Black Hawk Down (DVD, 2003, 3-Disc Set, 3-DVD Deluxe Edition)

Movie Description
On October 3, 1993, Army Rangers and members of the elite Delta Force participated in a covert operation in Mogadishu, Somalia that went horribly wrong. Sent to abduct two lieutenants of a vicious Somali warlord, the soldiers found themselves surrounded by hostile militia. Two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down and many men lost their lives. Mark Bowden of the Philadelphia Inquirer told the story of the battle in his exhaustively researched, critically acclaimed book, BLACK HAWK DOWN, and filmmaker Ridley Scott (GLAD

This movie is destined to be a classic war drama for a long long time. It is a consolidation of the story of the Ranger and Delta Force men in Somalia and the raid that ended up on CNN in October of 1993. The mission/battle was touted at that time a failure and the reason we left Somalia. In fact it was proven to be one of the most lopsided battles in US history, using US Rangers and Delta on foot creating a moving Alamo of sorts. Mark Bowden wrote the newspaper articles that became the book and made sure that the story was told from the actual men that were there, both the Somali's and the US SF troops. This movie in fact used Mark Bowden in very close partnership with the screenplay writer and director, as well as using the men that were in Somalia to talk to the actors.

This movie compresses some of the actual things that happened as well as creating characters that are an amalgamation of several actual men and what happened to them. Even doing so, the movie is incredible in it's true to fact story telling about what actually happened that fateful day and how the men responded to what could have been a true disaster for the Rangers and the US military. The directing, photography, lighting, producing and acting create a seemless environment in which you feel as though you are in the actual firefights. You feel the actual dread and excitement. You feel the sadness. It is an incredible movie no doubt.

I must add one last thing. Make sure to get the three disk set. It allows you behind the scenes to hear and see what the actors actually think and what they went through to make the movie. You get to see what Mark Bowden, Ridley Scott and the other key men in the making of the movie felt and how they created the movie from their combined vision. You also get the Frontline episode on the men from the Rangers as well as a history channel episode about Mogadishu. It is a can't miss trifecta of info and entertainment.

The incredible men of these battles as well as the Marines, Army, Airforce, Navy and Guard are why we can't lose. Only the politicians can make us, our military is bar none the best and is shown to be even in a situation like Black Hawk Down, where everything seems to be against them.

Black Hawk Down is a perfect example of Ridley Scott returning to his roots, atmospheric, stylish movies that do NOT sacrifice plot and character for spectacular plot shortening action sequences.

Each of his characters is amazingly developed, Eric Bana's Hoot Gibson is portrayed as a firecly independant, and fiercly able special forces officer, despite his not having any real dialogue until the very end of the film.

Josh Hartnett is perfect as the eager yet calm Staff Sergeant Matt Eversmann, and Orlando Bloom does about as good as he can really as the enthusiastic wetnose Private First Class Todd Blackburn.

Scott uses a unique filming method to highlight the peril of the downed pilots, focusing not on the approaching crowd, but on the faces of the pilots, attempting to overcome their injuries and ready their weapons to hold off the angry crowds until their compatriots can arrive. Miek Durant, the second of the pilots, is shown in a particularly moving scene where the fatigued pilot claws in the dirt for a photo of his family while being assaulted with the butt ends of rifles, and dragged away.

Scott succeecs in showing a relatively bias-free account of *that* particular raid. It's only failing is in the somewhat ethnocentric focus on the american soldiers, both in relation to the Somali citizens, and the remainder of the UN forces, particularly the Pakistahnis. I guess a movie made primarily for US release is not going to investigate themes such as civilians being used as human shields, or go farther into the intricate warlord structure and the causes of it (And the success of the pre-conflict effects by Algerian negotiator Mohammed Sahnoun).

So overall, I rate the film a 5/5, and the dvd is definitley one of the best special editions available. The directors commentary is supplemented by a commentary by a pair of military advisors, which provide an interesting viewpoint not normally seen. The DVD is three discs, and even the addition of the two great commentary tracks makes it worth a purchase over the previous single disc version, and the single disc "Extended cut", which is to be *avoided*. Two big thumbs up.

The Black Hawk Down 3-Disc Special Edition was OUTSTANDING. It's full of extras that you will enjoy watching again. I had bought the original DVD when it was first available, Excellent movie. The 3-Disc set was better because it contains the actual history channel documentary. interviews with the actual soldiers, along with lots of extras worth viewing, such as how the movie was made, how the cast trained in several military run mini-boot camps to help the actors get it right. If you are a history buff this set is worth the extra money. It's one of the best war movies ever made. Very realistic, and after you see what went into the preparation and the actual making of the movie, you'll appreciate it that much more. Semper Fi

Ridley Scott directs the pen-ultimate war movie regarding the trials that a soldier can face (and the fellas whom this movie is based on, did face): coping with a friend's death, struggling to understand the brutality of war, and the single most important philosophical truice: "Never leave a man behind." Showcases work from many rising and popular stars, such as Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Ewan McGregor, Ioan Grufford, and so many more. Hauntingly beautiful story and music.