Following the 1991 Gulf War, Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling (Denzel Washington) is assigned to review the background of the late Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan), who has been... more
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Advantages: A good story, lots of action, moving Disadvantages: Not many, see review..
..., but with the guilt of feeling that this was his fault, he returns home, suffering terrible nightmares & acting strange around his young family. Worse still, he develops a drinking problem. He is moved away from the action & a new assignment is then found for him…
A posthumous medal of honour is being considered by the Whitehouse for a commander, killed during conflict. A number of soldiers on the ground survived the battle, they believe, because of the helicopter that the commander was in. The matter is given further attention as it is the first female, Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan) to be nominated for such an award for her participation in conflict - 'courageunderfire'. Serling is brought in to conduct an inquiry on the award. Consequently he finds himself investigating what really happened on the day she was killed. At first the story seems quite...
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Advantages: Allows serious audience participation. Disadvantages: It only has the standard special features and no more.
...and at the end all the pieces gradually match up in your mind. An incredibly detailed and well worked film that any film lover will appreciate. I simply can’t it has been brushed under the rug as it were when there is such a brilliant conspiracy and story waiting to be uncovered by anyone who is interested in film.
The acting is just as impressive. Serling (Denzel Washington) is simply superb in his confusion as he is greatly suffering from the ‘friendly fire’ incident as he tries to uncover the truth. He is very convincing and may even be one of his best on screen performances. Walden (Meg Ryan) is also brilliant and she shows her contrasts in the film spectacularly as she transforms from a mother to a captain before your eyes. She also has a huge scope for different emotions in the film because of the different stories told about her from her crew...
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Actor(s): Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips, Michael Moriarty, Seth Gilliam, Scott Glenn, Bronson Pinchot, Matt Damon, Bronson Pinchot, Matt Damon
Director(s): Edward Zwick
Genre: Drama
Classification: 15 years and over
Production Year: 1996
Running Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Video Category: Feature Film
Plot: After the Gulf War Lt. Colonel Nathan Serling returns home knowing he had accidentally destroyed one of his own tanks. The army covers up the incident and he is assigned to investigate a female pilot who is about to receive the Medal of Honour.
Release details
DVD Region: Region B
Studio(s): 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Release date: 09/04/2007
Catalogue No: 0413207000
Editor: Steven Rosenblum
Barcode: 5039036032209
Composer: James Horner
Director of Photography: Roger Deakins
Producer: David T. Friendly, John Davis, Joseph M. Singer
Languages
Main Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Interactive menu
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
DVD Description
Following the 1991 Gulf War, Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling (Denzel Washington) is assigned to review the background of the late Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan), who has been posthumously nominated for a medal of honor. While investigating Walden's candidacy, Serling is forced to face his own disillusionment and guilt surrounding the war. As he begins the interviewing process, he uncovers several inconsistencies in the stories told by the late pilot's crew. The three officers, who may or may not have been saved by the captain's actions, all give drastically different accounts of the events leading up to Walden's death. Ilario (Matt Damon) paints Walden as an unselfish, courageous hero, while the surly Monfriez (Lou Diamond Phillips) describes her as a crybaby and a coward. The third soldier, Altameyer (Seth Gilliam), lies dying in an army hospital, mumbling guilty confessions in a medicated haze. Similar to the storytelling technique used in Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMON, director Edward Zwick's COURAGE UNDER FIRE features each officer's account of the fateful incident reenacted onscreen, offering wildly diverse portrayals of Walden. Meg Ryan shines in a role that demands she play one character a multitude of ways. As Serling pieces together the radically different tales of combat, he uncovers the painful truth and simultaneously faces his own pent-up guilt regarding the war.
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...This film in my opinion captures the essence of the experience of the common soldier in an action to which his training and character are put to the ultimate test. If you cannot save enough pennies to visit Rourkes Drift, then go to a glen, or canon near where you live - where you are surrounded by hills and stand looking up at them around you and then imagine hundreds of Zulu warriors bearing down on you from all sides, and try to feel the courage and faith in comrades, training, discipline, equipment and superior officers which made the men stand and fight and survive. Then walk to the foot of one of those hills and imagine the courage and discipline which it took for the men to charge again and again into the disciplined withering fire of a regiment - whose brothers in arms in the not too distant future, albeit with better rifles...
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Advantages: True events, real people, was history. Disadvantages: It takes too long to learn
...from the families, a tough Sgt Major (Sam Elliott), a lost platoon, US Air power, courage, tragedy and a loop of a French bugle. It is simplistic in places but fits so well with the period and how it was viewed at the time. It clearly points out the mistakes the French made and so cleverly throws them back at the viewers who know the ultimate ending of the war.
The first 90 US Marines land at 10:48 am and to hours later they were surrounded with patrols cut off, under heavy fire, and being attacked from all sides. A “Hot LZ” was declared and the courage of the helicopter pilots landing again and again in these conditions was a testament to their courage.
Eventually the NVA broke through to over-run the Landing Zone and a “Broken Arrow” was declared. The result was a turning point in US history when all available US combat aircraft...
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![Courage Under Fire [Blu-ray] [1996]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65198997.jpg)
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