Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (2009) Joe Manganiello, Ken Anderson, Channon Roe, Yancey Arias Movie Review

Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (2009)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Joe Manganiello in Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (2009)

Ahead of the Previous Behind

When intel comes in that something is going down in Columbia Lt. Sean Macklin (Joe Manganiello), MCPO Carter Holt (Ken Anderson) and the rest of their Navy SEAL team parachute into Columbia. It turns out that thing going down was an armistice between Colombian soldiers and FARC leaders but when it doesn't go to plan due to Alvaro Cardona (Yancey Arias) leading his own rebel faction attacking the meeting. With the SEALS caught in the midst of this one of the team is kidnapped whilst other die. But both Macklin and Holt survive and set about rescuing their buddy especially when it seems their bosses bosses have used them as scapegoats with them being accused of being assassins.

"Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil" was to be blunt not very good and I was convinced "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" was going to follow suit and be little more than a hastily slashed together action movie to profit off of movie lovers loyalty. I was wrong as whilst you could never call "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" a great movie it is one which for what it is has been competently put together and for fans of action movies and the escapism they offer it actually works, a heck of a lot better than the previous movie.

Ken Anderson in Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (2009)

Now "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" is simply an uncomplicated action movie where a couple of Navy SEALS set about rescuing their buddy who has been kidnapped by a rebel faction in Columbia. That is it and as such this movie offers up the escapism of muscular guys blowing stuff up and taking down the enemy, sometimes getting a little MacGyvery in the process. Yes there are numerous inaccuracies from stereotyping certain factions to the way a group of SEALS would operate but to expected realism in this would be serious misguided and to not expect a storyline featuring corruption high up the chain of command would be as equally misguided.

Aside from that "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" clearly benefits from having Joe Manganiello in the movie, not because he delivers a great performance but because he is likeable and in fairness delivers a solid performance. It is the same with Ken Anderson who nicely tones down his Mr. Anderson wrestling persona but brings enough of it so that his character feels familiar and natural. And it has to be said that Tim Matheson, someone I associate more with appearing in TV movies, accounts for himself nicely behind the camera as he keeps this ticking over and not trying to make it too visually fussy.

What this all boils down to is that "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" is just an uncomplicated action movie for those who want simple to follow, over the top and stereotypical escapism heroics.


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