Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

Behind Enemy Lines is Enemy of the State meets The Peacemaker and Enemy at the Gates. The carrier-based military action is punked, funked, and jammin' (as several reviewers who are ex-military have confirmed). Owen Wilson brings a seat-of-the-pants macho 'tude to the game as a Navy fighter-jet navigator. You needn't be prescient to guess that he gets shot down behind enemy lines: The artwork shows a plummeting jet plane, the description says he gets shot down, and the title is after all Behind Enemy Lines. He has to evade being captured or killed and hump across miles of mountainous terrain, all the while in hot pursuit by a tank division of Serb militia and one particularly tenacious (if greasy) sniper. Yes, Wilson evades fire twice while the entire hillside around his backside is being pockmarked with shells and, yes, the final scene where he runs back into harm's way to fulfill the mission is pure Hollywood; take it as entertainment rather than a documentary and chew your popcorn. This movie captures my attention and my imagination every time I see it because of the military action -- including the diplomacy that runs counter to the rescue attempts -- but also the hang-tough, hang-true camaraderie that a band of Navy and Marine soldiers share under the command of the always human Gene Hackman. I dare you to sit still during the fighter jet's evasive maneuvers! 4.5 stars.