Rules of Engagement

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Rules of Engagement

R

Released Mar 31, 2000

2h 8m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

37%

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100 Reviews

55%

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25,000+ Ratings

Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a 30-year Marine veteran: a decorated officer with combat experience in Vietnam, Beirut and Desert Storm -- a patriot, a hero. But now, the country he served so well has put him on trial for a rescue mission that went terribly wrong. For his attorney, he has chosen Marine Col. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones), a comrade-in-arms who owes his life to Childers.

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Critics Consensus

The script is unconvincing and the courtroom action is unegaging.

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Globe and Mail

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 22, 2002

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Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

This movie is a blunt object -- blunt, but not particularly effective.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Steven Rosen

Denver Post

Jones and Jackson in uniform absolutely command our respect.

Jan 1, 2000

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Peter Sobczynski

The Spool

Stephen Gaghan’s screenplay...huffs and puffs but never really gets anywhere.

Oct 5, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an often exceedingly deliberate drama that does, at a running time of just over two hours, feel substantially longer than necessary...

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 5, 2022

Full Review

Tony Black

Cultural Conversation

A military drama scared to face its demons.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 16, 2021

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Mary S

The epilogue lacks details of how the authorities caught Sokal.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/09/24

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Liane C

Excellent movie and cast.Very intense.Samuel L Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones were a great team in this movie.So tragic to see what its like to have ones own country and military that they honorably serve and protect, turn on them in the face of corrupt politics and leave their fellow marine "out to dry".

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/28/23

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Tactical G

I loved this show. It was like a demented version of Friends.. super funny and when they added the Timmy character it got even funnier.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Steve D

Aggressively average.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

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eric y

An underappreciated war/law movie. Great acting, good script and well directed.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

red t

It was disappointingly average. The acting is the best part of this. It's solid overall. Jackson & Jones have solid chemistry and are likeable. Guy Pearce is the standout though giving a very good performance. The Supporting Cast is decent but generic. The cinematography has its moments (The exchange between Jackson/Pearce on the stand was really well done) but is for the most part very basic and uninspired at times overall being ok. The music in this overall is bad not because the music itself is (really its generic and forgettable) but because its so weird how little its used in this besides the opening and closing scene. It makes things feel very dry and really was confusing to me why more wasn't use to give scenes more feeling. The Editing in this is not good. There are scenes in the first half that should've been cut, some flashback scenes that are out of place. Everything is else is just ok. And this makes the pacing never develop tension or investment to see what happens because of the poor execution in music, editing, uninspired camerawork and mediocre pacing. This should have been made as a Courtroom thriller rather than show what happened they should have cut the Vietnam scenes and the fight at the embassy. Instead we should let our imaginations piece together the crime as we slowly figure out what happens. this would've worked much better instead though we have a generic war/courtroom drama that is forgettable. This honestly should be remade with the changes listed above. If your not a fan of Jackson, Jones or Pearce than skip this. It's ok but there isn't enough war or compelling court drama for fans of either genre to appreciate.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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William Friedkin

Director

Tommy Lee Jones

Colonel Hayes Hodges

Samuel L. Jackson

Colonel Terry L. Childers

Guy Pearce

Major Mark Biggs

Bruce Greenwood

National Security Advisor William Sokal

Blair Underwood

Captain Lee

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - The Rescue Mission

3:00

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - The Ambassador's Testimony

2:40

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - Hodges Fights Childers

3:00

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - Binh Le Cao’s Testimony

2:26

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - Saving the Ambassador's Family

2:58

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - "Waste the Motherf***ers"

2:45

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - The Rules of Engagement

2:07

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - The Verdict

2:48

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - Threatening P.O.W.s

2:59

Rules of Engagement: Official Clip - Killing Civilians

2:55

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Synopsis

Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a 30-year Marine veteran: a decorated officer with combat experience in Vietnam, Beirut and Desert Storm -- a patriot, a hero. But now, the country he served so well has put him on trial for a rescue mission that went terribly wrong. For his attorney, he has chosen Marine Col. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones), a comrade-in-arms who owes his life to Childers.

Director: William Friedkin
Producer: Scott Rudin, Richard D. Zanuck
Screenwriter: James Webb, Stephen Gaghan
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Roe Productions KG, Seven Arts Pictures
Rating: R (Violence|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 31, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $61.3M
Runtime: 2h 8m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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