There is a difference between writing the rules of combat down on paper and following it under heavy fire amidst mounting casualties. ‘Rules of Engagement’ battles this on screen as it portrays a court martial against a Colonel who uses force against a crowd that fired upon his men in Yemen as he tried to evacuate a US Ambassador. A gripping courtroom drama that presents compelling logic, but one that shies away from taking a hard stand.
The plot revolves around Col. Terry Childers as he leads a team of marines down to the American embassy in Yemen held siege by an angry mob with snipers all around. While his instructions were to evacuate the Ambassador without engaging the enemy, he faces fire and loses 3 marines in quick time. After evacuating the Ambassador, he faces fire from the crowd along with the snipers, something only he from his vantage point could see. He orders his men to open fire and kills many civilians including women and children.
This blows up into an international issue and US Government decides to make him pay and orders a court martial. He takes the help of a retiring marine lawyer Col. Hodges, a man whose life he had saved in Vietnam to defend him. How it all pans out is what the film tries to explore.
Written by a former marine, James Webb, the film asks important questions on the ability of a combat unit to strictly follow rules of engagement in the heat of battle. The pros and cons of it are presented well by the prosecution and defense. William Friedkin, who directed movies such as ‘The French Connection’ and ‘The Exorcist’ builds the tension superbly while keeping the viewer engrossed in case analysis and presentation. The weakness in the plot is the usage of a missing piece of evidence to create doubt in the mind of the jury. Somewhere the writer and director seemed unprepared to take an over stand on which side they were on, the letter or the spirit of the rules.
First rate performances from Samuel Jackson as Col. Childers and Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Hodges, light up the screen. Their chemistry is evident as is the stark contrast in their personalities. One, an active combat marine who thirsts for more battle and the other, a paper pusher looking forward to retirement and wondering what he has achieved in life.
‘Rules of Engagement’ is a good watch if you like courtroom dramas and a good analysis of difficult topics.