Very good movie

Rating: 8/10 (3 April 2000)

Samuel L. Jackson is a Marine Officer on trial for his handling of a Yemen uprising. Tommy Lee Jones is a near-retirement Marine lawyer who owes Jackson a BIG favor. That is the setup for this finely tuned, above average military picture. The government is not made out to be grandly evil as it was in General's Daughter (1999) and that is a definite plus. The courtroom scenes crackle with tension. The performances are all top notch especially key supporting players like Guy Pearce (LA Confidential) delivering a knockout turn as the prosecuting officer who is also not made out to be irredeemably evil. He intends to do his job as he sees fit and not try to unjustly destroy the things that get in his way. While not in the same league as A Few Good Men (1992), Rules of Engagement is extremely satisfying entertainment and it sort of makes you wonder how a very well made, nicely done production like this ended up opening in April!! It will be unjustly forgotten come 2001 Oscar time but there are quality perofrmances in this quality film. Rating: * * *1/2 out of * * * *