Courage Under Fire

R

Released Jul 12, 1996

1h 55m

Action

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

86%

Tomatometer

58 Reviews

66%

Audience Score

25,000+ Ratings

During the 1991 Gulf War, Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling (Denzel Washington) accidentally caused a friendly fire incident, a mistake that was hushed up by his superiors. Following the war, he is assigned to investigate the case of Army Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan), killed in action when her Medevac unit was attempting to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter. But, as Serling interviews the members of Walden's crew, he realizes their stories about the incident don't add up.

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Critics Consensus

An emotional and intriguing tale of a military officer who must review the merits of a fallen officer while confronting his own war demons. Effectively depicts the terrors of war as well as its heartbreaking aftermath.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

What emerges may not be quite as cut-and-dried as the movie’s structure sometimes implies.

Jun 14, 2022

Full Review

David Ansen

Newsweek

Washington, subtle, moving and charismatic, anchors the movie...Zwick's movie is solid, honorable and well crafted, but when all the veils have dropped and the mysteries solved, it feels tidier and more melodramatic than it promised.

Feb 27, 2018

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Its central mystery is compelling even though it takes some time before we finally get to the truth. And even though the emotion is pretty thick in the final 15 minutes it still feels earned.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

Mark Jackson

Epoch Times

If a woman in command has wounded soldiers that need protecting from enemy forces, and her maternal instinct kicks in-look out.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 5, 2021

Full Review

Charles Cassady

Common Sense Media

Military drama deploys plenty of violence, swearing.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 14, 2010

Full Review

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rashid W

They wouldn't make this movie today!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/03/23

Full Review

John A

Zwick's non-linear character study has some strong acting and the screenplay has enough intelligence to avoid being schmaltzy or too saccharine in it's final act.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/28/23

Full Review

Grant M

I can't believe this movie is only getting a 66% audience score on RT--Great story, great actors, great acting. One of my all time favorite movies--and one that I originally didn't even want to see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The acting was excellent! And although I figured out the ending of the movie early in the movie, I liked the plot line a lot. The action things were expertly produced and gave the feel of being right there in it. I also thought the dialog was well done as well as the costumes and music. It's a well-produced movie, and I loved the characters and the way they were developed and presented throughout the movie.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Not really a war movie, while the movie certainly takes place during a war. More a movie about how truth is often the first casualty in war, and the impact that loss can have on the individuals who must live the lie. The cast is great, the investigation is mediocre, and the movie is overly burdened with family sentimentality. There are pacing problems, especially during the series of interviews that need to be conducted.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Denzel Washington is a military officer with a black mark in his past investigating the events around a medical helicopter going down during the Gulf War. As he investigates, he finds that the stories of the survivors don't quite add up. Stellar cast, good pacing, thrilling conclusion. Solid military mystery.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

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Edward Zwick

Director

Denzel Washington

Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling

Meg Ryan

Captain Karen Emma Walden

Lou Diamond Phillips

Sgt. Monfriez

Michael Moriarty

Brigadier General Hershberg

Bronson Pinchot

Bruno

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Synopsis

During the 1991 Gulf War, Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling (Denzel Washington) accidentally caused a friendly fire incident, a mistake that was hushed up by his superiors. Following the war, he is assigned to investigate the case of Army Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan), killed in action when her Medevac unit was attempting to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter. But, as Serling interviews the members of Walden's crew, he realizes their stories about the incident don't add up.

Director: Edward Zwick
Producer: John Davis, David T. Friendly, Joseph Singer
Screenwriter: Patrick Sheane Duncan
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Fox 2000 Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 12, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $59.0M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround

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