Before I even start this review, take a look at the list of actors and actresses that are in this movie: Matt Damon, Seth Gilliam, Scott Glenn, Michael Moriarty, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bronson Pinchot, Meg Ryan, and Denzel Washington. That being said, you step into the viewing of this film, already under the assumption that this movie is going to contain some top-notch acting, and boy you will not be disappointed. I saw this movie in the theaters first when it came out, but I felt that I needed to see it again, which is why I got it on tape.

The movie takes place during Desert Storm in 1991, and shows the point-of-view of the battle that took place where a woman helicopter pilot was involved. The question at hand, is whether she should win the medal of valor for the heroism that she put forth under fire. That woman, is Meg Ryan, and she is a Southern lady, who is in charge of a rescue chopper that is not even set to fight in combat, but when forced to do so, is quite capable in her own right.

Denzel Washington is the officer in charge of doing research on the reasons for her nomination for the medal, and everything that led up to the combat, what took place during it, and the aftermath of it. Seems like a pretty straightforward task, but little by little, a story starts to unfold that nobody thought was possible. The thing with it though, is that Washington knows nothing about her case, and it seems like from the outside that she really does not deserve the medal. Washington's character must interview the people who were involved in the fight, figure out who is telling the truth, and piece together a story that has many twists and turns. Along the way, the audience is taken for a long ride through the minds of the people in combat, and the situations that arise in the heat of the moment.

The movie is able to show many of its scenes through a various bunch of flashbacks and memory sequences throughout the movie. The soldiers that took part in the skirmish, and those involved on the outside of it each have a different story about what happened. It is mainly because of this, that Washington's character is called into action to find out what the truth really is. This turns out to be something that is more than he bargained for. Washington's character is forced to deal with feelings of his own, and also with the feelings of others as they lean on him as someone to finally tell the truth to. The only problem is, that everyones stories are conflicting and only one of them can be the real truth.

The rest of the outstanding cast, comprises the rest of the ground-team that was with Meg Ryan's character. All of them have their own story, and each of them has their own way of telling it. This is the best part of the movie, because the audience is left to interpret what the people are saying, and arrive at their own judgments about who did what was right, and who crossed the line while in combat. The line is drawn in the sand during the movie, and the viewing audience is left to determine who was right and who was wrong in a desert combat situation such as this. Even I was not able to figure out just what was the real truth until the very end.

Meg Ryan and Lou Diamond Phillips turn in very outstanding performances in their roles. Washington does well in his tough-nose approach that served him well in the movie Crimson Tide as well. The scenes with Washington and Phillips together even conger up memories of Hackman and Washington going at it on the U.S.S. Alabama in Crimson Tide. It is probably in part because of this, that I took an instant liking to this film.

I highly recommend this movie to any movie-goer who wants to either see a movie for great acting, or to see a movie that involves an unspoken aspect of war. This is a movie for mature audiences, because of the themes, and I must warn you that this film will make you "feel". It does not just pass you by and leave you empty-handed. You will be thinking about this movie for weeks after you see it.













Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older