Courage Under Fire (1996)
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.
Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 17
Fresh: 16 | 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.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 45,657
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.
Jul 12, 1996 Wide
Dec 5, 2000
Columbia Pictures
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Denzel Washington
Lt. Col. Nathaniel Serl... -
Meg Ryan
Captain Karen Walden -
Lou Diamond Phillips
Monfriez -
Michael Moriarty
Gen. Hershberg -
Matt Damon
Ilario -
Bronson Pinchot
Bruno -
Mark Adair-Rios
Bobcat 5 -
Bob Apisa
Iraqi Tank Commander -
Sean Astin
Patella -
Diane Baker
Louise Boylar -
Scott Glenn
Tony Gartner -
Tim Guinee
Rady -
Albert Hall
Speaker -
Amy Hathaway
Annie -
Zeljko Ivanek
Banacek -
Bruce McGill
McQuillan -
Jimmy Ray Pickens
Soldier -
Tim Ransom
Boylar -
John Roarke
The President -
Tom Schanley
Questioner -
Regina Taylor
Meredith Serling -
Ned Vaughn
Chelli -
Richard Venture
Don Boylar -
Michole Briana White
Maria -
Kathleen Widdoes
Geraldine Walden -
Ken Jenkins
Joel Walden -
Manny Perez
Jenkins -
Seth Gilliam
Altameyer -
Daniel González
Laughing Gunner -
Lucky Luciano
Nathan Serling Jr. -
Sean Patrick Thomas
Thompson -
Michael Dolan
Orderly -
Reed Frerichs
Delinquent Soldier -
David McSwain
Egan -
Rory J. Aylward
Teegarden's Crew Chief -
Julius Carter
Rowtero -
Armand Darrius
Robins -
Jamal A. Mays
Brian Serling -
Kyle Mickaelian
Refueler -
James Paul Morse
Cadre -
Erica C. Newman
Juleen Serling -
Ashlee Jordan Pryor
Josie Serling -
Matt Sigloch
Cadre -
Christina Stojanovich
Anne Marie Walden -
Jeffrey Waid
Hillerman -
Jack Watkins
Coffee Sergeant -
Pat Young
Drill Team Commander
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (8) | DVD (19)
A carefully conceived, dramatically honorable picture that treats its subject with clarity and intelligence, especially by contemporary standards.
As the detective-story flashback structure gets under way, what initially seemed adherence to dramatic and moral cliché becomes more complex and interesting.
Top CriticDespite its underlying predictability, Courage Under Fire manages warmth, intelligence and a healthy share of surprises.
I wasn't particularly moved or riveted with suspense.
A fascinating mystery mixed with war action.
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.
Military drama deploys plenty of violence, swearing.
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.
Denzel Washington gives as fine a performance as I have seen him give.
A provocative film with Oscar caliber performances. (published 7-19-96)
Denzel Washington reinforces his image as a serious leading man who dominates a film with his quiet intensity and aura of introspection.
Underrated war flick with a surprisingly effective performance by Meg Ryan
When [Washington's] long pent-up emotions finally break through the surface, the result is at once exhilarating and heartbreaking.
Excellent military mystery. Rashomon style point of view play.
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.
Audience Reviews for Courage Under Fire
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Courage Under Fire yet.
What's Hot On RT
Bradley Cooper's Best Movies
Fast & Furious 6 is Certified Fresh
Fast & Furious cars gallery
Blockbusters ranked!
Featured on RT
- Weekly Ketchup: Fox and Marvel Both Courting Quicksilver for Comic Blockbusters 19
- Critics Consensus: Fast & Furious 6 is Certified Fresh 58
- Red Carpet Photos with Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carano and More 0
- Video: The Hangover Part III Cast Interviews 0
- Total Recall: Bradley Cooper's Best Movies 48
- Parental Guidance: Epic and Beautiful Creatures 2
- Comic Book Movies You Can Watch Online 14
Top Headlines
-
Evan Peters Joins X-Men: Days of Future Past
0
-
Toby Jones Talks Captain America: The Winter Soldier
1
-
The Poltergeist Reboot May Actually Be a Sequel
16
-
Will Forte Promises MacGruber 2
4
-
Universal Plans Timecop Reboot
2
-
Return of the Jedi Turns 30
1
-
Vin Diesel Says Fast & Furious 7 Will Take Place in L.A.
0
Fresh Links
Featured
Star Trek Movies Ranked
HitFix offers their own take on the worst-to-best of the Enterprise crew's cinematic adventures.
Top 10 Star Trek Villains
Rolling Stone unveils the Enterprise's most irksome adversaries.
Celebrity Yearkbook Flashback
We'll bet you never realized how many stars were cheerleaders and high school athletes!
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Weirdest Movie Siblings
From Twins to The Royal Tenenbaums, Moviefone explores cinema's oddest siblings.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
