more than what it is, a straightforward action thriller with high-stakes chases and explosions. The plot is predictable, filled with familiar tropes and moments that feel like they were borrowed from other war films and stitched together. It doesn’t have much depth or originality, but it still manages to be entertaining. The directing leans heavily on fast cuts and a hyperactive camera style, which can feel excessive at times, but it keeps the pacing tight. The cinematography does a decent job of capturing the tension, with some impressive aerial shots and a gritty, cold war-zone atmosphere. What carries the film is the acting. Owen Wilson, stepping away from his usual comedic roles, delivers a solid performance as the lead, and Gene Hackman brings the expected level of authority and gravitas. The script is functional but nothing special, just enough to push the action forward without adding much depth to the characters. The score complements the tension well but isn’t particularly memorable. Despite all its flaws, I still found myself enjoying it. Maybe it's the mix of solid performances and non-stop action, or maybe it's just one of those movies that works as a guilty pleasure.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/02/25

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Jeremy A

Not horrible for what it is. 3 stars

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/07/24

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Kee P

This has been one of my favorites for years. Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson make this movie. Good plot that is clever and intense. The special effects are dated, but the rest of it will keep you watching. Owen Wilson shines and Gene Hackman is wonderful, as always. Worth your time!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/28/24

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Rich S

The film inexplicably falls on Owen Wilson to carry. My own disbelief Wilson could do it was only outweighed by my incredulity in the poor judgment to put him in that position.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/24/24

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Cody C

Critics are worthless. This is a very enjoyable movie with great effects. Great aerial scenes, compelling plot showing how messy it is in war zones on all sides. Loved it as a kid and love it now. Owen Wilson nails it, gene hackman nails it. It’s great and enjoyable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/11/24

Full Review

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Synopsis

A Navy pilot (Owen Wilson) is shot down over enemy territory, and struggles to survive the relentless pursuit of a ruthless secret police enforcer, a deadly tracker, and countless hostile troops. With time running out, the injured pilot's commanding officer (Gene Hackman) goes against orders to carry out a desperate rescue mission.

Director: John Moore
Producer: John Davis
Screenwriter: David Veloz, Zak Penn, Jim Thomas, John Thomas
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox, Davis Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (War Violence|Some Language)
Genre: Action, War, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Czech
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 30, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $58.9M
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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