Excellent film lost on those who have not read the book

Rating: Null/10 (15 February 2002)

I've read the novel by Mark Bowden and I found it very engrossing. It was a gripping story based on the accounts of the American soldiers who were involved in the Mogadishu conflict back in 1993. It is important to recognise that this film is based upon a book which is considered to be one of the best collections of facts about the battle that any of us has access to.
I can't help but laugh at some of the reviews which complain about the lack of character development and the one-sidedness of this film. There were over 100 American soldiers present and several thousand Somalians. How much character development can you fit into a movie like this and still run within a reasonable time period? Most accounts in the book were from the Americans since there were more of them available to give their observations. I think Ridley Scott and the script writers did a phenomenal job in making the characters as memorable as they were.
As for the flag-waving, I can't see what people complain about. There is next to no flag-waving in the film. Of course there has to be some of that since there are 2 sides, each fighting for their country, but I think the story is told fairly based upon the facts available. I don't think that the film makers have some kind of political agenda like so many people claim. I think that the point of this movie was to show the courage of the American soldiers thrown into a horrible situation.
This is not a propaganda film like some fools would claim. It is not dangerous. It doesn't glorify war (to show the horror of war, people need to see it). It glorifies the brave souls who put themselves in hot water for the sake of their comrades regardless of their own well being. So what if it is from an American point of view? An American studio did produce it. This battle DID happen regardless of the political details that weren't in the film. But I guess you can't please everyone.
The film is a technical masterpiece. I couldn't find any flaws in the special effects and Ridley Scott did a terrific job of interpreting a very dynamic and convoluted situation.
I'd give the film a 9/10 even though it's not the sort of film that demands repeat viewings. To fully appreciate it, I would strongly recommend reading the book first.