Both Randall and Fischer conceal dark pasts, and as the two men gradually learn more about each other, so does their deep-down respect. It's all very Officer and a Gentleman-like, but the tension between the performers gives the clichés a bit of a new spin. The script by Rob L. Brinkerhoff gives each character a mandatory love interest, but the romantic subplots just add to the film's length.

Randall, as the experience-hardened vet, has marital problems. His wife (Sela Ward) is leaving him because she knows that he's more committed to the Coast Guard than to her. Meanwhile, Fischer sparks Randall's ire while intriguing him with his potential. Melissa Sagemiller has the Debra Winger role as a local bar-hopping babe whom Kutcher will quickly bed. She distracts Fischer from his training, which irritates Randall further. So goes the battle of might, between these two - the older mentor and his potential replacement.

The film means well as an adventurous man-against-nature saga, but the story lacks compelling human elements. It's all so twisted that it's mind-boggling to think it was made by director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, A Perfect Murder). Clearly, Davis, who has a gift for complex action scenes, has allowed the picture to run too long. But a weird rhythm works its charms at times.