War movies seldom excite me, but I became thoroughly involved in Behind Enemy Lines. This action-packed flick stars Owen Wilson as a naval aviator shot down in enemy territory and Gene Hackman as his commanding officer who risks his career to mount a rescue mission. Wilson’s quirky looks and attitude make him an excellent choice for the role of an "Everyman" caught up in incredible circumstances. And I can’t think of anyone who would be better playing a tough, old-fashioned naval officer than Hackman.

Although two-time Oscar winner Hackman (The French Connection and Unforgiven) disappointed me this year with his miscasting in Heartbreakers, he’s back in top form here. Projecting conflicting emotions over the plight of his missing airman, the veteran actor displays worry, guilt, and determination simply by changing the tone of his voice or the look in his eyes. As usual, Hackman doesn’t seem to be acting --- just "being human."

After seeing Wilson do comedy so well in Shanghai Noon and Zoolander, I wondered if he could deliver a similar quality dramatic performance. Behind Enemy Lines proves he can. "We needed someone who could give us something different, and that’s what Owen did," producer John Davis says. "He’s charismatic and funny, and we also learned that he does the action stuff very well."

Chased by a secret police enforcer, a deadly tracker, and hordes of hostile troops, Wilson runs for his life in scenes reminding me of Daniel Day-Lewis racing through the forest in The Last of the Mohicans. Wilson’s best dramatic sequences show him in a state of terror reacting to the execution of his friend and finding himself in the center of a mine-rigged area.

First-time director John Moore also admires Wilson’s talent. "Owen is the single best improviser I’ve ever seen," he declares. "He has a rare ability to take an idea and turn it on its head, and seconds later it seems like he’s been rehearsing it for months."

To me, the secret of Wilson’s success is his nose. Dented on one side and longer than the average nose, it gives him an intriguing, offbeat appearance. Without that distinctive proboscis, he’d be just another pretty face, and I probably wouldn’t empathize as much with the characters he portrays. Adding to Wilson’s "regular guy" appeal is his twangy voice. When he says, "Didja know Bill Gates has more money than Peru?" and stretches out the "u" in Peru to sound like "Pe-roo," he’s definitely hard to resist.

WARNING: anyone who suffers from fear of flying might be traumatized by the frightening plane crash in Behind Enemy Lines. A few minutes before the craft goes down, the surprised pilots try to dodge missiles with frantic flight maneuvers that are exceptionally well-filmed and quite realistic. During this part of the film, I felt the same way I did watching the airplane disaster in Cast Away --- almost as if I were a participant in the tragedy. Other viewers, like me, who can’t stand hand-held camera techniques, also may be bothered by a sequence showing soldiers capturing a Bosnian village. This segment, which went on much too long, was difficult to watch because of its jerky, newsreel-like presentation (blame it on Saving Private Ryan). And Behind Enemy Lines is a very loud movie. My ears still ring from all those noisy explosions.

Still, I’m glad I saw this film. Besides being taken in by its thrilling action, I am now even more firmly convinced that "war is hell."

(Released by 20^th Century Fox and rated "PG-13" for war violence and some language.)