Rating: 
Summary: Great action, great cast, great sets, great special effects.
Review: There were several reasons why I looked forward to Black Hawk Down. Number one would be that I'm a fan of combat-heavy war films. Ridley Scott is among my favorite directors. The cast features some of my all-time favorite character actors, including the always reliable Tom Sizemore and William Fichtner, Jason Isaacs, Ewen Bremner, and Ron Eldard. And boy, this movie didn't disappoint. With wall-to-wall action for the final 3/4's of the film's running time, Black Hawk Down achieves a "you are there" feeling that may surpass even Saving Private Ryan. The characters are all likeable enough for the more dramatically powerful moments to work. For those who thought Zulu was the best pure combat war film, sorry Cy Endfield, but Ridley Scott's crafted a hell of an intense ride that makes your film look like a slow ride to grandma's house.
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie!! - DVD needs more content
Review: Great movie, but the DVD doesn't have many extras to it. There is a 25 minutes behind the scenes featurette that is informative. To really explore what happened to bring these events about, read the book. It reads like a non-fiction thriller, but is based on many interviews and transcripts from the people who were on scene in Somalia.
Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding, Gritty, and Realistic Combat Movie!
Review: One leaves the theater breathless after seeing "Black Hawk Down". Now, with my new DVD in hand, I am pleased to be able to see this film whenever I like. This is, most simply put, the most grittily realistic and overpoweringly authentic and accurate depiction of modern combat imaginable. This is the closest we ordinary citizens can come to the actual experience, as we are sucked involuntarily into the terrifying vortex of the world of modern combat. We careen into combat with the young volunteers, our hearts pounding, the sweat pouring off us as we go, feeling our blood pressure rise as we rappel breathlessly down with them to the hard dusty ground! Of course, with Ridley Scott involved, one comes to expect such amazingly spellbinding theatrics, yet this movie threads quickly along the well-greased storyline provided in the best selling book, adding the sharp, quicksilver dimensions of reality only such a stunningly visual depiction can offer in addition. And, from the anxious hand tremors of a young trooper about to descend into the madness of a flurry of hostile gunfire to the knowing worried glances a special forces combatant exchanges with one of his men, this is a superbly acted, casted, and choreographed set of battle scenes. And the scenes go relentlessly on and on. Precious little time is wasted here providing the outlines of what turns out to be a mission from Hell; policy makers in Washington (read Secretary Albright here, trying to show she could out-testosterone the guys) decide this bunch of cravenly aggressive mercenary tribes can be corralled and democratized, that Somalia can become an instant shining example of our new-found powers of nation-making, and the American peace-keeping forces are suddenly tasked with missions for which they are ill-equipped. Without sufficient armor or enough reaction troop strength, the command orders a kidnap mission to eliminate one of the warlords who is most actively opposing the new "pie-in-the=sky" political objectives, and a small force of young troopers are dispatched in several helicopters to make a quick-strike raid into the heart of Mogadishu. Just as they have reached the point of accomplishing their mission, a helicopter is shot down, and all at once, hell breaks loose. Yet this is truly just the beginning. The story of how these men stood their ground, how exceedingly well they fought, and how savagely they staved off the vastly superior numbers of local opponents who were well armed and supplied is only now becoming the stuff of legend. The real question one is left with after seeing the movie (or after reading the wonderful book, as well) is how such a valiant and well-executed action could have ever been described by both our government and the press as a defeat. It is more a lesson in the extraordinary and shameful timidity of everyone in the chain of command, from Madeline Albright to Colin Powell to the Secretary of Defense on down, who refused the Battle Scene Commander the resources he requested, that literally doomed the mission once things began to go awry. Therefore, while we did unfortunately lose eighteen men, we also inflicted hundreds of casualties on the opposing forces, and finally were able to successfully evacuate the balance of the American forces after having engaged the street fighters for an incredibly extended period of time. This engagement and the kind of men who fought in it should be sung of in battle hymns, not decried as evidence of American softness or lack of a will to fight. As always, the fault in the action lies not in the ferocious young men who fought and died so courageously and so well, but in the despicable and all too-human failures of their leaders and their government to use them wisely, to take greater care in placing them so carelessly in harm's way. Simply put, this is a great film, easily one of the best war films ever produced, and one I can heartily recommend! Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Bad DVD qualtiy
Review: The DVD had poor picture, sound, characters, and acting(e.g. Capt. Steele) The movie did not get involved with the characters so when they got shot you said, who is that. The special features were below par for such a large movie. The ones that were there were not thorough or thought through. Get this movie when the special edition comes out.
Rating: 
Summary: enough said
Review: This is a terrible movie that needs to be more responsible about what it is implying (that the somali people should have just been grateful we were there). But it looks really good. Looks like Ridley Scott did the visuals and Jerry Bruckheimer was in charge of the cliched script. Isn't there anything new to say about soldiers in battle besides everything we've seen or heard in Rambo ("we not leaving anyone behind") or Saving Private Ryan ("tell my mom...")?
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic story of brave men in dire straits
Review: If you got this far, i will skip the plot basics. Suffice to say that this film makes no commentary on the rights or wrongs of the situation, there is no rah-rah flag waving, just pure, honest emotion. The story of the soldiers that faced a difficult situation, their courage and comradship is proof that the ancient art of soldiering has not changed since its early days - its not about the fight, its about the people, the brothers-in-arms that are your family. I strongly recommend this film for its good historical accuracy, lack of political focus, excellent acting, directing, sound and photography.
Rating:
Summary: It's the real thing folks
Review: I have just finished reading some of the reviews for BHD. Many are typical, some are insightful and a few are laughable. Here's my take on the movie: As an Army officer, this movie hits VERY close to home. It reminded me of the sacrifices that many of my comrades have made in the past and the sacrifices that may be asked of us soldiers in the future. For those who say that this movie was unrealistic, I think you should really think twice about that opinion. I have served with many folks who were ACTUALLY THERE and they tell me it is pretty dead on. A few even said that they were hesitant to see it because it was so realistic. Remember that those events really happened and the the majority of the names were not changed. Those men really did die and they really did do those things you saw. Probably most disturbing for me was imagining family members of the fallen watching this movie and seeing how their sons or husbands died (this is especailly true for PFC Jamie Smith, the soldier who bled to death before our very eyes). War is hell folks, there is no way to gloss over that. I think Ridley Scott chose to portray the carnage, the chaos and confusion of combat. He did an outstanding job. It is a true anti-war film, in that it shows you what really happens. My only real complaint is that we didn't get very much background on the characters and he didn't try to distinguish them on the screen. It does make it a bit confusing. But again, I don't think Scott's aim was to tell a certain character's story, but give us the overall picture. As for all of the political hub-bub that has been posted here, people get over it. Whatever your political stance, you cannot deny that fact that these men acted heroicially. They died for each other, not some political agenda. No amount of politiclal spin will change that. When the bullets are flying, politics are the last thing a soldier is thinking about. Racism? I doubt it. Yes there are mostly white folks in the movie, but remember, most of the Rangers and Delta operators WERE white (conversely, most Africans are black). What of it? Our initial mission was to SAVE Africans. The men we killed were thugs and criminals. That they were black was inconsiquential (BTW, before you start slamming me as a white bigot, I'm an asin-american and quite experienced at being on the receiving end of racism). And not all the Somalis were portrayed as evil (altough many were not angels). They WERE the enemy however, and were portrayed as such. In conclusion, this was a very good movie. It wasn't a perfect film, but very good nontheless. It achieved what it was aiming for: telling the soldier's story and to pay tribute to those who died. This movie is NOT for the faint of heart or the squeemish. But it is for those who want to know what our military members endure for the sake of their country.
Rating:
Summary: Near perfect war film
Review: This film is one of the best war films made, because of its ultra-realistic portrayal from the top-notch acting, as well as being historically accurate. It also has a fantastic look to it, thanks to director Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, GI Jane, Gladiator) and the dynamic cinematography--this one needs to be seen in the widescreen format. The sound is also amazing, and won Oscars because of it--you are truly immersed in the atmosphere. This is a very violent film, but necessarily so, and the film pays a great service to of all the Americans who fought and were injured or killed in action, 2 of which earned the Medal of Honor--a very powerful and emotional movie. Also a very timely movie with the war on terrorism, I think every American should see this film and be thankful for the soldiers who lay their lives on the line in the name of freedom.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting, action-packed anti-war film.
Review: The best film of 2001 and the best war film ever made, Black Hawk Down is an unrivalled work of immense proportions. It's a superbly directed, well-acted, and intelligently written film that serves to give us the point-of-view from a soldier's eye in battle. Lots and lots of action keep this film rolling at a fast pace, but this isn't a thrill ride; it's a horrifying display of brutality and, to an extent, acts of heroism that shined in the process. A terrific movie on virtually every level, Black Hawk Down is a movie experience unlike any other.
Rating:
Summary: DVD is almost bare bones, but the movie's a masterpiece.
Review: One viewer was absolutely correct when he said Black Hawk Down made for better viewing on DVD. This is simply because the subtitles enable you to grasp the dialogue (which is often hard to hear over the gunfire) and the situation with more clarity. Unfortunately, the DVD only has a behind-the-scenes look as its special feature, even the trailers aren't for the film itself. That's really too bad, I would have liked to have had a commentary from Ridley Scott for his amazing work. Oh, well, Black Hawk Down is still the best anti-war film I've ever seen.
|
