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IMDbPro

Rules of Engagement

  • 2000
  • R
  • 2h 8m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
49K
YOUR RATING
Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones in Rules of Engagement (2000)
Trailer for Rules Of Engagement
Play trailer2:27
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaThrillerWar

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.

  • Director
    • William Friedkin
  • Writers
    • Jim Webb
    • Stephen Gaghan
  • Stars
    • Tommy Lee Jones
    • Samuel L. Jackson
    • Guy Pearce
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    49K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • William Friedkin
    • Writers
      • Jim Webb
      • Stephen Gaghan
    • Stars
      • Tommy Lee Jones
      • Samuel L. Jackson
      • Guy Pearce
    • 296User reviews
    • 63Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Rules of Engagement
    Trailer 2:27
    Watch Rules of Engagement

    Photos131

    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 Hodges
    Samuel L. Jackson
    Samuel L. Jackson
    • Colonel Terry Childers
    Guy Pearce
    Guy Pearce
    • Major Biggs
    Ben Kingsley
    Ben Kingsley
    • Mourain
    Bruce Greenwood
    Bruce Greenwood
    • Bill Sokal
    Anne Archer
    Anne Archer
    • Mrs. Mourain
    Blair Underwood
    Blair Underwood
    • Captain Lee
    Philip Baker Hall
    Philip Baker Hall
    • General H. Lawrence Hodges
    Dale Dye
    Dale Dye
    • General Perry
    Amidou
    Amidou
    • Doctor Ahmar
    Mark Feuerstein
    Mark Feuerstein
    • Tom Chandler
    Richard McGonagle
    Richard McGonagle
    • Judge
    Baoan Coleman
    • Colonel Cao
    Nicky Katt
    Nicky Katt
    • Hayes Hodges III
    Ryan Hurst
    Ryan Hurst
    • Corporal Hustings
    Gordon Clapp
    Gordon Clapp
    • Harris
    Hayden Tank
    • Justin
    Jimmy Abounouom
    Jimmy Abounouom
    • Jimi
    • (as Ahmed Abounouom)
    • Director
      • William Friedkin
    • Writers
      • Jim Webb
      • Stephen Gaghan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more 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: You ever had a pissed-off Marine on your ass?

      National Security Advisor William Sokal: Is that a threat?

      Colonel Hayes Hodges: Oh, yes, sir.

    • 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 Siskel & Ebert: Return to Me/Black and White/Ready to Rumble/Rules of Engagement/Me Myself I (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      On the Threshold of Liberty
      by Mark Isham

      Contains a sample performed by Mark Isham

      Courtesy of The Windham Hill Group

    User reviews296

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A good ride, good actors, some flaws.
    Last week, as I considered ordering this DVD, I checked the IMDB rating and saw a "fair" 6.5. Since I like Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson, I placed the order. Like most roller coasters, I found it to be a good ride and Jones and Jackson did very credible jobs. The flaws in the movie have been correctly pointed out by numerous other reviewers. I was somewhat surprised that some of the most critical reviews were by US viewers. I fully understand how non-US citizens would be irritated by the stereotypes. I found it to be a very exciting movie from my particular perspective (US citizen, military family, male over 45). The scenes of combat when the marines are ordered to the US embassy in Yemen to safeguard our state department personnel were VERY well done, even to the point of gripping. The court scenes and conflicts of evidence or lack of evidence were interesting to me and I also understood, but did not agree with, the aims of the State Department. I don't think some of the reviewers are aware of what a person might do in such an extremely stressful situation as that of Colonel Childers (Jackson). It was fascinating to me to see what he did do and how he and others looked back on it. I would have given Rules of Engagement a 9 or 10, but for the flaws. It's a good movie though and well worth renting. It's an 8.
    helpful•83
    35
    • moviecat-6
    • Feb 1, 2001

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    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
    • Official site
      • Filmymen
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
    • Also known as
      • Reglas de combate
    • Filming locations
      • Morocco(Embassy)
    • Production companies
      • Seven Arts Productions
      • 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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