Review of Behind Enemy Lines

Introduction

Post September 11, it is inevitable that American flag-flying movies will be released, each one showing off our transatlantic cousins as heroes in the face of danger. Behind Enemy Lines falls into this category, but not completely. Instead of being an actioner with no brain, it is slightly deeper than that. After an American Naval officer, Burnett, gets shot down by Serbians whilst on a regular recon mission, he begins a battle for survival against all odds. And the odds against him are huge. Rows of Serb troops want him dead, most notably a tracker, who is assigned the task of finding him, seizing the video footage he took whilst in the skies of Serb positions, and killing him.

Owen Wilson, an actor with a comedic background (Shanghai Noon, Meet The Parents et al) plays Burnett with a good flair - whether he is a loose cannon at the start of the movie to a man on the edge as he fights for his life. Aiding Wilson in the acting stakes is Gene Hackman, who plays the Admiral in the Adriatic Sea who tries to bring Burnett back, whilst risking his established career. It must be said that Hackman is relegated to the sidelines, although when he appears on screen, the talent he possesses is clear to see.

Video

It is presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, and the visuals are deep and the colours are well defined. The palette is used well, there are no compression signs visible, and the print stays crisp and clear throughout.

The acting set-pieces are excellent. From the tense, 5 minute long missile chase at the beginning of the movie to the cat and mouse chase in the dense Serbian undergrowth and decimated towns.

Special mention must go to the SFX crew, who have done some great work integrating quite a few CGI shots into the movie, and they fit in seamlessly, showing off the powers of 21st century technology. Like editing, the best compliment you can give to the SFX crew is you didn`t notice the CGI in the movie...meaning it looks so realistic it appears to be live-action.

Audio

DTS or DD 5.1 tracks are on offer, and they are both excellent, with the DTS track having a slight edge over Dolby`s offering. The surrounds explode into life with every bullet and explosion ripping your system apart as it thunders from one side of the room to the other, with crystal-clear clarity. The main audio stream is also good throughout, and the ambience level is just right.

The script, although no brain-teaser, is good, and packs a lot of action into its (relatively short) 101 minute running time.

Features

This went through the 20th Century Fox rental window, but it still packs a good array of features:

2 Audio Commentaries - one with the director and editor, the other with the producers. Well worth tuning into on repeated viewings, as they offer some great insight into the production process.

Extended Scenes - there are 5 of these on offer, each with optional commentary (from the director and editor). One such scene is the reason why this disc boasts a 15 rating (instead of the 12 it had in cinemas), due to increased violence in a particular tense, action sequence. The scenes do add more to the movie, and they would have fitted in nicely.

Deleted Scenes - 2 of these on offer, again with an optional commentary, and again they add more to the movie.

Pre-Vis Ejection Sequence - a breakdown of the ejection part of the missile chase, with optional commentary. Interesting.

HBO Behind the Scenes Featurette - this is an astounding look behind the scenes...yep, you`ll lap up every minute of its 6 minute running time. It focuses mainly on Wilson`s training for the jet fighter sequences, and is interesting, but for God`s sake, why is it so short?

The menus are static with music playing in the background.

Behind Enemy Lines is presented in a black Amaray case with a booklet containg chapter listings.

Conclusion

The movie is great popcorn-fodder, but it`s let down by the lack of character development. Burnett, nor the Admiral, are developed enough for you to appreciate them fully, and although you don`t want Burnett to collapse in a pile of blood and guts after the Serbs shoot him repeatedly, you can`t help wishing he was more rounded, and not just your average soldier who happened to see what he shouldn`t have seen.

Disc wise, the quality of the presentation is excellent - from the crisp transfer to the ear-shattering audio, this is one of the best titles to show off your home cinema. The extras are good, although a little sparse, mainly due to the lacklustre featurette. If this was a better insight into the production process then the extras would have scored higher, but as they stand they`re good, but not as good as they could have been.

Overall, Behind Enemy Lines is a good movie to watch if you want a solid actioner, and its military style plot can be appreciated more after September 11, because now people fully grasp just what some of these guys do to protect their countries, and indeed the free world. As for the disc, it is strong, but could be improved in certain areas. Good nonetheless.