Final Film Critique: Black Hawk Down

Final Film Critique: Black Hawk Down

Introduction

Black Hawk Down was released in 2001, and it an American drama war film made on the Battle of Mogadishu. The film is based on the book written by Mark Bowden, with the same name, and describing the first person experience of the events and happenings of war. Due to the first hand experience of the writer, the book contains all the events in chronological order and with a personal touch, and the same is depicted in the movie too. The movie was directed by Ridley Scott and has a large cast, including Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner and Sam Shepherd. The movie, because of its excellent direction and production, has received two Oscars and the 74th Academy Award as well, which provides a proof of the efforts being put in the film (Bowden, 2005). The details of the various components of film along with a critical analysis are presented in the following paragraphs:

Thesis Statement

The movie Black Hawk Down revolves around the issues and relations between the American soldiers and intends to highlight their value and sufferings using various film techniques.

Discussion

Storytelling

The movie, as explained earlier, is a description of the events that took place during the battle and highlights the heroic acts and sportsmen spirit of the military men. The movie revolves around the battle of Somalia, and starts with the time when Somalia was in the grip of famine and civil war, which claimed around 300,000 civil lives. When the UN peacemaking operations came to an end, and the majority of the peace makers were withdrawn, the Somalia people declared war on the remaining personnel. In order to cope with the situation and help the captured UN Peace makers, America deployed the United States Army Ranger, the Delta Force and 160th SOAR in order to capture the self proclaimed president of Somalia, Mohammad Farah Aidid, who was the main person behind all the wrong doings.

The Delta Forces, upon reaching Somalia, chalk out a plan to capture two major advisors of Mohammad Farah Aidid, and the mission is successful accomplished, but meanwhile PFC Todd Blackburn falls from one of the copters, severely damaging his back. From this point onwards, the issues and problems of American military men start surfacing and are beautifully performed and captured. A number of scenes in the movie provide a touching experience to the viewers and highlight the sportsmen spirit among the military men, including the one when the military men are talking about their respective families, and one of them prepares a drawing of his daughter, who is now several miles away from him.

Although the personal lives of the characters are not highlighted, but it does not matter because the movie is about the war and its events, not about the lives of the military men. The lack of communication between the air and ground forces is also clearly depicted in the movie and provides a detailed account of the issues ...