A visual spectacle not to be missed

Rating: Null/10 (19 January 2002)

I must admit, I went into Black Hawk Down with more than a bit of trepidation. After all here on the incredibly useful IMDB Josh Hartnett is listed first. That means one of the key roles. That means the same guy who helped ruin Pearl Harbor is carrying a movie again.
Don't be turned away. I wasn't and I'm glad.
Hartnett does his finest work yet and outdoes many actors twice his age. As a sarge in Somalia of an elite Ranger group he comes of age in a horrible situation. Hartnett does a fine role, Ewan "Obi-Wan" McGregor does a fine job. In fact I must say pretty much every actor in this film did a wonderful job.
But that doesn't leave us without complaints (groans from the audience). Pipe down, it won't take long or be vicious.
First the tag line. "Leave no man behind." It's stressed a tad too much and it shines like a fire in the dark at the end. One man IS left behind and the movie only says he was released later. That's not leaving no man behind, that's twiddling your thumbs until they say so.
Tom Sizemore's character. Yeah he's cool. Yeah he's a badass. BUT...he's typecast and not only typecast, he's an almost direct copy of Robert Duvall's excellent Kilgore character from Apocalypse now. He would have been more useful out of the film or toned down a little. You leave thinking he's an actor or insane. Cause only someone in a fake situation or crazy can do what he does in certain scenes. Fake.
Now for plus sides. Sam Shepard. My goodness. This actor, this famous famous actor, takes on the worst military role in history. This is a good thing folks. Only a great actor can make you feel bad or supportive of a horrible leader. This man lets helicopters go unguarded, lets his men stay in hostile territory without equipment, etc. He does just about every FUBAR scenario he is offered and I found myself wanting to punch him. And that's a great feeling with actors.
Back to Hartnett. I can't help it. He is so young and he makes you truly believe he feels responsible for every man under his command. He even does the craziest stunt I've ever seen in a realistic movie to help his men out. I've tried to avoid giving away plot but you'll know it when you see it.
To wrap this review up don't trash McGregor and uh..that guy who plays Legolas in Lord of the Rings. I've momentarily forgotten his name. They have roles that couldn't possibly be long even though they are good actors. Keep in mind Black Hawk Down was filmed at the same time as Star Wars Ep 2 and Lord of the Rings (some of the post production stuff) so these guys couldn't hold a huge role. They knew Ridley Scott wouldn't disappoint and anything they could get they took. Good move fellas. Good move.