BACK HAWK DOWN [about the film]

GoneShootin · 19-01-2002 2:58pm #1

went to see it Thurs, 8PM, Cineplex in Cork

I LOVED IT. brought the g/f along, she enjoyed it too, tho she recoiled at the BLOOD n GUTS

better than BEHIND ENEMY LINES

I nominate BLACK HAWK DOWN as a film that you MUST see

Samson · 19-01-2002 3:05pm

Finally.

An actual opinion on the film.

I'm gonna try and see it before the weekend is out, I'll post comments then.

plastic membrane · 19-01-2002 3:23pm

Opinion:

What i loved about the film is that is makes no political statement at all, its just a balls to the wall war film, two straight hours of no stop fighting. And its all the better for it. Plus, its beautifully shot, has some gripping set pieces involving crashing helicopters (always good), and reminds me of one of my fave war movies, Zulu. There was no political statement in that either, it was just, as described by one of the characters in Black Hawk Down "All about the man next to you." There's no preachy flag-waving jingoism, nary an american flag in sight, its simply a story of a bunch of soldiers who got in over their heads and tried to get out of it alive.

Then again, i went with a mate and he said he preferred Behind Enemy Lines. Whatever, go make your own mind up, personally, i thought it was brilliant.

Snaga · 19-01-2002 3:24pm

I cant wait to see this film!

However Id have thought EVERYTHING was better than behind enemy lines.

SweetBirdOfTruth · 19-01-2002 3:49pm

generally i'd have to say i enjoyed this. mostly great to watch. the music, thoughout, suited the whole thing. does it glorify war? of course it does, all war movies do. it's why they make em. they might show you that it's a dirty and painful and silly thing, but they always manage to suggest to you that it's noble, to always repeat the old lie. do you think the army would co-operate with the film makers if they didn't?

where i stopped liking the film was from about the time the guy got shot in the femur and started pumping blood. from there, in it just about sucked like your typical suckie buddy-buddy war movie.

at the end, when eric bana's character was eating his curry and packing his greandes to go back in, and he does that little speech, about how it's all about the guy next to you, that that's all that's important, that that's why he fights. and then he does to hatnett's character and tells him not to think about going back in with him, as he prefers to work alone.

and before that, the rangers running through the streets, the crowd finally cheering em on, as they enter the stadium, seemingly at the end of an olympic run, and stand there bemudesly, exhausted as polite men with trays and white towels dispense water in glasses. a cheap shot that, but kinda fun.

on the politics of the whole thing, this from the gruan's archives:

dec 01 - http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/A...324338,00.html
In Black Hawk Down, Ewan McGregor plays the character of Ranger John Grimes as a clean-cut everyman hero. That trouble is that Grimes is merely Ranger John "Stebby" Stebbins in disguise. In June 2000 Stebbins was court-marshalled and later found guilty of assault and rape of a girl under the age of 12.
Mark Bowden, who wrote the Black Hawk Down book and screenplay, this week told the New York Post that he was pressurised by the Pentagon to change Stebbins's name in order to avoid controversy. Bowden refused to do so in the book, but eventually capitulated when writing the screenplay.

there's a more recent piece floating around somewhere, scornful of the bk itself, check out the gruan site yourself. i think though that the graun ran an excerpt from the bk when it came out. i seem to recall rding it, a story of the confusion in the humvees as they were directed to the first crash site from the air. searching google, i found this, and i think it's the piece i recall - http://www.nightstalkers.com/tfrang...awkdown/12.html

as for the brutality of the somalis - then as now you have to remember that not five years earlier a crowd of ornary decent citizens beat to death two plain clothes soldiers on the streets of belfast. but they won't make a film about that ...

Spunog UIE · 19-01-2002 9:55pm

Xcellant, should be off to see her tomo'

leeroybrown · 20-01-2002 1:45am

I'm looking forward to seeing this one.

Theres nothing quite like a well shot all out war film.

I'm still pissed off that Redux only screened in the IFC too.

Shinji · 20-01-2002 3:12am

Utterly mindless but entirely enjoyable; it's a two hour action scene which makes no attempt at a complex plot, doesn't bother trying to explain why the Yanks were in Somalia or offer any moral reason for them being there - and it's better for it.

One of the characters mentions at one point that once the fighting starts, the politics ceases to matter, and that might as well be the moral of the film.

It's gritty as hell, very harrowing and nasty, and probably the most realistic and fantastically directed war movie out there - other than Saving Private Ryan.

Well worth seeing if you're a fan of war movies, but if you're expecting to be challenged in any way or get uncomfortable with the "high" concept of men in war fighting to protect each other more than anything else (another idea which it plays a lot, and which admittedly makes a lot of sense), don't bother.

Lex_Diamonds · 20-01-2002 3:32pm

Yes go and see it, its certainly didn't disappoint me.

BTW, those miniguns rock!

Victor · 20-01-2002 9:21pm

Originally posted by SweetBirdOfTruth
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/A...324338,00.html
http://www.nightstalkers.com/tfrang...awkdown/12.html

broken links

Fidelis · 20-01-2002 10:58pm

It was a good action movie but as far as being the film of the book, it wasn't great.

None of the politics were discussed, faceless mobs etc.

As far as comparisons to Behind Enemy Lines, Black Hawk Down is by far the better action flick.

Pugsley · 21-01-2002 1:07am

Went to see it last Friday, it was cool!
Best war film ive seen, its cool the way one of them gets deafened by his mate,i thought that was very funny

The stream of bulets coming from them minguns completely rocked aswell!

SweetBirdOfTruth · 21-01-2002 8:49am

victor - those links.

the gruan article quoted from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4324338,00.html

the link to the bk:
http://www.nightstalkers.com/tfranger/blackhawkdown/12.html

apps for the error.

Jackoman · 21-01-2002 2:15pm

An absolutely brilliant movie - without a doubt. I read the book a while ago, which I loved, and the movie was excellent. Brought my g/f and she loved it too. Anyone who rates this movie poorly or any film critic, like that moron in the Irish Times Culture section who dissed this movie should have their head re-arranged.

Da Bounca · 21-01-2002 5:31pm

Originally posted by plastic membrane
Opinion:

What i loved about the film is that is makes no political statement at all

I haven't seen the film, but isn't this the one where the U.S blow the **** into some poor Somalians?
Surely that is a political statement of some sort, even though a mildly twisted and brutally demented one?

GoneShootin · 21-01-2002 5:52pm

the **** into some poor Somalians

unless you call weapon wieding killers as poor Somalians, then you would be right, which of course, you are not.

they were not out to kill civilians. altho if you ment POOR as in OF LITTLE CASH, then yes you would be correct, to a point of the majority

Spunog UIE · 21-01-2002 6:49pm

thought it was okay at first but towards the end i was praying for it to end. So boring and stupid, annoyingly stupid, soo mmmmmmm, american, in a non cocky way, just stupid. The above decriptions are right in that its all 'action' witht the odd american 'we leave no man behind' stuff which really pissed me off when they were dead and sacrafisied ppls lives to bring back a corpse. What made it even more sad was that it actually happened. ****in losers.

Samson · 22-01-2002 12:59am

Well,

I just got back from seeing the film.
Very good it was indeed.
I was a bit suprised that it was so non gung ho, we Yanks are great.
I think the aim of the film (to document a strategic balls up) was well translated, in that we got the impression these lads just wanted to get themselves and their comrades out of there ASAP.

I can highly recommend it.
Non stop action.

On a side note: I actually have a photo (in a book on photojournalism) taken during the day, where the "skinnies" are seen dragging the half naked body of one of the men from the second black hawk crash site.
Would it be relevant or appropriate to post it here ?
Would any of you folks be interested in seeing it ?

I would not be posting it for the titillation value, but to illustrate just how real this event was, and because it corresponds directly with a scene in the film.

EvilGeorge · 22-01-2002 3:07pm

Best film depicting one of the great american cockups

Da Bounca · 22-01-2002 3:14pm

then yes you would be correct, to a point of the majority

Looks like I win again then.

Victor · 22-01-2002 6:07pm

Originally posted by Samson
On a side note: I actually have a photo (in a book on photojournalism) taken during the day, where the "skinnies" are seen dragging the half naked body of one of the men from the second black hawk crash site.
Would it be relevant or appropriate to post it here ?
Would any of you folks be interested in seeing it ?

I think leave people PM you for the link.

plastic membrane · 23-01-2002 8:17pm

Originally posted by Da Bounca

I haven't seen the film, but isn't this the one where the U.S blow the **** into some poor Somalians?
Surely that is a political statement of some sort, even though a mildly twisted and brutally demented one?

Don't be silly, who on Earth would ever think blowing the **** into poor people is a political statement ? What do you mean im looking at you funny Mr Bush ?

Lemming · 23-01-2002 8:34pm

Went to see the film last night. Quite enjoyable. Just switch your thinking off and sit back and enjoy

There was an article in the "Daily Mirror" (Scottish national paper) in which they slated it, citing racism and depicting the somalis as brutal, violent mobs.

What I have to laugh at is that during the events of the day itself, there WERE brutal violent mobs, none so better illustrated then the infamous picture of the dead american being dragged along the streets surrounded by hundreds of cheering somalis.

suppafly · 02-02-2002 4:50pm

So i take it that it is a really good movie. I was going to go and see it last week but couldn't. I heard that i guy this a missile through his leg or something? Whats it actually about(a quick 2/3 line summary)?

Victor · 02-02-2002 5:24pm

Originally posted by CSfreak
So i take it that it is a really good movie. I was going to go and see it last week but couldn't. I heard that i guy this a missile through his leg or something? Whats it actually about(a quick 2/3 line summary)?

No, he gets an RPG through his rib-cage. In summary, US soldiers fly in to capture aides of Somalian war-lord. Two helicopters shot down. Soldiers stuck in city over-night, outnumbered by local gun-men.

suppafly · 03-02-2002 1:14am

thanks

GoneShootin · 03-02-2002 2:57am

you got off lightly CSfreak, Victor could have gone into lengthty detail about the military technology, as he did for BEHIND ENEMY LINES.

always informative tho

mayhem# · 04-02-2002 12:02pm

Just watched the movie at home last night and it had me on the edge of my seat all the way through. Not as in depth but a whole lot more gripping then the book (which was very good to begin with).....

GoneShootin · 04-02-2002 12:24pm

at home ?

mayhem# · 04-02-2002 12:32pm

Yup "at home".
The joys of the global economy and the internet....

bugler · 05-02-2002 1:00pm

Saw it yesterday afternoon. Bored me a bit, overly long. Right in the middle, they practically replayed the same scene over again. The whole, "theres a chopper down, get to the crash site", "oh no we can't" played on my nerves a bit. That may have been how it happened or whatever, but it did not captivate me. At the end I walked out feeling as though I'd just watched dozens of scenes butchered from various war/action films and given a somalian setting. Being derirative isn't necessarily an automatic ticket to boredom, but it didn't offer anything new for me.

Victor · 05-02-2002 1:06pm

I think they were trying to demonstrate the confusion and the panic of being underfire over-night, but instead just caused boredom and frustration.

BACK HAWK DOWN [about the film]

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