i have just witness the william friedkin ( the exorcist and the french connection ) film rule of engagement . i go in expect a generic studio film that would seem so blah and have nothing memorable or of great value in it . i be hop i would be prove wrong . unfortunately i wasn not . rule of engagement start off relatively strong and although i be confuse because i come into the theatre about 3 minute late . the opening action scene and as well a the action scene in yemen and be all wonderfully do by friedkin and which should be expect from the director of the french connection . at the conclusion of the opening action scene and we begin the actual story of the film . i do not want to give to much away but let just say that the film have to do with samuel l. jackson be indict for slaughter many innocent who be protest against the american embassy in yemen . this set into action the courtroom drama that basically be the remainder of the film . it unfortunate the film turn out the way it do and but it should be expect . there really isn not too much promise behind the idea . it have already be do many and many time before and and much good ( a few good men by reiner come to mind ) . i think that while there be alot of thing that take away from my enjoyment of rule of engagement and there be a couple of plusses . first of all and a i mention earlier and the action scene in the film be excellently construct . they capture the intensity and insanity of the situation as well a any other war movie have and the only exception save private ryan . unfortunately there aren not too many of those scene in this film and which may have up the entertainment factor in my mind . the other thing be that the screenplay by stephen gaghan isn not that bad at all and although it definitely lack in character development . i mean there be nothing that be great about it and but it isn not offensively bad like many of the other commercialized and mass audience film like these be ( i. e. double jeopardy be the most recent example . that bring me to the final reason i do not give this film a complete zero . the film at least try to be entertaining and be a crowd pleaser . now that do not work with me and but it work with the general audience and which make sense . there isn not anything offensively bad and so therefore i can not give it that low of a grade . now onto the bad thing about rule of engagement . first of all i have to say how disappointing every one of the performance in this film be . i do not think there be one memorable performance out of all of them . tommy lee jones ( colonel hayes hodges ) play the same role he have play in the last 4 film he have be in and but he also show the only intensity in the whole film . samuel l. jackson ( colonel terry childers ) lack every amount of intensity that he bring with him in every other film and plus he be barely in the film itself . guy pearce ( major mark biggs ) and so good in la confidential and give my favorite performance and which isn not say much and a the ferocious prosecution . bruce greenwood ( william sokal ) give the exact same performance he do in double jeopardy and which isn not a good performance to begin with . philip baker hall and blair underwood and anne archer and all capable actor or actress and barely register because of the 5 minute allot to each of them in vary role . ben kingsley be also disappointing in the small amount of screen time give to him and he basically appear to be a back stabbing enigma and very hard to figure out . while it isn not all the actor fault that their performance turn out the way they do and they aren not horrible performance . it have a little more to do with the screenplay worst flaw and which be the lack of any character development . all the character seem to have one note and keep on that note the whole film . the other problem i have with this movie be the direction by william friedkin . he still seem to be stick in the 1970 school of direct on this film and with very old school camera zoom and over indulgent scene and like the scene in which jones walk through yemen and the over long opening of the yemen riot scene . the editing by augie hess and be just downright awful in scene and most evident in a scene where jones be be chase by the yemenians and then end up in a bathroom somewhere . just very sub par effort on the most part for many who be involve . i guess while i be watch this movie i do not know how to view it . at first i try look at it a a serious drama or thriller held in the rank of many of the other courtroom classic drama . a the film progressesed and i just sit back and try to soak it all in and but i wasn not really entertain . i would say that this film would be best see on vhs or dvd or even on a premium channel such a hbo and but it isn not bad enough to skip it entirely . my rating represent 4/10 .