BLACKHAWK DOWN
Blackhawk Down is a heart rending movie about a profound failure in American foreign
policy. It recreates the events of
What was intended to be a
quick “precision” operation lasting one hour degenerated into a 15 hour siege
in which American casualties were 18 killed and 73 wounded, with Somali
casualties of at least 500 killed and unknown numbers of combatants and
civilians wounded.
Blackhawk Down is directed by Ridley Scott with a lean script that emphasizes the
visuals over dialogue. His introduction to provide background on the story is
brief and done with graphics. He then moves into the always unavoidable
sequence of vignettes to put faces on the characters who will participate in
the battle: the eager young Army Rangers and the focused and intimidating Delta troopers.
But this lasts only several
minutes as he moves quickly into the run-up and start of the assault. Watching
the Little Bird helicopters swoop through narrow streets was impressive. As the
Rangers fast rope down from hovering helicopters to provide security for the
Delta troopers who have succeeded in capturing Aidid’s lieutenants, the city
explodes beneath them and the operation disintegrates into confusion and
multiple fights for survival with the Americans having only their small arms and
limited helicopter gunship support. (Then Secretary of Defense Les Aspin had
denied the use of C-130 gunships and armored vehicles or tanks as being too
provocative).
The battle unfolds with
visceral intensity and confusion as we watch men cut down from automatic
weapons and rocket propelled grenades as they struggle to rescue themselves
from the killing zones. It is to the movie’s credit that it does not flinch in
presenting either the violence or the wounds. Some of the images are shocking
and disturbing, but they are not cheap exploitation. A movie about real people,
with real names used, must be as true as possible to their experience.
The ensemble cast, which
includes Sam Shepard, Tom Sizemore, Ewan McGregor, and Josh Harnett, is large
with reportedly over 40 speaking parts. But once the battle begins, individuals
disappear for the most part and faces are hidden under helmets, blood, and
grime. (Note that Scott did have one counterfeit to help the audience: he did
have the Rangers have their names on their helmets to differentiate the cast –
it doesn’t help).We see only faceless shapes in
uniform or mufti: Ranger, Delta, and Somali, most of whom are wounded, more
than a few who die.
Blackhawk Down has been criticized by some as a propaganda movie. But, it predated
the "war on terrorism." Without the events of last year no one would
have ever considered a major foreign policy disaster source material for a
flag-waving piece. And this certainly doesn't wave the flag. Perhaps to underscore its theme, Scott had a
Somali warlord captured in the opening scene ask the American general,
"How long have you been in
Now, in a time of this new
war with its expanding and nonspecific objectives that must and will be
conducted in light of domestic and international politics as well as cultural
and ethnic concerns, it would be well to remember that latter question as much
as the events of September 11, 2001. And to remember the courage of, and costs
to, the young Americans who are sent to fight it.
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