Rating: 
Summary: IS WAR HELL? WATCH AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.
Review: Some critics have complained that director Ridley does not let us get to know the characters in "Blackhawk Down," but I strongly contest the idea that this film has no emotional punch. If you put yourself in the shoes of these soldiers, how could you not feel their fear and pain? You find yourself wondering what it would be like if YOU were another one of these grunts doing Washington's dirty work without receiving adequate armored cover. How would YOU, after coming out of the hellhole where the fighting was raging and making it safely back to the Army camp, feel about risking injury or death by plunging back into the war zone in order to try to save other Rangers -- would you have the courage to do it? Could YOU jump into the unprotected gunner's seat on the tank after your fellow soldier had been shot there by snipers on the rooftops and in the buildings? How would YOU face an angry crowd coming to kill you if you were alone, weaponless, had a broken leg, and were propped sitting against a wall? This movie is one gut-check after another. To not be absorbed by these questions is to fail to imaginatively project oneself into the action."Blackhawk Down" is about courage and extreme sacrifice. These terms too often are abstract notions mouthed in platitudes. We civilians need films such as this one to remind us in frank and brutal terms what it is to put our soldiers in harm's way. Perhaps this film will remind us to show our soldiers more respect and either send them in to do a job with all of the tools and support they need or not send them in at all. This is a director's film, and Ridley deserves to get a run at the best director Oscar. You won't remember the acting, but you will remember the extraordinary battle sequences and Ridley's skill in making the theater operations clear despite the fog of war. In some ways this movie is like an extended version of the storming of the beaches of Normandy in "Saving Private Ryan": intense, violent, "you are there" war cinema. Perhaps what surprised me the most was just how involved, widespread, and long the fighting was. From the news reports of 1993 I got the impression that all of the fighting had happened in one square and for a much shorter period of time. After seeing this movie, I finally saw how wrong I was and understood that these soldiers had gone through an experience as intense as in any war the USA fought. That a thousand Somalis died in this battle shows how large it was. One poignant aspect of this movie is that the USA never went back to punish Aidid's men, who killed 19 of our soldiers. In fact, we pulled out of Somalia shortly after the battle ended. Ben Laden has said that our turning-tail and running encouraged him to believe that the USA was a paper tiger unwilling to bear casualties. This emboldened him to attack us on September 11, our new day of infamy.
Rating:
Summary: Bravery and humanity
Review: Wow. What a powerful movie. While it soft-pedaled the political failures of the situation, it certainly did not back off from portraying the valor of the men involved. This movie was moving in its portrayal of the Rangers and Delta Force troops that participated in the Somalia adventure. They were sadly forced into a situation that will mark their lives forever, and hopefully we will never forget their sacrifice. This should be viewed as a memorial to those fine men. There is no way for me, or any of us, to thank them. But, that's not why they did it. They are true patriots and this movie honors them.
Rating:
Summary: Ranks Among "Platoon" and "Saving Private Ryan"
Review: I'm happy to report to you that Black Hawk Down is a movie not to be missed. The first 15 minutes start to get you interested and wham! 2 hours of nonstop bullets and blood flying everywhere. As some critics say, this movie is too gory and violent, well did the fact this movie is based on WAR ever cross their minds? I doubt it, since there are other "more violent" things than Black Hawk Down. The story is based on a 1992 event when a 45-minute mission given to American soldiers ended up becoming a night-long catastrophe in which many troops fought hard and died in. Ridley Scott accuratley describes the events of how the soldiers and even innocent civilians on the battlefield may have seen it as. This may be a less filmed event but surely a much less seen one as well, giving it a somewhat unique plot ( considering that it's based on true events ). Black Hawk Down has already been nominated for Academy Awards including best director and cinematography ( you'll see that both stand out pretty obviously. So for anyone who wants to see a movie that is one of the few good ones of 2001. Black Hawk Down is given an R rating for violence and language, so it's suitable for teenagers and adults. All in all, see this film. It's a good one.
Rating:
Summary: Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, KILL!!!
Review: Awesome. Very good movie for a description of war on the soldier level. Shows some of what war is like. Doesn't introduce any additional storyline, which does leave viewers unfamiliar with the story behind this movie scratching their heads and wondering what that was all about. Movie may appear to some people to be a long composition of gratuitous violence. Not so. It IS violent. Most of the movie is a graphic description of violence. The battle it describes was just that, a battle, and hence violent. Next time you hear about debates on coed basic training, on reducing stress in basic training, on easing physical fitness standards, or sensitizing a "culture of 'aggressivity'" in the military, just take a look at this film. Watch this and know that battle is the ultimate zero-sum game and that courage, loyalty, and heart are not abstract, nebulous quantities but rather have very real, tangible, and coldly permanent effects. Then read the book of the same title as the film to get some more info on the events described in the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Black Hawk Down- One of the very best films of 2001
Review: Ridley Scott's epic war film "Black Hawk Down" is not only one of the best film I have seen this year, but it is one of the most spectacular war films I have ever seen. The film gives a powerful and very detailed account of what it must have been like for the soldiers who were actually in Mogadishu during that battle. One of the things I loved most about this film was that after a while, I forgot I was watching a movie. It is that realistic. Ridley Scott does some of his best work to date with this film. Congratulations to the cast and crew of this film for making something that anyone who sees will never forget.
Rating: 
Summary: Black Hawk Downer!
Review: You'd think that after 9/11 we'd make films that show the Americans in a good, positive light. Well, not in BLACK HAWK DOWN! It is a depressing and embarrassing piece of propaganda that shows us at our worst time. Directed by Ridley Scott, recent Best Director nominee, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, action producer extraordinaire, it reunites him with three of his PEARL HARBOR cast - the always bland and boring Josh Hartnett, the unctuously loud and obnoxious Tom Sizmore, and minor actor William Fichtner. And, much lie PEARL HARBOR, BLACK HAWK DOWN is a lame and insulting excuse for American patriotism! It takes place in Somalia in 1993, when the U.S. are aiding the starving country after dictator Mohammed Ahdid cut off their food supply. Eventually, the Army Rangers are called in to help, but when their chopper goes down (hence the title) they have to fight their way out. There Hartnett as Staff Sgt. Eversmann; Sizemore as Lt. Col. Danny McKnight; the terribly misused Ewan McGregor as Specialist Danny Grimes; and the skeletal, but always happy to see him, Sam Shepard as Maj. Gen. William Garrison. There are literally many others in the cast that I don't care, I mean dare, to mention. Based on the true story that was written from a novel by Mark Bowden, BLACK HAWK DOWN is a sometimes entertaining film, even though its negatives outweigh the positives by a large margin. There is plenty of locker room banter between the Rangers and good action scenes, plenty of blood and split body parts as well. Unfortuantely, there is no love; I don't mean a love story, but rather the heart and soul that make a film work! BLACK HAWK DOWN lacks the poignant feeling that makes us, the audience, care for the characters' predicament. In the end, it comes to a very head-scratching conclusion. What the hell were we doing in a place like this, much like Vietnam? This a perfect of why we should stay out of other countries and their affairs. I commend Ridley Scott for his great direction and wish him luck at the Oscars.
Rating:
Summary: For truth's sake.
Review: My only complaint about the whole Black Hawk Down experience is the critics. To hear things like, "Ewan McGregor should have had a larger speaking part" or "Josh Hartnett should have been less 90's sympathetic" makes me realize that most of the people that went to see the movie are average moviegoers with degrees from the Siskel and Ebert school of critique. Perhaps they should have made Task Force Ranger caputre Aidid in the movie, and put him on trial? You can't change truth. This movie wasn't about memorable characters, or Oscar Nominations. This movie was released to tell a story. An actual story. An actual story of American soldiers fighting for everyone's freedom. I guess if you've never served in the Armed Forces for the good of the country and mankind, you probably won't understand what kind of story this movie is telling. You'll want a love story. Perhaps with a "funny guy." And maybe a "quiet, loner kid." Maybe a high speed car chase. Or even a bomb on a bus. I've always said that Americans don't care about soldiers unless there is a war going on. There's an insensitivity from Americans toward their defenders. It's taken for granted that we'll protect you when you need it. Why does it take a Desert Storm for people to display yellow ribbons? Why does it take a terrorist attack for people to display their nation's colors? Before I go too far off on a tangent. I suggest that before you all write your 'informed' reviews, you at least read Mark Bowden's book. It may clear up some things for you. It may even enlighten some of you. And heaven forbid, you may even realize that the "gung-ho characters" of SFC Randy Shughart and MSG Gary Gordon weren't characters at all, but were in fact real people. And they were posthumously awarded Congressional Medals of Honor. For the benefit of everyone, that translates too "They were awarded the highest award possible, but only after making the ultimate sacrifice." My thoughts, prayers and condolences still go out to those 19 families, as they have since October 3, 1993.
Rating:
Summary: Some people don't understand
Review: I am getting tired of people bashing this movie by saying that it's too violent and doesn't develop the characters enough. Here's a wake up call to those people: WAR IS VIOLENT and this movie shows how violent and inhumane it can be. Most of the people who downplay this movie either don't know what happened in Somalia or don't understand the utter brutality of war. This film tells the story of what the Rangers and Delta Force in Somalia went through. It doesn't try to develop the characters because that's not what the director was trying to do. Black Hawk Down is a living tribute to the American soldiers who died in Somalia. In this case, their actions were the key focus and not the men themselves. Critics need to appreciate what these soldiers did for their country and for each other before the full potential of the movie can be seen.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent & 5 stars movie film since 'Saving Private Ryan'
Review: This is an excellent film full of inspiration of the war itself and reflects the spirit and team work of all soldiers in reality and fiction.
The film did not exaggerated any potical issue but reflected and told the audiences of what the solders had experienced in real war, such as Delta and Rangers encountered during the rage in 1993 in a small African country.
The director took the film to a position where the audiences had no place to breath and all details were clearly laid down and no wasted materials found. This is one of the best film since 'Saving Private Ryan' in 1998 and 'Rules of Engagement.
I myself watched this film three times and intended to watch the forth time but the Chinese New Film replaces it in Feb.
Rating: 
Summary: thanks ridley mate
Review: How long can a battle scene last before the audience gets bored? Well on the evidence of this movie I'd say about ten minutes. After a 30 minute "meet the characters" section, which can be more accurately described as an "American military confusing lingo" section, the film drifted into a bullet battle that lasted for approximately 20 days. Well two hours actually, but after about 10 minutes it just isn't pretty anymore. Yes there are moments of pure gut wrenching images as twenty gallons of blood flows through the streets, but did I care whether a man had his guts blown out? Well quite frankly no, because an hour ago he was speaking gibberish to his mate, who just lost his head. Callous comments, because this is a true story maybe, but I don't care. Blame Ridley for his "must get the images right before everything else," approach to the movie. Awful direction, awful acting, and a truly dreadful screenplay: INT: American barracks ALL CHARACTERS: Improvise very poor military lines to each other! EXT: In the City ALL CHARACTERS: Shoot at each other for 2 hours. Some people die - sorry You get what I mean? The most disrespectful piece of film making ever! These people actually died Ridley, and you made it so I didn't care - HOW DARE YOU!
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