Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33697 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-09-04
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 128 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Under Fire is a savvy political thriller of journalists in war-torn Nicaragua circa 1979. Clayton Frohman and Ron Shelton's (Bull Durham) script follows ace photojournalist Russell Price (Nick Nolte, in a key marquee performance) from the jungles of Africa to the Central American boiling point. Along with the usual band of fellow journalists, Price finds himself involved in a love triangle with Claire (Joanna Cassidy in her best role) and Alex Grazier (Gene Hackman, perfect again), who believes he's one career-making story from a lofty news anchor position. In Nicaragua, Price finds his own deadly mission: to photograph an unknown rebel leader.

Although the setup is traditional, Roger Spottiswoode's film feels as alive and vital as the best of the genre. Showing his ambiguity for the lives he shoots, Price is just as friendly with the impoverished in Africa as with an icy mercenary, Oates (Ed Harris in a role the polar opposite of his breakthrough performance in The Right Stuff the same year). On one level, Oates and Price are simply Americans doing their jobs in a foreign land. But soon Price has a change of heart. Blessed by a splendid final-act action sequence that is unforced and emotionally charged, the film is stuffed with color and energy, a good dose of which is supplied by Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-nominated score. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

Thought-provoking look at war
This flick should have won a lot of oscars - for screenplay, direction, acting, cinematography and music. Nick Nolte, Joanna Cassidy and Gene Hackman are riveting as war zone journalists; Ed Harris plays a mercenary soldier just right, with hedonistic aplomb.

One interesting aspect that runs through the film is how multi-national corporations profit no matter who wins at war; they'll always be there reaping profits. Another long thread running through the film is how American foreign policy is designed to broaden and protect OUR interests without taking into wider consideration the impact we have on the citizens of other countries, particularly the developing countries or those nations governed by unpopular dictatorships.

I saw this flick 20 years ago and it's stayed with me ever since, the mark of a good movie. This film is what propelled me to earn degrees in international relations and journalism. Most films these days are for teenagers, but not this one. It's complex and thought-provoking and entertaining throughout. I want my wife to see it.

Based on a True Crime
When the popular revolt in Nicaragua against Somoza attracted world attention in the late 1970s, many journalists went there to report the news. One journalist made world news when he was murdered by government forces, and another reporter filmed this event. This 1983 movie weaves this incident into a story about those days.

The scene in Nicaragua starts with a parade. Rebels infiltrate and hoist a banner; the military chase them. This is photographed by a journalist who climbs on top of a parked car. (NEVER park your car by a parade route!) The rebels invade a night club, a grenade goes off, and then Russell "visits" the police station. A "businessman" gets him released, and then suggests that Russell visit the provincial capital where the Sandinistas are active. Russell photographs the action, and gets involved. The pitching skills of a Nicaraguan are used, but he is soon retired from this game.

Back in the capital Somoza announces the death of the rebel Commander, Rafael. Russell visits this province to photograph the news. He meets the rebel leaders, and agrees to photograph Rafael in a live setting; others in the rebel camp are photographed. The movie shows how ancient DC-3s are used as military weapons. Alex returns and asks to visit Rafael. Russell discovers that his photos are being used to identify and eliminate the rebels! When Alex can't find Rafael, he wants to do a story on the "businessman". But Alex is prevented from doing this by unidentified soldiers. Russell photographs this, but escapes with his life. The film gets back to the hotel, and is published. Somoza flees the country, and lands in Miami. And so it finally ends happily? Or does it? Could such a movie be made today?

The romantic triangle (older man, younger woman, younger man) reminds me of "The Quiet American".

War Movie from a Reporter's View
Nick Nolte is at his greatest in this movie. He stole it.
Of course, everyone was doing an excellent job or the movie would not have been so moving. Somethimes you laugh, sometimes cry and somtimes you are in a state of horror. I own and would never part with and have seen many times -- my reactions are the same each time. It is war. The danger a reporter on site places his or herself. The Director was excellent. A must see!