Starring: Josh Harnett, Ewan McGregor and Eric Bana
Director: Ridley Scott
Rated: M15+
BLACK Hawk Down is not your usual American war film.
It chronicles the carnage in Mogadishu on October 3 and 4, 1993 during the 15-hour operation by US Marines to apprehend two of Somalia’s most despotic warlords.
The whole operation was a disaster. US war films rarely tell stories about failure.
Another unusual feature of this film is that there is only the slightest cutting back to stories at home, though it does fall into the trap of the marine destined to die is the one who rings his wife, writes a farewell letter to his family or shows a photograph of his sweetheart to a comrade!
To achieve these differences English director Ridley Scott was hired. With Alien and Gladiator to his credit, his action film credentials are indisputable. His use of a Moroccan location, lighting contrasts, excellent editing and a booming sound design are outstanding.
Black Hawk Down must be the longest series of war battles ever recorded on film. Lasting for more than three-quarters of the entire time, these battles are graphically and relentlessly portrayed. It will be too much for many viewers.
Like the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan, it tries to capture on film the reality of war. Unlike Saving Private Ryan, the violence serves an anti-war agenda.
Along with many of the characters, I found Australian actor Eric Bana’s southern accent hard to understand, and while the whole cast puts in credible performances, acting in this genre is always secondary to the large-scale action.
Black Hawk Down is not a film to like or enjoy, but it might help convince a generation who have not known war that the price we pay for any military violence is very high indeed.
