Courage Under Fire

Can you remember a time when Denzel Washington wasn’t type casted into roles involving screaming, gun fire, and a typical speech about never giving up? It’s hard to think back that far. Especially after his Oscar winning role in [i]Training Day[/i], it became increasingly difficult to find him in any sort of diverse role. But back in the day—as they say—he was able to just squeak by in his role as Nathaniel Sterling in the 1996 film [i]Courage Under Fire[/i].

Almost mirroring the exact amount of time between 9/11 and the film [i]Flight 93[/i] CUF tells the story of events in the first Gulf War, and how soldiers’ actions were continuing to affect their lives. Nathaniel Sterling (Washington) is reviewing the case of Captain Karen Emma Walden (Meg Ryan) to see if her actions qualify her as the first woman to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Haunted by his own involvement in the war, and mistakes leading to the death of friendly soldiers, Sterling must keep himself composed while investigating the seemingly inconsistent stories of the soldiers who fought with Captain Sterling.

I think one of the things I liked about this movie the most was the fact that none of the stories matched. When Sterling goes to each of the surviving crew members of the downed helicopter, each one of them has a different perspective of how the events unfolded. Each has their own perspective of how Captain Walden responded to stress and leadership during the attack. It makes for an interesting little mystery as the film unfolds the events.

It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen this film, so I can’t honestly say that I report its greatness now based on my childhood enjoyment of this film. I don’t really care for Meg Ryan, or the roles that she’s been in; however, I do think that she did an excellent job in this film creating an inconsistent character each time her story is revealed. It’s strange how being inconsistent can be a powerful tool, but in this film, it was pivotal.

And yes, even Denzel brings some emotion to the camera (something I feel is very rare these days). Edward Zwick, director, did an excellent job working together with the post-tramatic-symptomous characters, as well as the lead and supporting actors that bring them to life. It’s a story that demonstrates the gripping, ripping nature of war, and what effects it has on the men and women that fight in them. It’s a good time period piece, as well as a good military film. Not the best, but entertaining still. If you’ve not seen it, check it out, but don’t go paying more than three dollars for a rental. It’s a popcorn sort of movie on a Tuesday night after a regular day at work.