Behind Enemy Lines: The Untold Truth of Gene Hackman’s Controversial War Flick

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Among the vast array of films in Gene Hackman’s illustrious career, a number of blockbusters were overlooked. One of his lesser-known roles was in the 2001 movie that leans towards docudrama, titled “Behind Enemy Lines,” directed by John Moore. This film has been relegated to regular rotation on basic cable and often gets lost in the shuffle as just another war film. It has been eclipsed by “The Royal Tenenbaums,” which hit theaters a month later, also featuring Owen Wilson and Hackman. We refer to it as a pseudo-docudrama because it doesn’t fully reveal the true individuals or specific details of the real events.

Despite any room for denial, this account is an unapproved recounting of the Scott O’Grady incident, frequently known among military personnel and historians as the Mrkonjić Grad Incident. The film amplified the tension surrounding the true-life F-16 fighter pilot’s ordeal, which was largely characterized by him sitting in a ditch while subsisting on insects.

There’s been much discussion about how much creative license was used in the movie. Looking back, it seems that the screenwriters selected specific details to create an exciting action story, rather than accurately portraying the Scott O’Grady rescue incident. It’s important to note that Behind Enemy Lines is not a faithful representation of the actual events. The outdated CGI effects and certain aspects of the plot that may have reflected poorly on O’Grady are two examples of how the film has dated. Some unproven rumors were also critical of O’Grady, but the movie chose to overlook these allegations entirely, which could be seen as a way to protect his reputation. This led to legal action being taken by O’Grady himself.

A Feelgood Tale or Shameless Opportunism?

The storyline of the movie is inspired by a real-life incident involving a NATO sortie that went wrong in June 1995. On this routine mission, USAF Captain O’Grady was the pilot. When enforcing a no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina, he found himself in a dangerous encounter with a Bosnian Serb anti-air missile. Despite this, he managed to evade capture and starvation for six days before reaching the extraction point safely. In essence, he went from being an ordinary pilot to becoming a media sensation.

In 2001, the movie “Behind Enemy Lines” portrayed his story of survival, which was not coincidental considering its release timing amidst the wave of patriotism post-September 11th, as suggested by Hal Erickson’s book “Any Resemblance to Actual Persons“. The film was allegedly moved up to take advantage of the growing interest in military heroes as the country sought its champions.

A Modern Throwback to a Bygone Era

In this film, Owen Wilson portrays Lt. Chris Burnett, while Gene Hackman assumes the role of Admiral Leslie Reigart, his communication line. The movie follows a typical pattern. It’s an unashamedly patriotic war drama that uses the O’Grady rescue as its central focus, with the Balkan conflict serving merely as a backdrop. This wasn’t a film designed to provoke thought on political matters; instead, it ends with rock music playing as Lt. Burnett takes on the role of Rambo. Essentially, this is all about action. The antagonist, the villainous Serbian character played by Vladimir Mashkov, has gained internet fame for his stylish Caesar haircut and imitation Adidas tracksuit. This script seems more akin to a propagandistic spy adventure from WWII than ‘Saving Private Ryan’.

Despite the movie being intended as a work of fiction rather than a serious portrayal, it caused real-life consequences for the man who experienced the actual events. O’Grady filed a lawsuit against the production company for invasion of privacy and damage to his reputation, arguing that the character’s unprofessional behavior and swearing were inappropriate. Unfortunately, he lost the legal battle.

The film deviated significantly from reality, so 20th Century Fox avoided having to pay compensation. The plane shown in the movie was an F-16 with a single seat, whereas O’Grady flew an Air Force aircraft with only one seat, not the two-seater F-18 as depicted on screen. Moreover, there were no US military casualties, and it is unlikely that a handsome Serbian sniper was tracking O’Grady through the woods as portrayed in the film.

Cracks in the Official Story

From a film enthusiast’s perspective, it appears that the movie may have missed some crucial details that might not paint O’Grady in the most favorable light, turning what could have been a dramatic tale into a series of unfortunate events. Initially, reporters were pointing fingers at the pilot for disregarding protocol and failing to master his emergency equipment, as reported in an article from The Independent.

The Washington Post further reported that the Serbs claimed they were attempting to rescue him and take him captive, not kill him, because his death could have triggered a full-scale US military intervention. While this seems plausible, it’s challenging to believe the same individuals who were responsible for the genocide against their own community.

In simpler terms, it looks like the movie might have missed some important facts that could change our perspective on O’Grady, and the events surrounding him seemed more like a series of unfortunate mistakes rather than a heroic tale. At the time, reporters were accusing the pilot of not following protocol and failing to use his emergency equipment properly, according to an article in The Independent. The Washington Post also reported that the Serbs claimed they wanted to rescue O’Grady alive because his death could have led to a full-scale US military intervention. However, it’s hard to trust the same individuals who were committing genocide against their own neighbors.

Instead, two months following the rescue operation, US Defense Department officials conveyed to Time magazine that “It appears the Serbs intentionally aimed to destroy these aircraft,” O’Grady faced termination as a form of retribution for his role in prior US air raids. If O’Grady’s squadron was unaware of known missile batteries, this suggests that the Pentagon was remiss in approving his mission, exposing him to danger.

The deployment of a U.S. rescue team with an unusually high number of senior officers has sparked speculation about whether the operation was manipulated by Marine officials pursuing personal glory, using it as a publicity tactic to draw attention. Deciding who is telling the truth in this situation might prove challenging. I wish you the best of luck untangling that enigma.

As a movie enthusiast, I found this film surprisingly thought-provoking. It leaves you pondering many questions without providing clear answers. Given its simplicity, it’s not hard to understand why the creators chose to portray the events of June 1995 in a John Wayne-style narrative. This approach was incredibly successful, leading to three sequels that, unfortunately, neither Wilson nor Hackman were involved in. I wouldn’t advise watching these spin-offs. However, for those interested in exploring more of Hackman’s work, the film “Behind Enemy Lines” is available for streaming and rental on Prime Video.

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2025-03-23 23:05