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DVDs
Black Hawk Down
 By
Richard Moore
If
nothing else, US soldiers know they will usually have more firepower
than any opponent and have an air superiority umbrella that can
protect them when times get a bit nasty.
And,
as a last resort, they can rely upon immediate helicopter evacuation
when things get truly sticky.
Unfortunately,
for troops in the Rangers and special Delta Force units, the system
broke down big time in a most unlikely place. The Third World.
Yes,
in spite of a huge technological advantage, a US raid to capture
some pretty mean Somali bandit chiefs in Mogadishu in 1993 turned
into a disaster and a planned 30-minute operation ended up very
much like the British defence of Rorke's Drift a century before.
From
a textbook helicopter and ground assault, the raid suddenly fell
into chaos as first one Black Hawk helicopter, then a second, was
shot down.
Immediately
tens of thousands of militia troops backing Mohamed Farrah Aidid,
the chief warlord of Somalia, went on to the offensive against fewer
than 200 US soldiers.
They
were cut off in small groups and not only hampered by an order to
protect the downed choppers, but found themselves without much air
support.
What
followed was an almost day-long fighting withdrawal against huge
odds.
Black
Hawk Down follows the raid from beginning to end and does so
with the exceptionally capable hands of Ridley Scott at the aerliron.
After
a shortish intro to the men - possibly too short to get a real attachment
to them - he then throws open the throttle for a wild action ride
that is exciting, nerve tingling and adrenalin pumping.
The
stars of the movie include Josh Harnett, Eric Bana - who is excellent
as a self-sufficient Delta Force operative - Jason Isaacs, Tom Sizemore
and Sam Shepard.
There
is some corn - like the rangers finishing just about everything
they say with "hoo" (or something that sounds like that) - but overall
will be acceptable to most blokes who like war movies.
Mrs
M, who loved Saving Private Ryan, thought it was "ordinary". More
than a bit harsh I thought.
The
video transfer is an absolute ripper with everything sharp and clear.
The colours are excellent - realistically muted by dust - and there
are no major visual hiccups.
Sound-wise,
Black Hawk Down will give your sound system the sort of workout
it has been waiting for. The use of channels is superb and will
have you thinking (while ducking for the cover of pillows) that
you are caught in the middle of one helluva firefight.
Black
Hawk Down is not a thinking-person's war movie, but a no-holds-barred
full-on shootout that will keep you interested right to the end
credits.
Conclusion:
Movie:
85%
DVD
Extras: 75%
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