Rules of Engagement @ Odeon, Ipswich

STARRING: Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones, Guy Pearce, and Ben Kingsley

VERDICT: Another Military/Legal Thriller that's all bluster but lacks the thrills.

Samuel L. Jackson is bad ass, he really is, Jules from Pulp Fiction, Mace Windu in Star Wars and upcoming as, the private dick who's a hit with all the chicks, 'SHAFT', and there's no change here, even if he is called Terry.

Poor old Sam is a man dedicated to the Marines, it's his life, but after killing 83 civilians (who 'allegedly' had no weapons) by ordering his marines to open fire on them while trying to protect the American Embassy in Yemen, he's in big trouble. Rather than have the USA be blamed the Government decides to put it on poor Mr Jackson and conveniently 'lose' all the evidence in his favour. So far so A Few Good Men/Courage Under Fire/The Negotiator. In steps 'Nam buddy Col.Hodges (Jones) who owes his life to Sam and is a military lawyer, who feels he must defend his best friend and the man who saved his life.

The opening scenes in the Vietnamese jungle and then in Yemen are stylishly pulled off but with little edge, far too glossy and polished compared to the recent 'Three Kings' which put a new spin on how to film combat. Whether it is acceptable to fire upon armed and dangerous women and children in combat is a great moral question to address. However the cliché script blows over this, preferring to focus on a turgid courtroom battle between the old has been lawyer(Jones) and the new up shot, played by former 'Neighbour' Pearce. This leaves a clash between the emotive issues of guns and warfare and the simplicity of a blockbuster for 'Saturday Night at the Movies', which, in the end, has the glossiness and lack of substance as winners.

If you liked this, you'll love:

A  Few Good Men

Three Kings

Courage Under Fire

Check out the official site - http://www.rulesmovie.com

by ChrisM