The Tom’s Guide Verdict: ‘Courage Under Fire’
Rating: ★★★½ stars
Verdict: Director Edward Zwick’s second war drama with Denzel Washington might not be quite as good as “Glory,” but it’s still a must-watch. The decision to cut back and forth from an investigative drama to scenes of incredible combat action sequences delivers a movie reminiscent of “A Few Good Men,” but with a portrayal of war that would be elevated by “Saving Private Ryan” just weeks later. It’s also a remarkable portrayal of the effects of PTSD, albeit in an overly dramatic fashion.
Where to watch: Buy or rent “Courage Under Fire” from Amazon
“Courage Under Fire” has a lot in common with a previous entry in the Denzel Watchathon. This 1996 Persian Gulf War drama is the second team-up between Denzel Washington and director Edward Zwick. They had previously worked together in 1989’s “Glory,” a U.S. Civil War movie that earned Denzel his first Oscar win.
But if you liked “Glory,” there’s a lot you’ll like about Zwick’s second Denzel war movie. In particular, Zwick’s ability to craft incredible combat action sequences remains as impressive as ever in “Courage Under Fire.”
Equally impressive is the choice this movie makes to switch between an investigative drama that could be classified as a legal thriller and a war movie with top-tier action scenes.
It delivers an end product that feels like it’s partially “A Few Good Men,” which came out a few years before, and partially like “Saving Private Ryan,” which would come out just two weeks after this film. Fun fact: Matt Damon is in both war dramas in pivotal supporting roles.
If you want to watch this movie before you read on, I have to warn you. Like with many of Denzel’s earlier films, “Courage Under Fire” isn’t currently streaming on any of the best streaming services or the best free streaming services. Instead, you’ll need to buy or rent it from Amazon or the digital storefront of your choice.
Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm has been with the Streaming team at Tom’s Guide since 2023, reviewing dozens of movies each year so you don’t have to watch the bad ones.
This Persian Gulf War movie is an examination of the aspects of war we often overlook
Read more Denzel Watchathon
If you are new to this ongoing series, I’m currently watching every one of Denzel’s 52 movies in his filmography, one per week, throughout 2026. I started with 1981’s “Carbon Copy,” and I’m ending with last year’s “Highest 2 Lowest.”
In this film, the 19th of Denzel’s feature films in his career, he plays Lt. Colonel Nathaniel “Nat” Serling, a tank squadron commander who accidentally kills his close friend during a nighttime firefight at the height of the Persian Gulf War.
That’s quickly swept under the rug, though. The war soon ends, and everyone wants to move on. So Serling gets transferred to a desk job and is given the seemingly simple task of rubber-stamping the approval of a posthumous Medal of Honor for Medevac helicopter pilot Capt. Karen Walden (Meg Ryan).
But as he meets with those from Walden’s crew, he realizes that something is wrong. Maybe it’s the guilt (and severe PTSD) that is eating at him, maybe it’s because he’s currently involved in a combat incident being covered up, but he knows that not everything is as it seems.
This is why “Courage Under Fire” is such an interesting film. Not only does it explore the Persian Gulf conflict, which is rarely explored in feature films (Wikipedia lists just 23 such movies), but it’s also an incredible exploration of the effects of PTSD on soldiers in modern warfare and incidents of friendly fire.
Serling is ravaged by it, drinking himself silly every night, but as his investigation goes on, it quickly becomes clear he’s not the only one bearing mental scars of war.
There’s one scene in particular where it becomes too much for one of the soldiers in Walden’s crew, and once you see it, the scene will stick with you long after the movie is over. It’s a very “Hollywood” scene; it’s undeniably overly dramatic. But that doesn’t make it any less haunting.
Verdict: Part ‘A Few Good Men,’ part ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ but all a must-watch
“Courage Under Fire” borders on greatness. It really does. The themes it explores are worthy, and Zwick and cinematographer Roger Deakins capture some breathtaking combat scenes.
Unfortunately, this movie is one that simply pales in comparison to some of its peers. You can feel the notes of “Glory” and “A Few Good Men” when you watch it. You can see how it’d be comparable to “Saving Private Ryan” just weeks later. It’s just not on the same level as those films, which are admittedly all excellent, if not masterpieces.
Still, that doesn’t mean this movie isn’t a must-watch; it is. For the examination of PTSD and the Gulf conflict alone it’s something you should check out at least once, and you won’t be disappointed. Denzel puts on a show, as always, and the combat sequences are truly stunning. $3.99 to rent it was money well spent.
Buy or rent “Courage Under Fire” from Amazon now
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