As a fan of war movies and a supreme admirer of any and all who serve in the Armed Forces, I've long been frustrated by the rarity of quality product. Hollywood either wants to churn out flag-waving fantasies like "Pearl Harbor" and "Top Gun" or let its more cultured crowd turn out insulting anti-military films like "Apocalypse Now".

Which is why "Black Hawk Down" is so unbelievably refreshing. It is a respectful and fair portrayal of the military, showcasing their sense of honor and brotherhood with neither disdain nor hero worship. It is one of the few war films to focus solely on combat, and in that context it finds a way to showcase what men can do under extraordinary conditions.

But back to my original statement. From the psychotic and sadistic soldiers of "Platoon" to the babbling Kurtz in "Apocalypse Now", Hollywood's elite have not been very complimentary of the military, especially in modern war. "Three Kings" showcases soldiers who are unskilled and uninformed. "The Thin Red Line" lingers forever on American G.I.s swarming the Japenese camp in animal-like fashion acting like Nazis. R. Lee Ermey himself called "Apocalypse Now" an embarrassment to all Vietnam vets.

This is not to deny that some atrocities were committed. War is hell. But the tendency seems to be to paint ALL the soldiers with that same negative brush. A newsflash to the impressionable....all soldiers are not like that.

In fact, many are the opposite. And "Black Hawk Down" does them justice. We see a huge cast of characters, admittedly few of which get a chance to distinguish themselves before we head off into battle. This is not a mistake, this is a clever move. Each soldier gets a chance to distinguish himself by his actions, not as "the funny guy" or "the Brooklyn guy" or "the weakling". They become memorable to us because of what they do in the field, and further draws into the central idea of "No man gets left behind". Downed pilot Ron Eldard isn't rescued because he's a nice guy, or he has a family, or the others look up to him. He's saved because he's a U.S. soldier, and we don't leave our own behind.

Ridley Scott is on a roll and can seemingly do anything. His only stamp is realism, and he puts this battle before the cameras with a sense of harrowing reality that I've never experienced before. From the constant stream of animals and civilians through the gunfire, to the soldiers with their blood type on their boots, to the soldier who just can't understand why he has to go back out into the fight, its all real. Scott keeps the camera focused enough so that, unlike other war films, we always know where we are, who is where, and what is supposed to happen. It is to Scott's credit that he perfectly and effortlessly conveys the objectives, problems, and solutions of a complex military battle.

Despite scarce downtime, many of the actors do get a chance to distinguish themselves. Tom Sizemore has always been a favorite of mine, and here he again plays the veteran, the guy who has done this a million times and walks calmly through a battlefield while others duck for cover. Josh Hartnett erases the overdone drama of "Pearl Harbor" to give a great central performance- a leader of men who is thrust into the position and has to learn on the go. Ewan McGregor has one of the film's greatest moments of selfless heroism. Jason Isaacs and William Fichtner are also perfect as two very different types of battlefield leaders. One is by the book, cool and calculating even under fire. The other is all emotion and heart, willing to adapt and take risks when the situation calls for it. The film shows that both are needed.

Eric Bana was so mesmerizing in "Chopper" (see it!) and plays completely the opposite here. But his mysterious and ever-calm professional is the film's most memorable performance. Hoot would in most modern war films be the jaded character who constantly points out the futility of their actions or the "injustice and meddling of the government". Instead he is real. "When that first bullet flies by your head, politics and all of that bull*hit goes right out the window," he says calmly.

"Black Hawk Down" is not ignorant of its politics. It wisely understands that yes, as most war films redundantly say, "war is hell". But its necessary. It understands that yes, we often times protect our interests, but that doesn't negate the justice and good found in helping a starving and oppressed country like Somalia. But in the end, the film is concerned with combat, and the camaraderie and selfless bravery that our men and women in uniform often exhibit. It perfectly explains its simplicity and focus on combat, and why the military does the things they do. "When you're out there, its about the man next to you. That's all it is."

"Black Hawk Down" is an amazing film, and couldn not not be more timely. Most importantly however, it is the fair and respectful portrayal that our military has deserved for quite some time.

Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older