Rules of Engagement (2000, DVD)

"Rules Of Engagement" is a movie that offers up an interesting premise, then delivers a story that fails to make sense. It's the story of a Marine colonel, Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) sent to lead a mission to extricate the American ambassador to Yemen (Ben Kingsley) and his family from hostile and violent Yemeni protestors. A number of Yemenis fire on the Marines, and Childers orders the troops to return fire, and many Yemenis die in the skirmish.

The Marines successfully accomplish the rescue, but the national security advisor (Bruce Greenwood) wants to save face with Middle Eastern allies. He therefore demands Childers stand trial for his actions. The deck is further stacked against Childers, for the only one of his men who can corroborate his story is killed in the battle. The guns used by the Yemenis manage to get lost. A key piece of evidence is ignored, then disappears.

Childers is advised to seek the best available counsel, and chooses his longtime Marine friend, Col. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones). Hodges and Childers served together in Vietnam, but battle wounds eventually forced Hodges to serve the Corps in another capacity. Hodges got a law degree, but became a better teacher than a litigator. His search for physical evidence yielded none. Meanwhile, the prosecution chose one of its best litigators, Major Biggs (Guy Pearce) to get a guilty verdict.

There's no suspense in the trial, and no elements of surprise arise to give the audience any other impression. I was wishing the film would hurry up and reach its conclusion. The actions of the national security advisor and the ambassador are completely baffling. They could play show and tell with the world, but they refuse. Director William Friedkin has made much better movies. The pace is too slow and labored, taking far too long to reach the conclusion.

Military dramas have been done better in films like "A Few Good Men," "A Soldier's Story," and "Breaker Morant." " Rules Of Engagement," at least, creates a sense of sympathy for the colonels and for the opposing counsel. Otherwise, it's a movie that took a wrong turn early and was never able to get back on track.