Behind Enemy Lines
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: November 30, 2001 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
49
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
14
Negative:
5
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
Its real agenda is rip-roaring adventure, and that it delivers all wrapped up with a bow. Read full review
80
Washington PostRita Kempley
War is hellishly entertaining, especially in Behind Enemy Lines, a 21-gun salute to the commitment and preparedness of the U.S. military. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Simplistic and jingoistic. But it's also explosively fun. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
It's plenty thrilling, and it appeals to the flag-waving patriot in all of us.
70
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
A Hollywood production that appeals to our patriotism while respecting our intelligence.
70
The New York TimesStephen Holden
As intense an immersion in military ambience as a Hollywood movie could hope to provide in just over 90 minutes. Read full review
70
TimeRichard 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.
67
Portland OregonianKim Morgan
Although at times ridiculous, Behind Enemy Lines nevertheless thrills, inspires. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldCharles 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. Read full review
63
New York PostLou Lumenick
A slickly entertaining war movie that's sometimes striking, sometimes silly -- but never, ever boring. Read full review
60
VarietyRobert 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. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesKenneth 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. Read full review
58
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam 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. Read full review
50
Village VoiceJessica Winter
Though Wilson gives a customarily sympathetic, engaged, and unpredictable performance, his work is drowned out by pyrotechnics and orchestral paroxysms of patriotism. Read full review
50
USA TodayMike 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. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
A pumped-up, flag-waving, outrageously hokey and ridiculous -- but sometimes incredibly exciting -- war movie. Read full review
50
SalonStephanie 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. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleMarc 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. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
There aren't many better examples of how commercial intuition sabotages story integrity in today's Hollywood. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeJay Carr
As it is, Behind Enemy Lines will satisfy only those in search of a rousingly, if simplistically, patriotic bloodbath.
50
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. Read full review
42
Entertainment WeeklyLisa 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. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
The film's flashy visuals (apparently geared to engaging video game-impaired attention spans) are entertaining, but its cynicism is distasteful. Read full review
40
L.A. WeeklyManohla 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. Read full review
38
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger 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. Read full review
38
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
A mediocrity at any time, because of its implausible script and bland characters. Read full review
30
Chicago ReaderLisa 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. Read full review
25
San Francisco ChronicleMick 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. Read full review
20
Film ThreatGareth Von Kallenbach
Sadly, it seems that the people behind this film saw a quick buck over quality and gave audiences a turkey. Read full review
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