There may not be another living filmmaker with a better sense of scale than Ridley Scott, who is responsible for some of the most electrifying, viscerally impressive films in history. Although Scott cut his teeth in the science fiction genre with classics like Blade Runner and Alien, the majority of his career has been dominated by grandiose epics that tackle key moments in history. There aren’t many films on Scott’s resume that are as uncompromisingly bleak as Black Hawk Down, a 2001 drama based on the Battle of Mogadishu waged between the United States military and the armed militants of the Somali National Alliance. Although it has been criticized for some of its historical inaccuracies, Black Hawk Down examined the costs of war without offering an overtly jingoistic depiction of combat.

What Is ‘Black Hawk Down’ About?

Black Hawk Down is based on the acclaimed 1999 non-fiction novel by Mark Bowden, which chronicled a key incident within the Somali Civil War. After U.S. President Bill Clinton dispatched the military to two lieutenants working for the SNA leader Mohammed Farah Aidid, three black hawk helicopters were shot down, leaving the soldiers to fight for their survival when deep within enemy territory. The incident opened the world’s eyes to the sheer brutality of the regime in Somalia, as the battle ended up claiming more American lives than any conflict since the Vietnam War.Black Hawk Down hints at the political forces that allowed Aidid to rise to power, but for the most part, it centers on the unique array of men who served during the event. Scott does a great job at ensuring that these heroes are given the respect that they deserve, but does not necessarily condone the actions that their nation took.

Black Hawk Down features a fantastic ensemble cast, making it very impressive that the film never feels overcrowded with too many characters. At the center of the story is Josh Hartnett as SSG Matt Eversmann, who is adjusting to his first command in the thick of combat; while Hartnett is able to show the dedication and intense training that Eversmann went through in order to prepare for such a weighty responsibility, his inexperience as a leader turns him into a more vulnerable, and ultimately more inspiring hero. Also strong is a very young Tom Hardy in his first film role as SPC Lance Twombly, who suffers a critical injury after being pinned down by enemy fire. It’s a challenging task to develop empathy for a character with only a limited amount of screen time, but even minor characters, such as Ewan McGregor as the former desk clerk nicknamed “Grimesey,” end up having a part to play.

‘Black Hawk Down’ Was Critically Acclaimed

Black Hawk Down does not pull any punches when it comes to the action, as Scott remains true to the dark manner in which the battle played out in real life. It’s unique among modern warfare movies because it shows how hard it can be to wage a battle when so much is unknown. Many of the contrivances in the operation result from the lack of communication, as many groups of soldiers are separated from each other. Although it avoids any overt attempts at politicization, Black Hawk Down does reach more existentialist territory when it reflects upon the inherent barbarity of war; the film’s title cards include the quote “only the dead have seen the end of war,” which is attributed to the philosopher Plato.

Black Hawk Down won the Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, and earned Scott his third nomination for Best Director following his nods for Thelma & Louise and Gladiator, respectively. Unquestionably, the film’s popularity at the time of its release was inspired by real-world events, as it debuted in select theaters only two months after the devastating attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Perhaps viewers were looking for a source of nationalism, but Black Hawk Down is quite bleak, and does not suggest that any lessons were learned by the war.Sadly, the message that Scott was trying to convey with Black Hawk Down is just as relevant 23 years later.

Black Hawk Down The story of 160 elite U.S. soldiers who dropped into Mogadishu in October 1993 to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord, but found themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily armed Somalis.Release Date January 18, 2002 Runtime 144 minutes

Black Hawk Down is available to stream on Peacock in the United States.

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