Black Hawk Down

Like a gritty war-themed action movie... why not... It has all the attributes of good action – swing, tension, drama and naturalistic directness. Similar to that which adorned Saving Private Ryan. Fortunately, unlike that film, it lacks the strong agitation spirit, although from a thought point of view the film is also quite schematic and pathetic. However, given the amazingly absorbing atmosphere of hot Mogadishu, good acting performances (especially Eric Bana and Ewan McGregor), this is a classic must-see for fans of American films. To all this must be added the excellent soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, the great camera and Ridley Scott, who knows how to do action scenes like few others. Only the aforementioned thought-awkwardness and occasional confusion can be criticized... but as a gritty war-themed action movie... why not... That's all I'd look for. (04/16/2005)

For me, this film DEFINED what a war movie should look like. I might get some interesting responses from the locals, but I place Black Hawk Down higher than Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Ridley Scott created a film that simply took my breath away, and honestly, I don’t even know where to start with all these superlatives (and there are many). The opening sequence in Mogadishu, accompanied by a flawless soundtrack (yes, Zimmer outdid himself again) and perfect camera work, told me that this would become a cult film. The cast is absolutely top-notch, and everyone has their favorite character with whom they experience the war from their perspective (for me, Eric Bana from Delta Force stands out). And speaking of which, I appreciate that all the characters were given enough screen time for you to build a connection with them. It made it all the more impactful when the darkest possible scenario unfolded. The action sequences, featuring hundreds of bullets fired, crashes of American helicopters, and explosions, really left me cold. You hardly see such a realistic portrayal in today’s films, with computer effects kept to a minimum here (huge thumbs up for that). Emotionally, a few moments are capable of completely crushing the viewer. As I mentioned at the beginning, Zimmer once again delivered his classic soundtrack, with beautiful symphonic tones contrasting with the brutal street war scenes so precisely that a better result could not have been achieved. I’m truly at a loss for words. Another masterpiece from this director, and a film I will always make time for. ALWAYS... I give it 10/10. (05/01/2019)

By the time the ink was barely dry on my ID and I had successfully passed my high school entrance exams, I headed to the movie theater to see a war movie by Ridley Scott, the filmmaker who had conveyed the unadulterated terror of my encounter with a slimy alien on TV a few weeks earlier. And it was... impressive! That was when I put down my books and fell in love with the big screen. I also took advantage of the advent of computers and my connections to people with high-speed internet to start devouring movies. In a big way. Black Hawk Down was one of them. I must have watched it 20 times at home back then. Now, about ten years later, I've come back to it and nothing has changed. Actually, it's all been amplified for me. The underlying idea of the pointlessness of the war is really flimsy, but that wasn't the point. This film is unique within its genre. In terms of creative skill in conveying a war battle, Scott and his entire crew were able to achieve the best possible outcomes: Idziak's handheld camera in the streets, the wide-angle camera units on hovering helicopters, the sound design sending the clatter of machine guns through the living room, and the rhythmic editing setting the pace along with Zimmer's roaring music. Every bolt and every nut is tightened to its fullest. I understand the competition at the time, but the fact that the film only took home two statuettes in the technical categories at the Oscars is mind-boggling. But prizes be damned. I have not the slightest doubt that when it comes to what I’ve written above, the film will continue to astonish well beyond the next decade. There's nothing to overcome here. (10/31/2014)

A very well made borefest. There are moments when Black Hawk Down is a very intense portrayal of the hell of war, but as the minutes went by, the constant shooting (together with the alternating heroic or terrified speeches) began to bore me and by the end I was watching it with only one eye. It was too descriptive for my taste, I prefer more narrative movies. (06/04/2010)

After a bit of a boring beginning comes the director's exhibition. Bloody, raw, gritty carnage, filmed so impressively that you have to wonder how the hell does Scott do that. Too bad about the missed Oscar nomination, Scott really deserved it. It should also be appreciated that this film does not expose the viewer the same hyper-patriotic horror as at the ending of Saving Private Ryan. After the formally perfect, but plot-wise stupid Gladiator, Ridley again fixed his reputation with me. (07/20/2002)