Black: Moody: Brilliant.

Rating: 7/10 (4 April 2006)

Black Hawk Down is filmed eight years after the event of the Battle of Mogadishu, the capitol of Somalia in North East Africa. Based on the book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden and directed by Ridley Scott.
The true story of American soldiers, during October 3rd and 4th, 1993, who, having been sent to the heart of the City, an enemy stronghold, and to capture and return the warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. In the exercise of their duty, two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are shot down in the middle of the City, an extremely close combat battle then commences.
Being one of the rarer and finer American war movies, that does not play on the clichÃ©d ego trip, that we have come to see during the last twenty years or so of this genre. Could this also be because the cast here consists of a mixed bag of internationals, such as American, British and Scottish actors, even with their poor American accents to boot?
The cinematography on Black Hawk Down is aesthetically clear and concise; with fine detail to colour, temperament and texture, that really does set the mood of the environment. The pacing of this movie is neither too fast nor does it leave you looking at your watch. With the right ingredient for character build up and development, we can feel an empathic understanding of these unfortunate souls.
This is a very well shot movie too, of tight battle scenes that draws us into and unquestionably involves the viewer at ground level. We are left with a guided tour of duty in the comfort of our Cinema and living rooms, the atmosphere is well articulated and we are left with camaraderie that has over spilled into our hearts and mind.
Black Hawk Down is a movie not of ego but of comradeship and the partnership of one man equals all men; this is a very good movie indeed, with very little bad language, it really is not needed. This movie relies on the sometimes graphic and the sentimentality's that war can bring, to deliver home that one can watch a good movie as well as make them.
Black Hawk Down is a unique and refreshing war film, knowing that is it is a real event and seeing what the Soldiers had to endure is captivating. With the help of Ridley Scott at the helm, it will make any war movie genre fan want to pin it down and watch with an understanding that the ego does not make the Soldier, but the Soldier makes the Man.
A different way to make a War movie.
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