4/5 "People die; sometimes they're innocent but in a war innocent people DIE!"
  by Medusa (Troy, MI)
A contemplative movie in which many questions are asked: Is Yemen a training ground for terrorists? Is Colonel Terry Childers a blood-thirsty murderer?! Or is he a hero defending his soldiers, and complying with the rules of engagement? What are the rules of engagement?

An intriguing story, magnificently performed by a wonderful cast namely; Tommy Lee Jones and Guy Pearce but leaves many unanswered questions about what is just and who decides what is just.

If rules of engagement were obeyed, which assumes we can define rules of engagement that don't tolerate double standards, many war crimes would've never happened. Sadly enough, we are living in a crazy world of double standards and self appointed superior nations that one should doubt the existence of rules of engagements nowadays.


4/5 Jackson & Lee in an interesting Military Drama
  by Jim Gateley (Sunnyvale, CA)
4 of 5 stars for the military drama movie Rules of Engagement. Let's start by saying any movie with Tommy Lee Jones ad Samuel L Jackson is one that I will like, both are among my favorite actors. Our two lead characters fought together during Viet Nam and experienced extreme action. Moving forward in time Jackson's character is still active in the Marines and is picked to do an embassy extraction in the middle east. His mission encounters heavy automatic weapon fire as they touch-down in the embassy compound. Extracting the Ambassador and his family, fire become heavier killing and wounding several Marines. Jackson eventually orders his troops to return fire killing over 80 people outside of the embassy. The key question was, were these people armed and firing upon the embassy? If so, they were combatants; if not they were civilians. The movie shifts to a legal and courtmarshall drama. Jackson asks his old friend Jones to be his attorney.

A very well made movie. Great action intensely photographed. Solid characters and real drama. This is a long movie but well worth the time to watch. I do recommend it!

3/5 A Bit Contrived, But Entertaining
  by Craig Connell (Lockport, NY USA)
This story gets the viewer involved with it right away never lets up, with good performances all around, although Tommy Lee Jones stands out a bit above the rest. Samuel L. Jackson is always good and so is Director William Friedkin.

There are some outstanding action scenes in the first 30 minutes and the 5.1surround system gets quite a workout. After that, the story settles down into a court battle.

Its politics are typical Hollywood: the government is corrupt with the main villain the National Security Adviser who burns a video tape that would clear a U.S. Marine colonel from being framed for murder. It gets even more dramatic when two other witnesses lie and make justice look almost impossible to attain in the case. Throw in the usual PC race card, and there you have it. But, dramatics aside, it's an entertaining story.


4/5 Service Rules
  by George Barthelenghi (Rutherford, New Jersey United States)
I commend the men of the Marine Corp.This movie goes into detail of a "coverup" and an honorable man is trashed but proven innicent by jury of his piers.

5/5 Excellent!
  by Jeffrey S. Martin (QLD AUSTRALIA)
This is what i like to see when i purchase one of the best movies of all time.You get wide screen presentation plus audio commentary! say no more.