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Military Drama
A hero should never stand alone.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, as of this writing, has been on the number one boxoffice list going into it's third week. This film definitely deserves it. It is a pretty good film with lots of action and and drama. It is also well written and photographed. Overall this is one fine film. The only thing is that it is not recommended for children.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT -- Directives issued by competent military authority which delineate the circumstances and limitations under which United States forces will initiate and/or continue combat engagement with other forces encountered. -- Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Term

The film begins with a flashback sequence to Vietnam. This is when we first meet Marine Let. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones) and Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson). During a a battle Hodges life is saved by Childers. Over the years they have become good friends. When now Col. Terry Childers, a 30 year Marine veteran is put on trial he wants military lawyer Marine Col. Hays Hodges to defend him. Childers trusts him but Hodges is not the best lawyer in the service.

Col. Terry Childers, USMC and his unit is sent to Yeman to protect or evacuate the US Embassy staff. When they arrive they are under constant sniper attack from hte roof tops. While, in the street, civilian protestors are throwing stones and setting fires on the embassy building. They evacuate the ambassador and his family and go back to try to secure things. During all this time his men have not even fired a single shot even thought the colonel loses three men to the snipers. When he sees gunfire from the crowd below and his men are pinned down he orders his men to open fire into the crowd. Men, women and children are killed but they manage to get away. The news media gets a hold of this information and the Yemen government wants satisfaction for the murder of what they call innocent civilians. Col. Childers faces a court-martial charged with murder and for violating the rules of engagement by killing unarmed civilians. It is up to Col. hodges to defend him.

Childers defense is not going to be easy as the people in the government want a fall guy and they have every intentions of seeing that Childers becomes the sacrificial lamb. The President's National Security Adviser destroys evidence and lies are told. Can Hodges get Childers off, especially after he sees the results of Childer's actions in Yemen.

The court room maneuvres are quite enthralling but not quite as good as the ones in A FEW GOOD MEN. It is hard to feel sympathy for Childers when you see some of the bodies but he did what he had to do but will the jury see it that way. Go see the movie and find out.

This film is an attempt at exploring the issues of battle and the split second decisions that must be made during combat. Even though you can feel repulsed by the damage that weapons fire can have on people, it still allows you to feel what it would be like if you were in the same situation. I felt that it was easy for the men who wrote the rules of engagement but it is not easy for the men being shot at to follow the rules. When your men are being killed what decisions do you make? Childers is "a career Marine who does what he feels is correct. Sometimes he bends the rules, but he wants to get results. He believes in his country, he believes in his Corps, and he's true to his fellow warriors at all costs." So are men like him just to be tossed aside when it is convenient for politicians? That's the question of this film. Now get to the theatre , grab a popcorn, sit back and enjoy this film.