Review: Black Hawk Down (2001)

Black Hawk Down (2001)
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana, Sam Shephard (famous playwright )

Verdict:7 out of 10. Excellent movie making. Full of realistic battle scenes and tense action. Very good expos'e of the futility of war.

Finally watched 'Black Hawk Down' directed by Ridley Scott. It is about the disastrous American effort in 1993 to save the people of Somalia from it's war lords. 

I got tired after watching it for about an hour. The entire hour involved showing  minute by minute unfolding of the fight that ensues as the US troops attack a safe house in the middle of densely populated lanes of Mogadishu in Somalia. The movie shows war so up close that the danger and tragedy hits very hard. I stopped watching it but continued after a couple of days. Now I was able to watch it with some detachment. The movie shows in elaborate detail what exactly transpired during the couple of hours of the attack. It looks like real war. The lanes, the densely crowded houses, the Humvees, the attack helicopters appear very real. More importantly the violence of war is very stark and depressing. Anyone who watches this movie will realize the senselessness of war which treats human life an easily disposable thing. The soldiers themselves are not clear why they are fighting. One of the soldiers expresses this depressing thought. "The purpose of war is irreleant. A soldier should just fight to save his fellow soldier." (paraphrased by me)

This movie is not like the war movies which celebrate the exploits of  US Marines  who conduct a surgical attack or a daring rescue. Here things go wrong and situation goes out of control. War is not glamorised. It is shown for what it is - a tragedy full of death and destruction.

All the above comment should not discourage you from watching it. It is one of the best war movies. The movie has spectacular guerilla war between Americans and the supporters of the Somali war lord Aidid, in the narrow lanes of Mogadishu. For people like us who sit in the comfort of air conditioned offices it is a humbling experience to watch a soldier step out of the barracks not knowing if he will return back alive and  does it without questioning why he or she is doing it in the first place.

The director Ridley Scott and his team should be congratulated for this excellent movie.