Customer Reviews

Black Hawk Down

5 star:		(396)
4 star:		(131)
3 star:		(67)
2 star:		(39)
1 star:		(58)

 

 

I owned the original release of this DVD and, thanks to this new release, I now own the deluxe version. Needless to say, this speaks volumes over how much I love this film. I'm not a particularly big fan of war films but this movie really hit an emotional chord with me and I consider it one of my favorite films ever. It is a truly powerful film.

However, this review isn't about the film itself. Hundreds of people before me have already done that. I am reviewing the DELUXE DVD version, which I must say was well worth the wait.

If you are a fan of any of actors of this film, then the special features will be a major treat. The main members of the cast (approx. 20 actors) - from Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Sam Shepard, Eric Bana and Jason Isaacs to up-and-comers Hugh Dancy, Matthew Marsden and Orlando Bloom get a major boost in this DVD. The 2 1/2 hour "Essence of Combat" documentary alone is worth the price of the dvd. It is packed with fabulous behind-the-scenes features, candid interviews and footage featuring the screenwriter (Ken Nolan), book author (Mark Bowden), director (Ridley Scott), special effects guys, composer (Hans Zimmer), military/technical consultants, cast members and even the actual soldiers who were involved in the mission. There are approx. 9 deleted scenes, most of which were a shame to not have been included in the final film. There are also photo galleries, loads of commentaries and many more!!!

If you are a fan of the film itself or want to know more about the events surrounding the Somalian conflict, there are two excellent TV documentaries from PBS and the History channel that would do just that.

I highly recommend this DELUXE DVD to fans of the film as well as fans of the actors involved. It is a major treat to see your favorite actor go through the week long military training (orientation) at the Ranger/Delta/Pilot facilities, get their haircuts or just talk about their overall experience in the film. Add to that an high quality transfer of this top-notch film and many other special features and you've got one of the best DVDs ever released. Simply superb!

Ridley Scott's intense depiction of the 1993 raid of Mogadishu by U.S. Rangers is an absolute masterpiece, giving us the best look at the horrors of ground warfare since "Saving Private Ryan".
In 1993, a vicious Somalian warlord known as Mohammed Farah Aidid is stealing food brought by American relief aid, resulting in a mass famine that claims the lives of at least three hundred thousand Somalis. U.S. Rangers and Delta Force are sent in to capture Aidid. During an October mission to capture Aidid's top assistants that was only supposed to take half an hour, two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down, resulting in a 16-hour battle in which the ground soldiers fought for their lives while defending the downed choppers against thousands of angry Somalis in the city of Mogadishu.
As well as giving us a realistic, graphic look at the movie, which is based on an actual event, "Black Hawk Down" also allows time for delving into the relationships in between the ground soldiers and how those relationships saved lives.
This movie has to be among the ranks of the best war films ever made. And if I was leaving Earth for the rest of my life and I could only take two movies with me, this would be one of them.

I give this movie three stars for the fact that it tries to give respect for that day. I acknowledge that and in turn share that respect for Ridley Scott.

I saw the movie before I read the book and being the adolecent that I was and still am, I based my knowledge of that day off the movie. After reading the book just recently, my feelings toward the movie have changed. Unlike Ridley Scott, Mark Bowden busted his ass going around the world and interviewing everyone who he could find that was there on the ground that day. Bowden also adds at the end of the book that he tried in his best to keep everything in the book as factual as possable, and that the parts in which he can't be for certain, he tried hard in getting as close to the context as he could.

In contrast and compare from the movie to the book, their are alot of things that happen in the movie... that didn't happen in the book which in turn didn't actually happen at all. Being a little more mature now then I was when this movie came out, I feel a little hurt seeing the movie and realizing that it's going to give everyone a misunderstanding of why and what we were there for. For example, Eversmann's chalk four left with the convoy. Chalk four never made it to Wolcott's crash site. Yet in the movie, the camera surrounds Matt Eversmann(Josh Hartnett) through out the whole movie. I don't have disrespect for Eversmann, I just have disrespect that I think the intent was giving Josh Hartnett good PR.

I have more to say but 1000 characters isn't enough. If you want an action film, this movie won't let you down; If you want a better understanding of what happened that day, books are your best option. Three stars.

I really Loved the movie Black Hawk Bown. It was very thought provoking and I think I learned more about events in the middle east.

It just doesn't get any better than this. I've seen this film 4 times & it never ceases to astound me. The acting is exceptional, Ridley Scott is directing here at the peak of his powers & Pietro Scalia should have received an Oscar for the outstanding editing job. The film itself functions more like a rocket ride than just a war film. The word visceral comes to mind. Violent? Frightening? Absolutely! But to demonstrate the true impact of war, for the soldiers & for us, there is no alternative. I noticed a fellow customer said this film is better than SAVING PRIVATE RYAN; am I the only one who noticed the huge hole in that film's storyline? Move over THREE KINGS, FULL METAL JACKET, THE THIN RED LINE...BLACK HAWK DOWN may just be the greatest war film ever made. Why? Because a war film isn't just bullets & the terrible death of comrades. Ridley Scott has shown us the true horror. I know it will haunt my dreams......

I recently bought the DVD for this movie and I have to say that I'm blown away by the movie about the operation to capture Adid in Mogadishu, Somalia in October '93. This movie is very accurate in showing the realities of combat and I think that this is a movie that will really convey to people what it's like to fight and die not only for their country, but for each other.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants to know about what it's like in the heat of combat and the courage and fortitude of our soliders.

Prior to "Black Hawk Down", "Apocalypse Down" was hands down my favorite non-World War II war movie. Time and distance works wonders, and Ridley Scott proves he can film modern combat, like sci-fi ("Alien") with the best of them.

This is a post Private Ryan film, which means that the street combat scenes are jumpy, erratic, and extremely violent. But like Spielberg, Scott does not lose sight of character development, particularly Harnett's character who becomes marooned with his "stick" of Rangers overnight in the centre of Mogadishu surrounded by thousands of screeming, RPG-toting Somalis who can use cell phones to mobilize and direct their forces. The movie builds like "Alien", to the point where it becomes incomprehensible that anyone is going to get out alive. The movie does not take sides when commanders sacrifice four or five soldiers to save one - it just happens.

Some reviewers have referred to the book as a "novel" - it is not. This battle really happened, but once we left Somalia (or were pushed out, depending on your point of view) it got quietly shunted aside as a bad sideshow until Mark Bowden wrote his book of the same title, which is a MUST read for people who loved the movie (it goes into greater detail of the Ranger culture and background politics). Lots of lessons abound for our current escapade into Mesopotamia.

Sizemore, who is also in "Private Ryan", is by leaps and bounds the best hard-nosed NCO anywhere. Ewan McGregor, who has had to suffer through Lucas' recent disasters, gets to demonstrate his versatility. Harnett is terrific.

No review should pass up the incredible sound, which demands a 5.1 system and heavy on the subwoofer. The soundtrack (with the exception of the vaguely Celtic ooh-ahhs at the end) is the best I recall of any war movie.

What Ridley Scott does with this film, unlike many before it, is that he does not glorify war in any regard... infact, it scolds war. War is dirty, chaotic, insane, and life changing as portrayed in this film. Chronicling an event in Somalia, this film also views a military theater almost non-existant in the military genre up until now.

Being cast with such A-list people as Tom Sizemore, Josh Hartnett, Orlando Bloom, Ewen McGregor and Sam Sheppard, we find a great deal of attachment to them and their characters throughout the film; well casted and good character development. There is tremendous loss in this film, both physical and pyschological...and as a viewer I felt every bit of it.

Backed by Oscars for Sound Design and Editing, this film shows it. Everything was carefully edited to provide a real of scenario as can be done on film. Yes, the film may look choppy or discolored, however this was added in the editing process to make the film feel gritty and nasty like the war itself.

I would highly recommend, as it shows a very different viewpoint on war in regard to how much the general public doesn't know concerning our military. Great movie, if not very intense.

I recommend!

This film is perhaps Ridley Scott's greatest directing performance (Yes, just as good as Aliens and I love that film). He really took the time to accurately portray not the just the soldiers but the event itself with amazing detail. I had the good fortune of going to see this film in a cinema and I cant recall a sound being uttered from anyone as the audiences streamed out at it's conclusion. The imagery is stark and poignant and the music featured throughout adds a real authentic flavor. This film will go down in cinematic history as the real
and definitive telling of the American Mogidishu operations. Every actor gives a standout performance and I feel confident did justice to the men who served in this conflict. Thank you Mr. Scott for your integrity and honorable efforts in bringing this important story to the masses.

WOW NOW THIS IS HOW BLACK HAWK DOWN IS SUPPOSED TO SOUND!!!THE DTS TRACK ON THIS SUPERBIT DVD IS ABSOLUTELY BRUTAL.THE OLD DOLBY TRACK ON THE REGULAR EDITION DIDNT HAVE ENOUGH OOMPF FOR ME.IF YOU WANT TO IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS WITH YOUR HOME THEATRE SOUND BUY THIS DVD!!!