Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Josh Hartnett
Genre: War/Action/Drama
Studio:   Release date: 2002   Rated: R
Language (Country): ( USA )
Summary: The Film:
I first reviewed Black Hawk Down on DVD exactly one year ago. It was a DVD I was quite eager to receive after loving the film in theaters. Unfortunately, I was hoping for a wonderful DVD Special Edition and that first DVD release was quite thin in its extra content. Fortunately, Columbia TriStar wasted no time in announcing that a multi-disc special edition was in the works and would be released at some point in the future. It seemed that the film would be part of the SuperBit Deluxe line of DVDs. Well, the multi-disc special edition of Black Hawk Down has arrived and it is not part of the SuperBit Deluxe line. It is a very comprehensive 3-disc set that features information on both the theatrical production and the historical events that the film is based upon. My thoughts and views on the film have not changed since I first reviewed the title, but I felt like putting on my George Lucas shoes and reworking the original review a bit.

Black Hawk Down is a film that delivers thrills and excitement for the entirety of its length. Stephen Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan opened up new doors for the amount of realism that can be socially accepted in a war film?s scenes of carnage and death. However, unlike Saving Private Ryan which spent an equal amount of time between combat and plotline, Black Hawk Down makes combat its primary focus. Saving Private Ryan caught a bit of flack for its "old man in the graveyard" bookend and hokey storyline. Black Hawk Down spends a few minutes here and there filling in the details, but does not hesitate to get into the action and stay there. The opening beach sequence in Saving Private Ryan is among one of my favorite theatrical sequences of all time. I remember hearing women agonize and convulse for much of the Normandy sequence and cannot help but think that people who found that sequence unsettling will want to pass over Black Hawk Down and rent Britney Spear's Crossroads instead.

Ridley Scott's creation is based upon the true events surrounding a conflict that happened one day in Somalia in 1993. A group of U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force commandos found themselves up against a massive and heavily armed Somalian force during a mission that was supposed to be a simple extraction of a Somalian warlord. The underestimation of the African forces military capabilities resulted in over a dozen American deaths and the slaughter of over a thousand African nationals. Ridley Scott does his best to put you into the action and of that day's events and he has created a look and style that can be described as unsettling and is very reminiscent to that done by Spielberg during the previously mentioned Normandy Beach scene. This is one of the most gripping and thrilling pictures I have ever had the pleasure of watching and ranks right up there with Jim Cameron's sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien. From beginning to end, Black Hawk Down is a captivating thrill ride that will grab you by the throat and not let go until hours after the credits crawl. Once you are done watching the film, you are left thinking about the horrors of war that you have been witness to and the incredible acts of courage performed by the American soldiers who were part of the events covered by the film.

The recent Iraqi war included unprecedented footage of our American soldiers in combat. Reporters were imbedded with fighting forces and using videophones and other pieces of modern technology, they were able to show the American public the dangers and pictures of modern warfare as it unfolded. We were first hand witnesses to skirmishes, snipers and tank warfare. Granted, the videophones generally were horrendous in image quality, but there were more than a few times where the picture was quite clear and we had front row seats to war. However, the images and moments we witnessed via the cameras of the imbedded reporters were calm in comparison to Black Hawk Down and its raw imagery. Ridley Scott did a wonderful job of directing and Slawomir Idziak did an astonishing job as Director of Photography.

Black Hawk Down benefits not only from its realistic camerawork and scenery, but it really sets itself apart from other war films with its cast of highly talented actors. Eric Bana has moved past Chopper and Black Hawk Down was a major stepping-stone that continues with The Hulk and brings him closer to becoming a household name. He is an incredible talent that is just now being realized. Ewan McGregor is another fine young actor that has been showing his craft for many years now. Tom Sizemore, Ewen Bremner, William Fichtner and Sam Shepard round out one of the best ensemble casts put together in a long time. Shepard and Sizemore are actors who almost seem a necessity in making a good war movie these days. It is rare that you see this solid of a talent pool in one place and everybody shows what makes them so talented. I was excited to see Bana and McGregor, but each and every actor and supporting actor utilized by Ridley Scott are magnificent inBlack Hawk Down

I could praise Black Hawk Down until I pass out. It is a film that I very quickly came to love and consider it one of the greatest modern war films. This film transcended storytelling and became a visceral experience that delivered the true emotion of conflict via the power of solid filmmaking and good old-fashioned Hollywood Magic. Ridley Scott?s choice of style and the incredible sights and sounds of Black Hawk Down drive home the emotion and put the audience into the center of combat. Bullets are sent over your shoulder and with the volume loud enough you will want to duck RPG rounds. It is not just an assault on the emotions, but a flat out attack on the senses. In addition to the technical aspects, the young and talented cast is one of the best assembled in years and there is not a single disappointing performance among them. I remember waiting in anticipation for this film to be released. There film was delayed for a bit of time, but it was well worth the wait. After his glorious Gladiator and classic early films Blade Runner and Alien, Ridley Scott shows that he can be one of the best.

The DVDs:
Video: Black Hawk Down takes a look and feel similar to the Normandy sequence in Saving Private Ryan and rivals the unsteady camerawork of The Blair Witch Project. The film is grainy and rough. Colors are desaturated and focus is not always a priority. Because of this, it is not a film that would generally be considered a reference quality DVD transfer. There are times when the camerawork looks as ugly and rough as the content it shows. The first DVD release of Black Hawk Down was a fine transfer and ranks among the best work Columbia TriStar has done. The new 3-disc transfer of Black Hawk Down appears nearly identical to the original transfer and I could not find a singular example where I could prove there is a difference. It is hard to improve on perfection.

The 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen film is stunning to say the least. Colors are purposely desaturated and film grain is introduced to the film to add to its visual flair. However, detail is extremely sharp and lifts the image from the flat television screen it is contained within. The colors are stylized, but the transfer delivers them perfectly. Black level is very good, when the style of the film does not hinder it. The source materials used to bring ?Black Hawk Down? were flawless. The heavy stylization of the film delivers a picture that would generally be considered sub par. It is delivered to perfection and though it lacks the pretty colors and crystal clear images of something not so stylized, this is about as good as DVD gets. If you got nauseous at watching Saving Private Ryan or The Blair Witch Project, you will feel the same way here.

Audio: As is the case with the video transfer of Black Hawk Down, the audio mix appears to be identical to that of its predecessor. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack of Black Hawk Down is one of the best I have ever heard. It easily rivals the DTS 5.1 mix of Saving Private Ryan. The sonic experience delivered by this film easily shows why it brought home the Oscar for Best Sound. This is one of the most encompassing sound mixes I have ever heard. Every channel is lively through the entire film. Bullets occupy every speaker and the .1 LFE channel bumps and thumps from beginning to end. For how lively and full of explosions and gunfire the soundtrack is, dialogue is easily intelligible and crystal clear, though at low volumes it can be problematic. The cinematic score of the film also rises above the combative sound effects and make its presence known. I have heard some grumbling about the lack of a DTS track, but with the incredible presence the Dolby mix delivers, I cannot see how it can be improved upon much. The sound too is as good as it gets.

Extras: The first DVD release of Black Hawk Down was not intended to be a special edition release. Columbia TriStar promptly announced after the initial release that a more comprehensive collection was to follow. Well, now it is hear and it is certainly full of supplemental materials that details not only the process of creating the film, but nicely covers the historical events that Black Hawk Down is based upon. The first DVD contained the half-hour long Black Hawk Down On The Set Featurette, Theatrical Trailers, Filmographies and Production Notes. These features were very promotional based, but did offer some information on the making of the film and made the first DVD something more than a bare-bones offering. This new DVD is so packed full of information that it takes three DVDs to contain it all. The new set certainly appears to have been worth the wait in regards to extras.

The first DVD contains the same 144 minute cut of the theatrical release (sadly, it is not an extended Director?s Cut) and Filmographies of the first release. Additionally, it contains not one, not two, but three audio commentary tracks. The Audio Commentary by Director/Producer Ridley Scott & Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is an informative and pleasing commentary that dives into all aspects of Black Hawk Down. Ridley and Bruckheimer discuss the making of the film, the historical events and their own personal accounts. The second Audio Commentary by Author Mark Bowden & Screenwriter Ken Nolan is another very involving commentary that looks more at the history of brining the story to the big screen and how the film scores against the actual events. The Philadelphia Inquirer website is based upon Bowden?s book and I was quite interested in this commentary as well. As far as keeping track of historical accuracy, you really can?t compete with the third Audio Commentary by Task Force Ranger Veterans. These guys were there and they know what happened. If found this to be my favorite of the three commentary tracks and highly recommend this to anyone who purchases the special edition DVD.

DVD number two features the mother of all documentaries. The Essence of Combat: Making of Black Hawk Down runs for 150 minutes. It is a movie of all its own. Generally, you would think that the three commentary tracks featured on DVD number one would about cover all there is to know of the film?s making. In this case, you would be wrong because The Essence of Combat turns up information that I cannot recollect hearing in the commentary. This massive film about the film is broken down into seven parts that cover all aspects of Black Hawk Down. The Story, Characters, Location, History, Film Score and Special Effects are discussed in great detail. This documentary ranks right up there with Hearts of Darkness: The Making of Apocalypse Now as one of the best making of documentaries of all time.

The second DVD features more than just the making of movie. A twenty minute collection of 8 Delete Scenes & Alternate Scenes With Optional Commentary are clumped together. Ridley Scott provides a good overview of the included material and gives insight into why they were not part of the finished film or as a Director?s Cut. The Designing Mogadishu featurette runs for fifteen minutes takes a look at the art design of the film. Production Design Archive is a collection of stills used for set creation. Storyboards with Optional Commentary and Ridleygrams with Optional Commentary are storyboard collections with a commentary track by a storyboard artist discussing them. Together these run for about 15 more minutes. Jerry Bruckheimer?s BHD Photo Album features Jerry Bruckheimer sharing some photography and discussing what he was photographing. It proves they included pretty much everything on this 3-disc DVD. Title Design Explorations with Optional Commentary spends a few minutes with the title design graphic artist and shows the various incarnations of the opening titles. The second disc finishes its nearly 3 and a half hour assault with a set of Photo Galleries.

After learning everything there was to know about making Black Hawk Down, Disc number three dives into the historical events that occurred on that day in 1993 in Mogadishu. If you thought the near ten hours of value added content contained on the first two DVDs was enough, you thought wrong. The History Channel Presents: The True Story of Black Hawk Down runs for nearly two hours and takes information from Bowden?s book, witness accounts and mixes it in with a little bit of movie footage. This was a highly entertaining and nicely done film about the movie and its historical background. The second educational feature, PBS Presents: Frontline: Ambush In Mogadishu, focuses on the historical events and gives a very nice background with its one hour running time. Between the two documentaries, you learn a great deal about the actual events that is surpassed only by Bowden?s book and the Philadelphia Inquirer website.

Mission Timeline shows the events as they occurred and gives some details on each. Target Building Insertion: Multi-Angle Sequences with Optional Commentary takes a look at the early scene showing the Army Rangers and Delta Force commandos being dropped off via helicopter at the building they were to infiltrate. Assistant Terry Needam offers up optional commentary to the pre-production audio and the scene is shown in a handful of camera angles. Question & Answer Forums: BAFTA, Motion Picture Editor's Guild & American Cinematheque is a collection of three press conferences where the cast and crew field questions from the media and other curious participants. This runs for over a half an hour. A smattering of promotional features (Theatrical Poster Concepts, Trailer, TV Spots and Gortoz A-Ran-J Attends Music Video Performed by Denez Prigent & Lisa Gerrard) complete the exhaustive special edition DVD.


Video: 10/10
Audio: 10/10
Extras: 10/10
Film Value: 10/10

Dean Winkelspecht (DVDTown.com)