A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Note this is not a war movie. Instead it is a survival story set during a war. Viewed in that sense, it is an incredible action-packed drama. The photography is insanely good, with some fantastic aerial shots. Hail to director John Moore for having such a clear vision of what he wanted the end product to look like. This was so incredible, it is hard to believe it was his directorial debut feature.Owen Wilson does a styling job here, so much so that I can't understand why he does comedy more often than drama. He just does drama so well. The film has amazing visuals, fast paced action, great acting, great music, great effects, great suspense - what else could one ask for to be entertained? This was a thrill-ride from beginning to end, with never a dull moment. It just got better and better as it progressed - and what an ending!

Gene Hackman is one of America's finest actors. As for the rest of the mundane cast in this predictable fish-stink, 99% of it reeks.Owen Wilson (with his jacked-up nose and bad speech impediment) is featured as a navy flier who 'doesn't like to follow rules'.... gee, where have we heard that before? There's a Tom Cruise look-a-like on the ship and just like Cruise, this guy can't act either.Some of the idiotic shenanigans in the film include navy deck personnel playing football using the aircraft catapults, Wilson yelling out in enemy territory to his injured buddy, then leaving him sitting in an open field (instead of helping him to the cover of the nearby forest), navy enlisted fools holding push-up contests in the isles of the dining hall floor, and a moronic rescue underling punching a hole in the war room map.Hollywood half-wit film-makers' zillionth opportunity to take liberties in portraying the American military as a group of dumbbells.

I Never thought I Would Ever See Owen Wilson In Anything I Could Give Him Real Respect For But This Is It ... I Don't Understand The Bad Reviews, Maybe I Don't Understand Them Because I Still Believe In An America Where People Still Care About Each Others ... An America Where The People In Authority, The Ones That Can Effect Positive Change One Day Look In The Mirror And Say The Hell With The Rules, Politics, The Money, The Greater Good, 'I Have To Do Whats Right' ... Owen Is Excellent And Gene Hackman Is As Always Magnificent (As Good As He Was In "Uncommon Valor" My Favorite War Movie) ... The Action Was Believable And The Scenery Certainly Fit The Story Line ... This Was A Well Rounded, Very Well Told And Wonderfully Acted Movie

Having just seen this 2001 movie and read several of the negative comments, I can understand that anyone viewing it with first hand knowledge of the Bosnian conflict or the US Navy might dismiss it, but as I have neither of these I just watched it because Gene Hackman was in it and I expected a decent thriller. From where I sat in my armchair I just watched it and became completely hooked on what I found to be one of the best chase movies I've ever watched and I do love chase movies (ie: The Naked Prey, Chato's Land). The aerial scenes are spectacularly filmed and I found the tension thoroughly gripping throughout. I watch films on the whole from the point of view of the director and writers endeavouring to entertain us. Reality very often has to be put aside because I know from a film maker's point of view, it doesn't always translate to entertaining viewing, so facts get corrupted for the benefit of a good night out. I can accept this, although many critics have trouble with it. (ie: another movie I loved: Braveheart). So Behind Enemy Lines goes into one of my favourite films I've watched recently. Usual superb acting from the now retired Gene Hackman and a surprising decent turn from lead Owen Wilson. 9 stars from me. Loses one star for not being able to kill Wilson's character with the huge arsenal of weapons available.