Tensions flared between director Antoine Fuqua and Bruce Willis soon after principal photography began. By the end, they vowed never to work with the other again.
The older African breaking down and crying during the village atrocity scene was not scripted. The man had survived real-life genocide, and filming was so realistic he broke down. The rest of the cast saw it, and everyone's reactions are genuine. This is noted on the DVD commentary.
Many of the extras playing refugees were refugees in real life.
The story is based on a mission of the Canadian Joint Task Force Two (JTF2) that took place in Colombia. An ex-member of the commando wrote the original story and suggested it when he met the production team of Executive Decision (1996) on a set in Nevada.
All the actors who played Navy SEALs had to go through a two week boot camp.