It's an action film from first frame to last.

Rating: 6/10 (19 January 2002)

This is the only movie I've ever seen where I could leave to urinate, wash my hands, come back to my seat and they were still shooting the enemy non-stop. The pyrotechnic and ammunition budget for this film had to have exceeded what Cecil B. DeMille invested to part the Red Sea. It's an action film from first frame to last. And its timing could not be better for a patriotic America.
As a study of the intimate realities of war, it could be a training reel for the U.S. Military. It impacts with the wallop imparted by "Death on the Highway", a high school film Driver's Ed served up to kids learning to drive in the 60s and 70s. Blackhawk Down offers a brief segment of a thirty minute "incursion/extraction" operation gone awry as they sometimes do due to the many unpredictable variables in hostile territory.
As a film study, it dissects a 36 hour of real life as a Ranger / Special Forces task force. I empathized with every soldier and the gritty reality of their task as well as the intensity of their commitment; but the absence of backstory prevented me from becoming emotionally attached to any of them, an impact directors often hope to achieve.
If you like action, nothing could be better! For a full-bodied storyline packed with reality to boot, stick with Saving Pvt. Ryan. Enjoy! 6 / 10.