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Yes, in spite of a huge technological advantage, a US raid
to capture some pretty mean Somali bandit chiefs in Mogadishu
in 1993 turned into a disaster and a planned 30-minute operation
ended up very much like the British defence of Rorke's Drift
a century before.
From a textbook helicopter and ground assault, the raid suddenly
fell into chaos as first one Black Hawk helicopter, then a
second, was shot down. Immediately tens of thousands of militia
troops backing Mohamed Farrah Aidid, the chief warlord of
Somalia, went on to the offensive against fewer than 200 US
soldiers.
They were cut off in small groups and not only hampered by
an order to protect the downed choppers, but found themselves
without much air support.
What followed was an almost day-long fighting withdrawal
against huge odds.
Black Hawk Down follows the raid from beginning to
end and does so with the exceptionally capable hands of Ridley
Scott at the aerliron.
After a shortish intro to the men - possibly too short to
get a real attachment to them - he then throws open the throttle
for a wild action ride that is exciting, nerve tingling and
adrenalin pumping.
The stars of the movie include Josh Harnett, our own Eric
Bana - who is excellent as a self-sufficient Delta Force operative
- Jason Isaacs, Tom Sizemore and Sam Shepard.
There is some corn - like the rangers finishing just about
everything they say with "hoo" (or something that
sounds like that) - but overall will be acceptable to most
blokes who like war movies. Mrs A, who loved Saving Private
Ryan, thought it was "ordinary". More than a
bit harsh I thought.
The video transfer is an absolute ripper with everything
sharp and clear. The colours are excellent - realistically
muted by dust - and there are no major visual hiccups.
Sound-wise, Black Hawk Down will give your sound system
the sort of workout it has been waiting for. The use of channels
is superb and will have you thinking (while ducking for the
cover of pillows) that you are caught in the middle of one
helluva firefight.
Black Hawk Down is not a thinking-person's war movie,
but a no-holds-barred full-on shootout that will keep you
interested right to the end credits.
Conclusion: Movie 85%, Extras 75%
Continued:
DVD details at a glance >
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