Rules of Engagement

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Rules of Engagement

R,

2000,

2h 8m,

Drama

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Watchlist

37%

89 Reviews

Tomatometer

55%

25,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

37%

Tomatometer

89 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a 30-year Marine veteran: a decorated officer with combat experience in Vietnam, Beirut and Desert Storm -- a patriot, a hero. But now, the country he served so well has put him on trial for a rescue mission that went terribly wrong. For his attorney, he has chosen Marine Col. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones), a comrade-in-arms who owes his life to Childers.

Critics Consensus

The script is unconvincing and the courtroom action is unegaging.

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Philip Wuntch

Dallas Morning News

Jan 1, 2000

Reconfirms the talent of onetime wunderkind director William Friedkin.

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Ted Gideonse

Newsweek

Jan 1, 2000

A run-of-the-mill legal thriller that hopes to be a little more.

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Paul Clinton (CNN.com)

CNN.com

Jan 1, 2000

At its best, Rules Of Engagement is merely bad.

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Peter Sobczynski

The Spool

Oct 5, 2023

Stephen Gaghan’s screenplay...huffs and puffs but never really gets anywhere.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Nov 5, 2022

2.5/4

...an often exceedingly deliberate drama that does, at a running time of just over two hours, feel substantially longer than necessary...

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Tony Black

Cultural Conversation

Feb 16, 2021

3/5

A military drama scared to face its demons.

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Theodore W

Sep 25, 2018

Love your country, fear your government.

Abraham W

Aug 5, 2018

Patriotic sensationalism without any basis in reality. If you haven't watched it, don't. Your brain will thank you... or maybe it won't, but it's still better than entertaining the mudslide of idiocratic logic.

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George G

May 15, 2018

this movie is a hell of shit, trying to prove all misconceptions of the Arab people, the scenarist is a real terrorist

Anakin R

Sep 16, 2017

Fabulous movie with awesome roles performed by Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson.

Finn L

Sep 13, 2017

Watchable and Jackson & Jones are their usual brilliant selves but the film itself is nowhere near as good as 'a few good men'!

Han M

Jan 8, 2017

great acting, obviously by Jackson and Jones. I always end up liking these court dramas even though I think they are going to be boring.

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William Friedkin

Director

Tommy Lee Jones

Colonel Hayes Hodges

Samuel L. Jackson

Colonel Terry L. Childers

Guy Pearce

Major Mark Biggs

Bruce Greenwood

National Security Advisor William Sokal

Blair Underwood

Captain Lee

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Synopsis

Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a 30-year Marine veteran: a decorated officer with combat experience in Vietnam, Beirut and Desert Storm -- a patriot, a hero. But now, the country he served so well has put him on trial for a rescue mission that went terribly wrong. For his attorney, he has chosen Marine Col. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones), a comrade-in-arms who owes his life to Childers.

Director: William Friedkin
Producer: Scott Rudin, Richard D. Zanuck
Screenwriter: James Webb, Stephen Gaghan
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Seven Arts Pictures, Roe Productions KG
Rating: R (Violence|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 31, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $61.3M
Runtime: 2h 8m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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