RULES OF ENGAGEMENT —*1/2 — Tommy Lee Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Guy Pearce, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Kingsley, Blair Underwood, Anne Archer, Philip Baker Hall; rated R (violence, profanity, gore, racial epithets, brief partial nudity); Carmike 12, Cottonwood Mall, Plaza 5400 and Ritz 15 Theaters; Century Theatres 16; Gateway 8 Cinemas; Loews Cineplex Trolley Corners Cinemas; Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons; Redwood Drive-in (with "The Talented Mr. Ripley").
"A Few Good Men" this ain't.
In fact, if we're going to be completely honest here, "Rules of Engagement" doesn't even amount to "A Few Good Scenes."
This disappointing thriller/courtroom drama is something of an embarrassment for stars Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson, whose careers have been on a slide of late. (Jones' previous film was the inexplicable hit "Double Jeopardy," while Jackson was last seen getting gobbled up in "Deep Blue Sea.")
It's tempting to say the same of William Friedkin, who in his peak made such films as "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection." But in the latter stages of his career, Friedkin has wasted good casts in such duds as "Jade" and "Blue Chips." And this film manages to do the same.
The result is a dull, uninspired work with no real sense of suspense. And what's worse, it relies on ugly stereotyping and heavy-handed, jingoistic messages to try to get a reaction from audiences.
Instead, the only reaction it's likely to get from them is a big "So what?" despite the presences of Jones and Jackson, who star as, respectively, U.S. Marine Col. Hays Hodges and Col. Terry Childers.
Since fighting together in Vietnam, their lives have gone in different directions: Hays has just wound up an unspectacular career as a military lawyer, while Terry has continued his military career, having led successful operations in Beirut and Operation Desert Storm.
Now the two longtime friends have been brought together again by the worst of circumstances. After leading a rescue mission in Yemen, Terry has been accused of murdering more than 80 protesters outside the U.S. Embassy.
And while the U.S. State Department — fearing reprisals from the Middle East — brings in a hotshot prosecutor (Australian Guy Pearce, using an awful Bronx accent), Terry asks his buddy to represent him, though even Hays has doubts about the once-honored soldier.
Judging by this film, Friedkin's storytelling instincts seem to have left him, perhaps permanently. The wartime scenes are a pale rip-off of those from "Saving Private Ryan," while the courtroom action lacks any real tension.
Of course, he's not the only culprit here. The script (by television veteran Stephen Gaghan) is full of holes, and worse, it seems ignorant of military legal standards.
Even the cast (which includes the usually steady Anne Archer and Philip Baker Hall) doesn't seem very inspired, though Jones tries to give the thing more dignity than it deserves.
"Rules of Engagement" is rated R for graphic wartime violence, including gunfire and explosions, strong profanity, explicit gore, use of racial epithets and ethnic slurs and fleeting female partial nudity. Running time: 127 minutes.