Engrossing, unbalanced and insensitive.

Rating: 6/10 (19 January 2002)

This movie is worth seeing from a historical context. This movie is based on an actual event and takes some cinematic liberty to fill in some of the blanks. Let's face it, this is not a "re-enacting" of the event - this is a movie. The actual event says as much as you need to know and to make your own conclusions about war and humanity. Hell, there's a countless number of hopeless and bloody battles raging all the time. A movie - as art - can transcend historical context and give us a new insight. Unfortunately, Black Hawk Down is rather one-dimensional. Considering that around 1000 Somolians were killed, this movie portrays little of their experiences save their bodies being torn apart by bullets and grenades. This is insensitive, but alas, this is war and - Hollywood. This movie succeeds in delivering the white knuckled combat action sought by combat deprived American males, it does not offer much in the way of acting. Some of the dramatic scenes seem contrived and out of place. Though based on real events and even real dialogue, the presentation of these parts reeks of Hollywood. It is the intense hyper-realism of the battle scenes that make some of the scripted scenes seem so out of place. So you want it real then? Okay, how about shut off the silly American patriotic sound track then. Or how about a scene showing Master Sgt. Gary Gordon body dragged through the streets of the Mog. After all that is what happened. But I digress, it might not be entertaining! No, but it would be respectful. This is that man's last hour, that is how he died, why not tell us. An event such as tragic as this shouldn't be entertainment for our popcorn, CNN fueled society. I think we can all agree that after Sept. 11th it just isn't 'fun' anymore. Let us remember then.