Watch the film, then read the book

Rating: 8/10 (16 February 2002)

This film is a technical masterpiece, a very slick and well edited piece of cinema. Sadly, it eschews the depth and power of the original story that it is based upon, and in so doing turns what could have been a great movie into merely a good one.
I will avoid spoilers here, but the film is an adaptation of a true story. The facts and plot are mostly accurate, but differ on key points - the protagonist of the film really wasn't even there after the first two hours. The Somali point of view is completely ignored (something the author took great pains to document, and gives a wonderfully complex backdrop to the conflict), the true carnage of the battle is glossed over (it was MUCH more bloody), and the soldiers are portrayed as champions of truth and freedom when in fact they were just guys in a terrible situation trying to stay alive.
As for "you should not judge a film from the book from which it was based upon", I found the story to be distractingly one-sided and decidedly propaganda-esque. The introduction scenes seemed out of place, as if they were intended only to make the audience sympathetic toward the "heroes" and not really explore the tragedy that was the Day of the Rangers (as the Somalis now call the battle).
Do yourself a favor - read the book. It will give you a much greater appreciation for the complicated world we live in. It doesn't preach or make points with a sledgehammer like this film tried.