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Courage Under Fire (1996)

tomatometer

85

Average Rating: 7.3/10
Reviews Counted: 53
Fresh: 45 | Rotten: 8

An emotional and intriguing tale of a military officer who must review the merits of a fallen officer while confronting his own war demons. Effectively depicts the terrors of war as well as its heartbreaking aftermath.

94

Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 16
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 1

An emotional and intriguing tale of a military officer who must review the merits of a fallen officer while confronting his own war demons. Effectively depicts the terrors of war as well as its heartbreaking aftermath.

audience

61

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 44,310

My Rating

Movie Info

A US Army officer, despondent about a deadly mistake he made, investigates a female chopper commander's worthiness for the Medal of Honor.

R, 1 hr. 55 min.

Drama

Patrick Duncan

Dec 5, 2000

Columbia Pictures

Cast

All Critics (53) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (8) | DVD (19)

A carefully conceived, dramatically honorable picture that treats its subject with clarity and intelligence, especially by contemporary standards.

July 22, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
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Despite its underlying predictability, Courage Under Fire manages warmth, intelligence and a healthy share of surprises.

August 30, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
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I wasn't particularly moved or riveted with suspense.

September 11, 2002 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
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A fascinating mystery mixed with war action.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | Comment
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

At the end of Courage Under Fire, you feel torn between admiration and annoyance with the filmmakers, who take an attention-grabbing premise and skillfully develop it into a conclusion that's pure piffle.

April 12, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | Comment
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Courage Under Fire honors its subject and its audience.

May 12, 2001 Comment
Rolling Stone
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Military drama deploys plenty of violence, swearing.

September 14, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

The screenplay by Patrick Sheane Duncan negotiates the narrow gap between melodrama and mystery fairly well, and director Zwick has an impeccable sense of pacing.

July 25, 2007 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

As the detective-story flashback structure gets under way, what initially seemed adherence to dramatic and moral cliché becomes more complex and interesting.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

Denzel Washington gives as fine a performance as I have seen him give.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | Comment
Reeling Reviews

A provocative film with Oscar caliber performances. (published 7-19-96)

December 28, 2004 Full Review | Comment

Denzel Washington reinforces his image as a serious leading man who dominates a film with his quiet intensity and aura of introspection.

June 22, 2004 Full Review Source: Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) | Comment

Underrated war flick with a surprisingly effective performance by Meg Ryan

April 2, 2004 Comment
Lawrence Journal-World

When [Washington's] long pent-up emotions finally break through the surface, the result is at once exhilarating and heartbreaking.

January 2, 2004 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | Comment
TheMovieReport.com

Excellent military mystery. Rashomon style point of view play.

August 11, 2003 Comment
About.com

Washington's inherent gravity anchors his troubled and troublesome character, and Ryan, whom we'd all but written off as a perpetual pom-pom girl, takes on an atypical role and acquits herself, well, honorably.

July 30, 2003 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Courage Under Fire

the rashomon technique employed by a great director and a wonderful cast, the film was intriguing and the characters compelling. one of washington and zwicks 3 films together.

May 31, 2007
sanjurosamurai
danny d

Super Reviewer

Not brilliant. A good cast but no great performances.

September 24, 2009
SirPant

Super Reviewer

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