The 2001 war film 'Behind Enemy Lines' is airing on Film4 tonight, Monday, June 22, at 6:55 PM. The movie has been hailed by fans as 'underrated' and 'one of the best war action movies ever made.'
Plot and Cast
Directed by John Moore, the film stars Owen Wilson as Lieutenant Chris Burnett, a US naval flight officer who is weeks away from ending his military career. On a final mission over Serbian territory, his plane is shot down, forcing him to survive while uncovering evidence of genocide during the Bosnian war. Gene Hackman plays Rear Admiral Leslie McMahon Reigart, who battles to authorize a combat search and rescue operation to bring Burnett home safely. The cast also includes Gabriel Macht, Joaquim de Almeida, David Keith, and Olek Krupa.
Fan Reactions
Viewers have taken to social media to praise the film. One wrote: 'Behind Enemy Lines is one of the most underrated films of all time. Owen Wilson delivers a performance of a lifetime; Gene Hackman is his stalwart best and I fail to comprehend why this movie does not stand among the ranks of popular titles such as Black Hawk Down and American Sniper.' Another said: 'It's one of the best war action movies. Must watch for war action movie lovers.'
Several fans called it 'the best war survival and escape film ever made,' while others described it as 'brutal, breathtaking, brilliant' and 'possibly the most underrated war movie ever.'
Owen Wilson's Perspective
In a past interview, Wilson reflected on his role, saying: 'I couldn't really see myself playing a real action hero, the way I see Stallone or Schwarzenegger. But in this part, there's nothing superhero about my character, he's a normal guy. A fighter pilot, he's just trying to survive, he's just put in a situation where he's forced to react.' He also noted the physical demands of the role, joking: 'The director would kid me because I'd show up in the morning and be like, what are we doing today? And he goes, you're going to be running, believe it or not. Because so much of it was like running through the woods or digging through the mud.'
Broadcast Details
'Behind Enemy Lines' airs on Film4 from 6:55 PM on Monday, June 22. It is a must-see for war action movie enthusiasts, according to fans.
