COURAGE UNDER FIRE Movie Review
1996 Edward Zwick
Edward Zwick's second war film doesn't equal Glory, but it does deal fairly with complex military issues. Zwick may attempt too much in his efforts to make a serious drama entertaining on an escapist level. If so, his mistakes are ambitious, and even when it is not at its best, the film is enjoyable. It has two important assets. The first is an imaginative script by Patrick Sheane Duncan (84 Charlie MoPic). The second is a typically strong performance by Denzel Washington in the lead.
He is Lt. Col. Nathaniel Serling, a slightly tarnished hero of Operation Desert Storm. As the opening scenes explain, his unit of tanks was involved in an early encounter with Iraqi forces at night. In the confusion of the fighting, something went wrong and it appears that one of Serling's tanks was destroyed by friendly fire. Serling himself may have ordered the fatal shot. While that question is being officially investigated, Serling is ordered to conduct another investigation.
While flying a Medevac helicopter, Capt. Karen Walden (Meg Ryan) assisted another downed chopper that was being fired upon by Iraqis. She and her crew managed to hold the attackers off for a night. During the rescue the next morning, she was killed. Do her actions justify a medal, more precisely the Medal of Honor? She would be the first woman to receive it for combat, and a cynical White House aide (Bronson Pinchot) sees a splendid photo opportunity for his boss. As Serling's friend and commanding officer Gen. Hershberg (Michael Moriarty) sees the situation, “Everybody wants it—senators, congressmen. One shining piece of something for people to believe in.” If he knows what's good for him, Col. Serling will sign off on the matter quickly.
The body of the film is divided between the two investigations and Serling's reactions to both of them. Presumed guilt over the tank incident drives him to booze and away from his wife Meredith (Regina Taylor) and family. While he tries to deal with those emotional problems, Tony Gartner (Scott Glenn), a Washington Post reporter, wants to talk to him about the desert. Then the stories he hears about Capt. Walden don't quite add up. Were her actions those of an ingenious, resourceful hero, as Specialist Ilario (Matt Damon) claims? Or is Sgt. Monfriez (Lou Diamond Phillips) closer to the truth when he says that she was frightened and ready to surrender at the first opportunity? The truth, of course, is much more complicated than either extreme.
For the most part, director Zwick and writer Duncan handle the Rashomon structure deftly. Beyond the simple who-did-what revelations, their film is about the ways that people react to intense pressure and fear when there is no time for carefully reasoned responses. Is it possible or fair to judge complex split-second decisions after the fact? The filmmakers arrive at a properly mixed ending, though they try to milk the moment for more than it contains.
Seen simply as a war film, this one works fairly well. The locations look good, and though the tank battle appears a bit too clean and neat, it doesn't take many more liberties with tactics than other movies do. The helicopter material is more important, and it's handled more realistically, with a surprisingly gritty performance from Meg Ryan. Denzel Washington's portrayal of a career soldier caught in two uncomfortable situations is completely convincing. He is able to show how Serling's love of the military and love of his family come from the same source and how important both are to him. It's a complex performance that provides a solid balance to the wilder, more melodramatic moments.
Cast: Denzel Washington (Lt. Col. Nathaniel Serling), Meg Ryan (Capt. Karen Walden), Matt Damon (Ilario), Lou Diamond Phillips (Monfriez), Michael Moriarty (Gen. Hershberg), Scott Glenn (Tony Gartner), Bronson Pinchot (Bruno), Seth Gilliam (Altameyer), Sean Astin (Patella), Regina Taylor (Meredith Serling), Tim Guinee (Rady), Ken Jenkins (Joel Walden), Kathleen Widdoes (Geraldine Walden), Zeljko Ivanek (Banacek), Tim Ransom (Boylar), Ned Vaughn (Chelli); Written by: Patrick Sheane Duncan; Cinematography by: Roger Deakins; Music by: James Horner; Technical Advisor: Rory J. Aylward. Producer: John Davis, David T. Friendly, Joseph M. Singer, Joseph M. Caracciolo, Debra Martin Chase; released by 20th Century-Fox. Budget: 46M. Boxoffice: 61.7M. MPAA Rating: R. Running Time: 120 minutes. Format: VHS.