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IMDbPro

Rules of Engagement

  • 20002000
  • RR
  • 2h 8m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
48K
YOUR RATING
Rules of Engagement (2000)
Trailer for Rules Of Engagement
Play trailer2:27
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Thriller
  • War
An attorney defends an officer on trial for ordering his troops to fire on civilians after they stormed a U.S. embassy in a Middle Eastern country.An attorney defends an officer on trial for ordering his troops to fire on civilians after they stormed a U.S. embassy in a Middle Eastern country.An attorney defends an officer on trial for ordering his troops to fire on civilians after they stormed a U.S. embassy in a Middle Eastern country.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
48K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William Friedkin
  • Writers
    • Jim Webb(story)
    • Stephen Gaghan(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Samuel L. Jackson
    • Guy Pearce
Top credits
  • Director
    • William Friedkin
  • Writers
    • Jim Webb(story)
    • Stephen Gaghan(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Samuel L. Jackson
    • Guy Pearce
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 293User reviews
    • 59Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Rules of Engagement
    Trailer 2:27
    Rules of Engagement

    Photos123

    Tommy Lee Jones stars as Colonel Hayes Hodges
    Ben Kingsley appears as ambassador Mourain
    Samuel L. Jackson stars as Col. Terry Childers
    Guy Pearce appears as Major Mark Briggs
    Bruce Greenwood appears as William Sokal
    Blair Underwood appears as Captain Lee
    Peter Tran (L), Samuel L. Jackson (R), and Baoan Coleman (background) in a scene from "Rules of Engagement".
    Director William Friedkin with producer Richard D. Zanuck
    Anne Archer and Terry Jastrow at an event for Rules of Engagement (2000)
    Anne Archer and Terry Jastrow at an event for Rules of Engagement (2000)
    Anne Archer and Terry Jastrow at an event for Rules of Engagement (2000)
    Trina McGee at an event for Rules of Engagement (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tommy Lee Jones
    Tommy Lee Jones
    • Colonel Hayes Hodgesas Colonel Hayes Hodges
    Samuel L. Jackson
    Samuel L. Jackson
    • Colonel Terry Childersas Colonel Terry Childers
    Guy Pearce
    Guy Pearce
    • Major Biggsas Major Biggs
    Ben Kingsley
    Ben Kingsley
    • Mourainas Mourain
    Bruce Greenwood
    Bruce Greenwood
    • Bill Sokalas Bill Sokal
    Anne Archer
    Anne Archer
    • Mrs. Mourainas Mrs. Mourain
    Blair Underwood
    Blair Underwood
    • Captain Leeas Captain Lee
    Philip Baker Hall
    Philip Baker Hall
    • General H. Lawrence Hodgesas General H. Lawrence Hodges
    Dale Dye
    Dale Dye
    • General Perryas General Perry
    Amidou
    Amidou
    • Doctor Ahmaras Doctor Ahmar
    Mark Feuerstein
    Mark Feuerstein
    • Tom Chandleras Tom Chandler
    Richard McGonagle
    Richard McGonagle
    • Judgeas Judge
    Baoan Coleman
    • Colonel Caoas Colonel Cao
    Nicky Katt
    Nicky Katt
    • Hayes Hodges IIIas Hayes Hodges III
    Ryan Hurst
    Ryan Hurst
    • Corporal Hustingsas Corporal Hustings
    Gordon Clapp
    Gordon Clapp
    • Harrisas Harris
    Hayden Tank
    • Justinas Justin
    Jimmy Abounouom
    Jimmy Abounouom
    • Jimias Jimi
    • (as Ahmed Abounouom)
    • Director
      • William Friedkin
    • Writers
      • Jim Webb(story)
      • Stephen Gaghan(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones) returns to the bombed-out embassy, there is a picture of then Vice President Al Gore on the charred wall. Gore and Jones were roommates at Harvard.
    • Goofs
      National Security Adviser Bill Sokal is worried about political pressure from other countries about the internationally publicized "slaughter of innocent civilians in Yemen", so he hides the one piece of evidence that would exonerate Col. Childers: a video tape of the crowd initiating contact with the Marines. Sokal does this as a means of "throwing Childers under the bus". The problem with that is that not only would that tape reveal that Col. Childers was innocent and performed his duty admirably, but it would remove all political pressure from the US - thus removing the reason why Sokal hid the tape in the first place. Couple that with the evidence presented in the courts-martial that proved Col. Childers innocent, and it would have been painfully obvious that Col. Childers performed his duties honorably and, therefore, would have been returned to active duty. In short, Sokal helped propagate the very problem he was trying to solve: political pressure against the US, that would cause embassies to be removed around the world.
    • Quotes

      Colonel Hayes Hodges: [final arguments of the defense]

      Colonel Hayes Hodges: [presenting a photo of the embassy to juries] That is sovereign United States territory as much as if it were in Ohio or Maryland. Colonel Childers didn't volunteer to go over there, he was ordered to go over there because he was the best man for the job. We armed him, we trained him, we sent him over there to risk his life to save other Americans and then ask him not to return fire? There are over three hundred bullet holes in this building. Colonel Childers didn't open fire, he returned fire. And he waited until after three of his Marines were dead and another lay mortally wounded. He waited until he was personally under heavy fire. He waited until he saw that crowd holding weapons, only then did he order his men to return fire. Under the Rules of Engagement, a civilian pointing a weapon is no longer a civilian and the use of deadly force is authorized in order to save lives. It's not murder, it's combat. Colonel Childers is the only man alive who was in a position to see that crowd, but the camera on the Embassy roof had the same point of view. The Government would have you believe there is no tape from that camera. I have shown you that that tape was delivered to the State Department, do you believe that that tape got up and walked out of the State Department on its own? By not producing that tape, the National Security Advisor, Mr. Sokal, has brought dishonor into this court. Without that tape, I cannot show you that the crowd fired first and that Colonel Childers is innocent. But without that tape, they cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he's guilty. Here's my case, it's all I've got. Thirty-two years of service, thirty-two years of heroism as a United States Marine, regardless of what you decide here, Colonel Childers' career as a marine is over. He will never again command men in combat. The Ambassador and his family are alive today because of him, and I know how the Ambassador feels because Colonel Childers saved my life too. I am alive today only because of him! I'm alive today and I have a son, because of the heroism of Colonel Childers. To ask this man to risk his life for his country, to ask this man to watch his Marines die in his arms and call it murder when he's defending himself, to call it murder for firing back when being fired upon, to call it murder for saving the lives of his countrymen under the most extreme of circumstances, that's... my fellow Marines... that's hanging him out to dry... and it's worse than leaving him wounded on a battle field. That is something you do not do if you are a United States Marine, and it is something I pray to God you won't do here either.

    • Alternate versions
      Some international prints, made for DVD/TV broadcast, have removed the Paramount logo and fade straight into the Seven Arts Pictures logo. The opening titles also now read "Seven Arts Pictures Present in association with Paramount Pictures". This is due to the fact that Seven Arts owned the international rights and wanted prime credit.
    • Connections
      Featured in Behind the Rules of Engagement (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      On the Threshold of Liberty
      by Mark Isham

      Contains a sample performed by Mark Isham

      Courtesy of The Windham Hill Group

    User reviews293

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A Bit Contrived, But Very Entertaining
    This story gets the viewer involved with it right away never lets up, with good performances all around, although Tommy Lee Jones stands out a bit above the rest.

    There are some outstanding action scenes in the first 30 minutes and if you have a 5.1surround system, it gets quite a workout. After that, the story settles down into a court battle.

    Its politics are typical Hollywood: the government is corrupt with the main villain the National Security Adviser who burns a video tape that would clear a U.S. Marine colonel from being framed for murder. That colonel also is a black man which makes the story even more politically correct. Samuel J. Jackson plays that role, a Col. "Terrry Childers." Jones plays his attorney, "Col. Hayes Hodges." The two veteran actors play off each other very well.

    It gets even more dramatic when two other witnesses lie and make justice look almost impossible to attain in the case. But, dramatics aside, it's a good story and certainly an entertaining one. Once again, William Friedkin has directed a good movie.
    helpful•44
    33
    • ccthemovieman-1
    • Nov 17, 2006

    FAQ3

    • What is "Rules of Engagement" about?
    • Is "Rules of Engagement" an action movie?
    • Does Samuel L. Jackson have a fight scene?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 7, 2000 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Germany
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
    • Also known as
      • Reglas de combate
    • Filming locations
      • Morocco
    • Production companies
      • Seven Arts Pictures
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Munich Film Partners & Company (MFP) ROE Production
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $60,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $61,335,230
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,011,181
      • Apr 9, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $71,732,303
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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