The first thing I knew about Black Hawk Down was the amazing soundtrack. I friend gave it to me, without believing that I haven't never see this awarded Ridley Scott & Jerry Bruckheimer production.
A funny thing is that it could be a recent film, but at the same time it shows its own time - the production was concluded a few months before 9/11. The cinematography is spectacular, and not for nothing it was nominated for an Oscar. I was intrigued by how it was filmed, and I'm not used to that - I'm usually more focused on the story. But each take here is a masterpiece show no signs of aging except for a few older technologies, putting us disturbingly inside that horrid battle. Maybe because of the small screen, I wasn't so perturbed by it as I was during Saving Private Ryan, 1998, which was good because I left this last one movie screening in a terrible state. It was close enough, though.
What betrays its age is the fervent patriotism on it. Despite some major criticism to how unprepared the high military commanders actually are, the heroic actions of those soldiers are highlighted in order to validate such military actions. But I'm entering unknown territory here - that is just a humble opinion about something that bothers me a lot.
The cast is stellar, so many actual well known actor on their initial careers: It is Tom Hardy's first movie and Eric Bana's first US production (he is excellent as the intense Hoot). Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Hugh Dancy (I really like those three) and Orlando Bloom are kids here, and they are so good. It was incredible seeing them so young.
The whole movie as a production is outstanding actually. And the soundtrack, as I've said, is one of the best I've heard. But that annoying patriotism is a perpetual rock on my shoes, and so I had very conflicted feelings about this, even if I could admire Ridley Scott's filmmaking even more than I already did.
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| Black Hawk Down. Directed by Ridley Scott. With: Josh Hartnet, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore. Writer: Ken Nolan from the book by Mark Bowden. USA/UK, 2001, 144 min., DTS/Dolby Digital/SDDS. Color (DVD). |
I end up missing on some potentially great films, such as this one, because I can't, for the life of me, bring myself to watch war pieces. Ugh, I just can't with them. Whenever I watch a war-themed film, it feels like the hardest thing to do. I should work on that, I just wouldn't know how. I look at this, it's got Ewan McGregor and I'm like "yes please", but then you say "war film" and I'm out. It's a weakness, I know.
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