Rating- * * * (3/5)
Ridley Scott has always been known for using a little more than his share of blood and guts. Despite this, he has developed a reputation as a well-respected, legitimate filmmaker. In his previous films like Alien, Gladiator, and Hannibal, Scott manages to balance the brutal violence with melodramatic emotion, which provides for a very dark, heavy tone pervading throughout his films. If you heard any of the early buzz, you know that Black Hawk Down was rushed into an early release in order to qualify for Oscar consideration. Usually, rushing a film can compromise the post-production process, but in this case the film appears to have escaped unscathed. However, the Oscar push may have been a little presumptuous, considering that it received only one major nomination, for Best Adapted Screenplay. Black Hawk Down is the true story of the failed 1993 mission to overthrow a Somali warlord in the city of Mogadishu. Hundreds of Somali natives and 18 marines were killed in the mayhem that ensued after two military helicopters were brought down by Somali militia. The first 20 minutes or so of the film help set up the situation and introduce the characters, which are numerous. In fact, there are so many characters that it’s hard to remember who each of them are, let alone care about them when they are injured or killed. Josh Hartnett, who plays an idealistic soldier eager to become a hero, does probably the best acting of his career. Granted, that isn’t a hard goal for him to reach considering his less than stellar acting in Pearl Harbor and 40 Days and 40 Nights, but nonetheless he shows serious potential in Black Hawk Down. Ewan McGregor, one of my favorite rising acting talents, receives very little screen time and leaves us wanting more of his character, a military man stuck behind a desk who gets the chance to be a hero. The special effects are the most impressive part of the film. After the relatively short setup, we are plunged into the action, which is not as glamorous or as easy as the soldiers predicted it to be. We as the audience are not spared the brutalities of this battle, as blood and bullets riddle the screen mercilessly. The whole ordeal is really quite exhausting to watch, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, we are not really rewarded with either a happy or a tragic ending. The whole film plays more like a home movie than a piece of cinema. It is simply one event after the other, and then it ends. While it is one of Ridley Scott’s more impressive films visually, it is far from his best in terms of story, style, or character development. If you’re looking for realistic battle action, this is definitely for you, but don’t expect a thought-provoking commentary film.