Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Back in the 1980s was not a good time to be a resident of the eastern area of Africa. Various factors, some environmental but most political and tribal, combined to form a perfect storm of hunger, famines first in Ethiopia and then in neighboring Somalia. On his way out the White House door President Bush (George H. W., the first one) handed incoming president Clinton a little stink bomb, a US presence for "humanitarian" purposes in the Somali captial of Mogadishu, under UN command. "Under UN command", do those words send shivers down your spine or what?

Somalia at the time didn't have anything resembling a national government Such government as there was consisted of various groups of private armies with shifting allegiances and priorities. Food aid, which flowed in from all over the world was used as a weapon in these endless little wars. The UN was supposed to be the agency that would stop the fighting and feed the starving people in the region, the US was supposed to be the force enforcing the new peace. So, Bill Clinton, hand-in-hand with the Big Brain Boys from Turtle Bay were going to bring rosy glowing peace to the horn of Africa... You can predict what actually happened, can't you?

One of the heavy hitters in the Warlords Club was a man named Mohammed Farah Aidid his bully boys were doing most of the bad-acting in the "Mog". The UN-niks in consultation with their soul brothers and sisters in the US State Department decided that Adid was not going to be a problem any more, it was time for bold firm action to remove Adid as a trouble maker in the area. It was time to take him down. It was time to take him out. It was time... to put him under arrest.

That was how the thinking went back in the days of the Clinton Darkness, if someone's trying to kill you, take him to court! At any rate, the forces assigned to carry out the "bust" were the US Army Rangers and the members of the US anti-terrorist experts of Delta Force. It was supposed to be a simple op., in and out in less than two hours, fast-rope in, grab the nasty boys and drop them on trucks and back to base, no sweat. No need for night vision equipment or extra water or anything like that...

Then some Skinny with an RPG blows the tail rotor off one of the MH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and everything went straight to hell.. Blackhawk Down. Time for Plan B... whatever that might be...

"Blackhawk Down" is based on the [book by "Atlantic Monthly" reporter Mark Bowden of the same title. This is very much a true story. The book spent a fair bit of time explaining the the political backdrop of the raid that forms the center of the plot of the movie. There was much that led up to the disaster of 3 October 1993. The movie passes over this stuff quickly, a war-action movie really can't afford to lavish time on this sort of thing anyway. Director Ridley Scott uses the time he has at the start of the film to establish the atmosphere of the forces deployed at the old airport in Somalia. He sets up the conflict between the Army Rangers, one of the oldest and most hallowed units of the US military with their straight-arrow approach to things with the rough 'n ready, shoot-from-the-hip approach to things common to the members of Delta. Some brief mention of the disjointed tail-chasing that contributed to the disaster (questionable timing, dodgy intel, no big gunship support, no armor, etc., etc...) but this doesn't dominate the lead-up Once the Blackhawks lift off the ground all of this stuff evaporates.

"Blackhawk Down" is a story of brave men doing their best in a rotten, no-escape situation. Incredible soldiers betrayed by their higher-ups. Think "A Bridge Too Far." Only at the end of the movie, when the exhausted Rangers, denied a ride by their Pakistani "allies" are forced to run back to safety chased and hooted by their foes, does the hopelessness and futility that so marked the US stay in Somalia show itself.

Ridley Scott is one of the few directors who's work I would watch based on his participation alone. Kubrick, Peter Jackson, James Cameron and maybe Coppola are also members of this club. He did "Alien" and "Blade Runner". He started his career doing design work so even his less exciting stuff (1492: Conquest of Paradise" ) at least look good. Scott is excellent especially when doing nuanced action films so the "Black Hawk Down" story was tailor made.

This movie is excellently researched and staged. There is probably a flub or two somewhere in the mix but I couldn't spot it if there was. I met Rangers, they're like that. Never knew any Delta boys but I have known Special Forces men and Delta recruits a lot from SF and... they're like that. The hardware is also spot-on. Things were shot in Morocco but it looks very much like Somalia. Doesn't sat too much for Morocco, I'm afraid. Again, this is the sort of thing Scott excels at.

The movie stars Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, and Sam Shepard, among others. We never see anybody of higher rank than the US commanding General on the ground, the Washington twinks remain hidden form view. There are no complaints possible with the acting performances. The cast is uniformly excellent even if nobody really stands tall over the others, this is realistic too, no star trailers in the Rangers or Delta.

The direction is also flawless. The use of music is striking especially in the dismal final trot to the Pakistani stadium. This scen is delightfully surreal. Future military movie directors would do well to watch "Black Hawk Down." Another notch on Scott's gun.

One more thing I found refreshing. Generally speaking we aren't burdened with this need to show everything from all conceivable sides. The Skinnies (as the US forces dubbed the residents of Mogadishu are shown as the enemy for the most part. We aren't weighed down with their point-of-view. This is a war (undeclared), not a debating society.

As you might expect, there is tons of swearing and much very realistic violence. If that bugs you or you don't want your kids exposed... you know. It should be said though, the gore is not there to shock gratuitously. This is war, this stuff happens. It's good to know that being hit with bullets and other flying metal hurts and makes ugly holes in human bodies. Maybe the kids should look after all...

There is a modest selection of DVD extra content including a making of mini-feature.

It just struck me that it's odd that it takes a British director with a secure career doing a story about a defeated "humanitarian" mission with Bill Clinton and Warren Christopher hovering at the wings before Hollywood will do a movie complimentary to US military. Suppose any films like this will emerge from the present unpleasantness in Mesopotamia?

Sure...

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age