Behind Enemy Lines

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

Its real agenda is rip-roaring adventure, and that it delivers all wrapped up with a bow.

Washington Post Rita Kempley

War is hellishly entertaining, especially in Behind Enemy Lines, a 21-gun salute to the commitment and preparedness of the U.S. military.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

Simplistic and jingoistic. But it's also explosively fun.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

It's plenty thrilling, and it appeals to the flag-waving patriot in all of us.

Time Richard Schickel

The journey is never boring, and it's morally satisfying too. O.K., the movie is what Hollywood likes to call "a ride." But it's one worth taking.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

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

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

A Hollywood production that appeals to our patriotism while respecting our intelligence.

Portland Oregonian Kim Morgan

Although at times ridiculous, Behind Enemy Lines nevertheless thrills, inspires.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

A slickly entertaining war movie that's sometimes striking, sometimes silly -- but never, ever boring.

Miami Herald Charles Savage

The conflict (in Afghanistan) makes this updated Rambo-esque thriller seem at once dated and yet relevant in ways its creators could not have envisioned.

Variety Robert Koehler

An unembarrassed, high-octane demonstration of the virtues of a U.S. military with a mission, the latest war pic from 20th Century Fox -- a studio with a proud tradition in this field -- couldn't be better timed to fit the popular mood.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

As a director, Moore is like an energetic puppy who's all over you all at once. You admire his energy, and it's awfully hard to get angry at such high spirits, but you can't help but wish he'd calm down just a bit.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

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.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

You get the feeling the filmmakers didn't want to make anyone think too hard about what's going on here behind the scenes of the main storyline, and that's more than a little insulting.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

A pumped-up, flag-waving, outrageously hokey and ridiculous -- but sometimes incredibly exciting -- war movie.

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

Sometimes stylish flashiness can be fun, and the movie does have a terrific, bleached-out, ice-blue look. But anyone who cares about what actors do has a right to be distrustful of a director who puts more emphasis on the look of his movie than on the performances.

Village Voice Jessica Winter

Though Wilson gives a customarily sympathetic, engaged, and unpredictable performance, his work is drowned out by pyrotechnics and orchestral paroxysms of patriotism.

USA Today Mike Clark

There's nothing very rockin' about seeing Gene Hackman give a rare indifferent performance as a Navy admiral trying to effect a rescue for which his hands are tied.

New Times (L.A.) Robert Wilonsky

The film desperately wants to play like "Three Kings," a war film with a guilty conscience, but it's too pat and familiar to earn its high-minded stripes.

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

There aren't many better examples of how commercial intuition sabotages story integrity in today's Hollywood.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

As it is, Behind Enemy Lines will satisfy only those in search of a rousingly, if simplistically, patriotic bloodbath.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

We, the people, are meant to cheer in response, but the spirit isn't willing. War is hell, but so is peace -- at least when it comes to movies in a no-man's-land like this one.

LA Weekly Manohla Dargis

A slag heap of outrageous coincidence and shimmering be-all-that-you-can-be posturing, the film is for all intents and purposes another Top Gun retread, which is why its lies don't register as deeply or offensively as those put forth by films like "Mississippi Burning" -- it's too silly to take seriously.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

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

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

A mediocrity at any time, because of its implausible script and bland characters.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

This is not the story of a fugitive trying to sneak through enemy terrain and be rescued, but of a movie character magically transported from one photo opportunity to another.

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

The end justifies the means as long as everything turns out OK for the not-too-obedient American soldier and everyone else who enjoys Coca-Cola.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Behind Enemy Lines has a wretched script and a director (first-timer John Moore) who either has no taste or doesn't know what he's doing.

Film Threat Gareth Von Kallenbach

Sadly, it seems that the people behind this film saw a quick buck over quality and gave audiences a turkey.