Uncompromising

Rating: Null/10 (18 November 2008)

I'm used to typing fairly lengthy comments on IMDb by now (nearly 500 at this point), but I can't think of much to say about "Black Hawk Down". I can't really express in words how this film made me feel- it's brutal, tough to watch, unpleasant, completely captivating, stunningly well-shot and edited, quite well-written, and ultimately one of the most uncompromising and unromantic war films ever made. Ridley Scott is an inconsistent director but when he's on form he's really on form, and "Black Hawk Down" is a great film. I don't care for the cast all that much, but this is still an absolutely stunning film. After half an hour of introduction to the characters and situation we are thrust into battle. The effect on the audience is tremendously powerful in how sudden and explosive it is, and aside from the near-constantly playing music, "Black Hawk Down" is pure, unadulterated carnage which seeks to accurately depict the events in Mogadishu and succeeds. Not an easy film to watch, but genuinely worthwhile.
9/10