Black Hawk derribado

While the theatrical cut still resulted in a meaningful film, it irked me originally in the theater and then again recently upon seeing it again that very significant moments from the original Philadelphia Inquirer articles were left out. It was as if someone hadn't just forced Ridley Scott to cut the film down for time, but to de-emphasize the disparity in training and personalities between the Tier One units and everyone else. Was it because they wanted the Rangers to do interviews and go on the talk circuit to help publicize the film? Regardless, the Extended Edition adds back footage I had no idea they bothered to even shoot. The only big thing missing is that Delta medic Earl Fillmore isn't a character, but I assume his family wasn't interested in him being portrayed at all, which is unfortunate. In the Extended Edition, Wolcott instead serves the Fillmore role of reassuring someone and then himself becoming an early KIA. In fact, Fillmore was killed while moving to Wolcott's crash site. So, this was a very smart and fitting proxy. The theatrical cut is, frankly, an inexcusable version that no one should be watching when the extended exists.

Unlike most of the war movies of our time, Black Hawk Down sticks to the facts about what happened in Mogadishu and doesn't romanticize the story. To support this observation, the viewer will notice that there is not really one main character. This shows that the film focuses more on what happened in Somalia instead of on the characters personality and/or struggles. Another important aspect of the film that makes it so great is the cinematography. Not only was the setting of the film accurate to the real thing, but the way that the movie was filmed is great because it seems like someone is running along the battle scene getting everything on tape. In addition, the film contains small aspects that one may not notice that are important to the situation in Mogadishu. For instance, the bullet shells that fell from the firing helicopter fell into one of the soldiers' vests, and he scrambled to get it out because of how hot it was. This small detail makes the movie that much more realistic. To conclude, Black Hawk Down is a great movie that is both an eye opener that sticks to the facts as well as a quality film. I recommend this movie to any war-film fan, as well as anyone that likes watching movies in general.

I've been watching this movie and its accompanying extras on DVD this week for the first time and I thought is ironic that this very American war story should be directed and produced by an Englishman (Ridley Scott) and have a large number of British actors cast as the American servicemen (Ewan McGregor, Jasson Issacs, Hugh Dancy, Euan Bremner, Orlando Bloom.) I suppose it's the equivalent of Steven Spielberg directing a film about the Battle of Goose Green during the Falklands War and casting Americans as members of the Parachute Regiment.

Scott's movie is quite brave in that it has no major stars and no central character (unlike, say Tom Hanks in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN or Mel Gibson in WHEN WE WERE SOLDIERS). It's also largely free of the clichés of the genre: no soaring John Williams score accompanying shots of the flag fluttering in the sunlight; no scenes of the families back home. Instead its all about the logistics and the absolute horror of battle. This is the best combat footage since ZULU way back in 1964, a film which it resembles. In Scott's commentary description words, it is 'Anti-War but pro-military'.

Gripping, exciting and downright dramatic, this war drama from Ridley Scott is another notch in the director's blossoming career (following on from the disappointing HANNIBAL). Scott handles both the drama and action with flair and skill and the result is an epic-feeling movie which, following on from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, shows you what war is really all about. Forget the long-gone days of cinema where soldiers never got dirty and war was glamourised to the extreme; this is a film that puts you right into the thick of the action, making you feel like you're actually taking part in the battle. The realism is thick and at the end of the film you feel exhausted so you know the work has paid off.

Technically, the film is excellent, with fine action choreography and some great camera angles that are up close and personal. The various CGI effects are used to heighten the realism of the drama, but the main thing is that you never feel like you're watching CGI, so they are effective in the utmost. The film is bleak, violent and also extremely gory in places, so only strong stomachs need apply. A cast loaded with faces fill out their roles respectively and make you feel for the various characters – in particular William Fichter, Jason Isaacs, Kim Coates, Tom Sizemore and Ewen Bremner give fine performances, as well as the more famous leads. BLACK HAWK DOWN is a classic and exciting war film, utilising state-of-the-art technology to make it even more intense than before. Check this one out.

It's an action packed movie with great detailing and difficult direction. I have watched many war movies and their original footage. Black Hawk Down still remains the best for me. And hats off to Hans Zimmer