Parents' Guide to

Courage Under Fire

By Charles Cassady Jr., Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Military drama deploys plenty of violence, swearing.

Movie R 1996 117 minutes
Courage Under Fire Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 2+

Based on 1 parent review

age 2+

Have to see

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

On the positive side, this sturdy drama has no obvious political agenda, which is refreshing for a Hollywood film. Nonetheless, there's a mildly by-the-numbers feel, kind of like a deluxe JAG or NCIS episode, as Serling bravely digs for the truth, no matter what. He's so idealized that even his flaws of heavy drinking and a possible "friendly fire" tragedy barely tarnish his halo.

In an interesting gambit, probably from the much-imitated Japanese drama Rashomon, we see Capt. Walden in different POVs, from a John Wayne-level roughneck to a terrified girl in over her head. The different viewpoints could spark an interesting discussion about women's roles in the military.

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate