Rating: 
Summary: To Douglas B Cody of San Francisco
Review: I felt the movie was well done. The action sequences were well played out and realistic. A lot of time obviously went into the authenticity. Mr. Cody, You missed the point! When a "civilian " picks up a gun and starts firing at american soldiers they are not a civilian anymore, they are a combatant. You obviously haven't been in the military! I didn't see any innocent bystanders get killed in the movie! War is ugly and I think this was a pretty accurate account of this particular skirmish.
Hopefully they will come out with another edition with DTS and the history channel's documentary.
Rating:
Summary: What more do you want?
Review: Great all-around movie.1)Special effects
2)Actors Performance
3)Edge of your seat action-packed
4)Carnage
Rating:
Summary: Dehumanization of Somalis Troubling
Review: While I found the film extremely well made from a technical perspective, it was hardly uplifting in any sense, patriotic or otherwise. I came away with the impression that the Rangers killed a lot of nameless, faceless Somalis (nicknamed skinnies by the GIs) during their raid on Mogadishu. When attacked, the people of Aidid's clan, men, women, and children, fought back ferociously in what I now believe was self defense. Regrettably, the Rangers were put in a position, by their leadership both in-country and at the Pentagon, in which they killed indiscrimately in order to survive. I didn't get the impression that the film makers placed any value whatsoever on the lives of 1,000-2,000 the Somalis killed in battle, many of whom were no doubt simply bystanders, preferring to focus on the Rangers' deadly struggle to extricate themselves from the debacle. We Americans tend to leave a lot dead civilians in the wake of our "civilizing missions" around the world, and Black Hawk Down illustrates this vividly. This should give us pause. Viewing this film definitely changed my perspective and mind about nation building by force of American arms, and in that respect it was invaluable and I gave it 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: A Gorgeous Movie Chillingly Relevant
Review: I saw Black Hawk Down last January in theaters, and can safely say it was the most memorable movie experience I have ever had. When you see a movie like this, you don't just watch some technicolor bodies playing with CGI bullets, or muttering little "Be All You Can Be" catchphrases. You are sucked into the vacuum of that Hell, transported into a world that is not so far enveloped in the comfortable relapses of memory in the very long ago. It happened ten years ago, almost exactly, and portrays war as it should be portrayed. There is no blame on the Germans, no sharp villanous Japanese, no Confederates to blame, or Vietcong. You can't even really blame the Somalis, who are so completely and utterly destitute and de-humanized through and by their struggles. Our soldiers were sent in to help, not attack, not fight, but to feed the starving children sinking into the sands of the Somali Coast.
Technicaly, the movie was filmed in a very efficient sepia tone, which gives it extra 'true grit.' The entire cast gives award-winning performances, including Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, and Orlando Bloom, who turn on their laurels of teen scene/indie scene/new scene to perform heart-felt-ly and o--tour de force. Hartnett proves his true acting capabilities (thank God after Pearl Harbor). Tom Sizemore, Sam Shepard, Jason Issacs, William Fichtner, Eric Bana, Ewen Bremner, Tom Hardy, Charlie Hofheimer, Tom Guiry,Ron Eldard, Steven Ford, Gregory Sporleder, Brian Van Holt, Hugh Dancy, Zeljko Ivanek,Matthew Marsden, Johnny Strong (II), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kim Coates, Glenn Morshower, Enrique Murciano, Jeremy Piven, Gabriel Casseus, Danny Hoch, Tac Fitzgerald, Richard Tyson, Michael Roof, Kent Linville, Ian Virgo, Carmine Giovinazzo, Chris Beetem, Ty Burrell, George Harris (II), Razaaq Adoti, Treva Etienne, Ioan Gruffudd, Jason Hildebrandt, Brendan Sexton III, Boyd Kestner, Abdibashir Mohamed Hersi, Pavel Voukan, Dan Woods (V), Kofi Amankwah, Joshua Quarcoo, Johann Myers, Lee Geohagen, Gianina Facio, Corey Johnson (I) are all incredible, giving performances of their careers. The cast is intensely and noticeably only male (besides Somali civilians); a very effective move, without any stupid lovey dovey moments between Red Cross nurses and fighter pilots in plane hangers.
The story is mind-blowing, a D-Day microcosm that is beautifully written and enacted, and almost unbearable to watch.
The movie has no baloney schticks about heroism and puts a youthful, recent human face (this is no Gary Cooper we have to call to mind) on our boys in a frightening, eye-opening film. In upcoming events, this is going to be the type of war we fight, in the streets, in blown-out buildings, and in the middle of civilians who keep guns under their children's pillows.
One of the best movies ever made, 1900 and onward, and a war movie the caliber of Platoon, a reccomendation that must be adhered to. I do not ask you to see this movie. I am telling you to, for the sake of those boys who were dragged through the streets, bloody and broken, and who are slowly forgotten in the sands of memory.
Rating: 
Summary: Great film, but wait for a better dvd
Review: If you haven't seen this film, do yourself a favor. It tells the painstakingly disturbing story about what went wrong in Somalia, Africa in 1993. An excellent film-not to be missed. That said, I am pretty purturbed with this dvd. If you have to get this film, get it on dvd. Although the list prcie is close to twenty-eight dollars, this film is crisp on dvd, doesn't deteriorate, and looks great. This is also a film that absolutely must be seen in widescreen. But if that is all that matters to you, this has no trouble in the dvd format. Most Ridley Scott films (Gladiator, Hannibal, Alien) have nice dvds. This is lackluster. I understand that the film is long, but there is a such thing as a second disc. It worked for Gladiator. I am in anticipation for a better disc. There are almost no extra features; such a great film with such amazing cinemotography and directing should at least trigger a substantial making-of-documentary. Ridley Scott is planning on puting together a special edition version of BHD. He recently re-released Thelma and Louise, and it worked great. Thank you for taking the time to read my review and feel free to leave me a helpful/not helpful feedback. God Bless America!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best war/action films ever made; but WAIT
Review: I own the one advertised here on Amazon. It's fine, but very light on commentary. So I will be buying the following edition in June. If you don't have this movie on disc yet, just wait a couple of months: "Columbia Tristar will release the highly anticipated Blackhawk Down Deluxe 3-disc Edition on June 3rd. This unprecedented special edition will feature an anamorphic widescreen transfer (2.35:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, audio commentary 1 with director Ridley Scott & producer Jerry Bruckheimer, audio
commentary 2 with author Mark Bowden & screenwriter Ken Nolan, audio commentary 3 with U.S. Special Forces Veterans ('93).
DISC 2 will feature "The Essence of Combat: Making Black Hawk Down,"a six-part documentary: 1. Getting It Right, 2 Crash Course, 3 Battlefield:Morocco, 4 Hymn to the Fallen, 5 Digital Warriors, 6 After Action Report); 8 Deleted & Alternate Scenes with Optional Commentary; a Production Design Archive; Storyboards with Optional Commentary; Ridleygrams with Optional Commentary; Jerry Bruckheimer's Black Hawk Down Photo Album; Opening Title Explorations; and Photo Galleries. Over on DISC 3 is the full-length documentary "The History Channel Presents: The True Story of Black Hawk Down"; PBS Presents "Frontline: Ambush an Interactive Mission Map/Timeline; Target Building Insertion - Multi-Angle Sequence with Optional Commentary; BAFTA Q&A Forums with Ridley Scott, Jerry Bruckheimer, Josh Hartnett, Ewen McGregor, Jason Isaacs, Mark Bowden & Tom Matthews; Pietro Scalia at the Motion Pictures Editor's Guild; Jerry Bruckheimer & Ridley Scott at the American Cinematheque; "Gortoz A Ran - J'Attends" Music Video performed by Denez Prigent & Lisa Gerrard; Theatrical Poster Explorations; and Theatrical Trailers." I know this because one of my star pupils told me. And he never lies.
Rating:
Summary: Fine Pro-War movie
Review: An excellent movie that demonstrates the sacrifices made by our troops, their willingness to put themselfs in harms way for the safety of others and the cost when a Government fails to back them up for political reasons. I haven't forgotten the sight of dead dragged through the streets in those days. My wife's reluctant decision to back the president in the current was was affirmed by this movie. Watch it and support our country and ourselves. Of course politicts aside, the acting is great the action is great and you feel for these men, pulled off very well.
Rating: 
Summary: Muddled and average
Review: I went to see this at the cinema and thought it was excellent. I then read the book and bought the DVD and loved it less. In fact each time I watch it, I like it a little less. Maybe because the book was so much better (probably because the book didn't have to be condensed into 2 hours). I found certain battle scenes to be confusing, sometimes with no idea what soldiers I was watching. Plus the movie moves away so far from the truth at times that it becomes more or less fiction. I like Ridley Scott, the movie is well-made and the extras are informative and entertaining but it does lack something.
Rating:
Summary: Very much ABNEGATION for theses MARINES !
Review: STILL, AGAIN, a movie which has enormously captured my watchfulness ! However, this movie could be too much long, but NO ! Sure ! The time was passing on equally as much a LIGHTNING or a FLASH ! Because, the time is relative when you look a soo much good movie ! The Somalians warriors are fearfull likened to the DELTA FORCE and the MARINES who are an illustration, an example for any man or.... woman ! RIDLEY SCOTT is certainly the best for charactrize the context of a true war !
Rating:
Summary: Fine anti-war movie
Review: This is a first class anti-war movie. On the eve of war with Iraq, it should be compulsory viewing for all those American citizens who support President Bush's plan for a major theater confrontation in the Middle East. Watch it and then get out and demonstrate.
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