Black Hawk Down (2001)

Ridley Scott

USA

144 min, color, English

In a bit of a refreshing departure from the now-standard anti-war movies, Scott's Black Hawk Down presents an artist's view of a real wartime incident; a view that seeks to (i) portray the US fighting men in a favorable light, to show their courage and dedication that would perhaps make their service more understandable to civilians, hopefully increasing their appreciation for the armed forces; and (ii) provide a tentative answer to the puzzle of what makes these men do what they do.

With respect to (i), Scott does really well. It is no coincidence that the U.S. Army and Department of Defense helped quite a bit with the movie, from training the actors to providing the Black Hawks and even real soldiers to do the simulated drops. This is pure propaganda at its best: it is heroic, tragic, and moving, all at the same time and all without questioning the basic motives for fighting. In fact, the Somalian catastrophe is seen as an ample justification for the actions (which it was), and as such provides a convenient backdrop to the events. But it is merely a convenient backdrop, as the film shies away from politics in favor of mere broad-stroke characterizations of Good (us) vs. Evil (the warlords). But since it is not the intention of the film-makers to make political commentary, this is easily overlooked.

With respect to (ii), the answer is well-known but incomplete. "As soon as the first bullet flies by, all politics are out the window," says one of the Delta Force guys. It is not about what the government wants, it is not about what the army wants, it is all about the guy next to you, the fact that he's depending with his life on your honorable and brave behavior. Bravery in combat is seen not as an act of fearlessness, but as an act of overcoming fear, and the strength, the prime motivator for this overcoming is the concern with the fate of fellow soldiers. Camaraderie, "we leave no one behind," losing ten to save one, all of these are part of the marine/rangers/delta force ethos, and they are what make these units formidable fighting machines.

Scott's cinematography is (as usual) grand and tends to overwhelm the actors from time to time, but in general is excellent in portraying the chaos and utter confusion in a real military action. The emphasis on friendship and tragedy is subtle, making it a bit better than overt melodrama. There is some simplification of context, especially when all Somalis are portrayed as rampaging murderers and all Americans as virtuous good Samaritans (the scene with one soldier praying "Please, don't" to a Somali woman who is about to pick up a gun and shoot at them, and then proceeding to shoot her down the moment she opens fire, is instructive). Soldiers are no angels and it is perhaps counter-productive to idealize them in this way. And the kill-ratio of 52.63 Somalis to 1 American probably says a lot about who could do what to whom.

August 21, 2003