Black Hawk Down

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2:25

Black Hawk Down

R

Released Jan 18, 2002

2h 24m

War

Drama

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Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

174 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In 1993, the U.S. sends special forces into Somalia to destabilize the government and bring food and humanitarian aid to the starving population. Using Black Hawk helicopters to lower the soldiers onto the ground, an unexpected attack by Somalian forces brings two of the helicopters down immediately. From there, the U.S. soldiers must struggle to regain their balance while enduring heavy gunfire.

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Critics Consensus

Though it's light on character development and cultural empathy, Black Hawk Down is a visceral, pulse-pounding portrait of war, elevated by Ridley Scott's superb technical skill.

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

I also don't know how well this 2001 drama represents the events of October 3 and 4, 1993, though I can see that it represents them in a realist vein, referring to other war movies without becoming frivolous.

Nov 8, 2011

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Black Hawk Down makes that point without preachment, in precise and pitiless imagery. And for that reason alone it takes its place on the very short list of the unforgettable movies about war and its ineradicable and immeasurable costs.

Nov 8, 2011

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

A relentless immersion in combat strikingly realized but none too pleasurable to sit through.

Jan 2, 2009

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

For the most part, the unflagging sound and fury make it impossible to identify with these characters as individuals, since their primary function seems to be to serve as anonymous slabs of American fortitude.

Rated: 2/4

Nov 12, 2023

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

“Black Hawk Down” is an intense, visceral experience. It's gritty action one minute and deeply moving the next. But it never loses sight of its main focus – the soldiers.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 19, 2022

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Jim Rohner

Battleship Pretension

...arguably the best performance of Josh Hartnett's career...

Apr 14, 2021

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Ryan G

Wow, what an ensemble of talent delivering an outstanding performance not only on the horrors of modern conflict and it's relentless nature, but, it's emotional turbulence and catastrophic effects on the minds and souls of these young soldiers. The pace of the movie yoyos from energetic and fast to slow and expectant. Performance of the movie is without a doubt delivered by Eric Bana, a focussed elite warrior who breaks it down in the movie to simply "it's about the guy standing next to you that's all it is". Well written and fantastically delivered.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/31/25

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tim s

A pulse-pounding, no-holds-barred war thriller, even if it does take liberties with the source material. Nearly every scene has bullets zipping across the screen. Surely, the Battle of Mogadishu is one of America's most harrowing modern military experiences, and Ridley Scott brings that battle to the screen with vividly graphic effect.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/29/25

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Mark C

I’ve read the book and this is pretty faithful to it. Extremely tough situation for the marines and Delta Force to be in. Some poor decisions and needless deaths, but the action is non-stop. Acting was also top notch. The worst thing for me was the betrayal by President Clinton after the battle by pulling them all out and making the soldiers’ deaths meaningless, but that is typical of the States in foreign wars.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/20/25

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Szabo P

I think this is a good movie but i don't understand one thing. I don't understand how the soldiers got help so quickly. The soldiers are fighting in Somalia (Africa), how did they get help so quickly from a stadium in Pakistan (Asia)? They are 3700km away.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/08/25

Full Review

PJ T

Great depiction of combat. Did take some liberties with the script and was not as accurate as the book. If they made it truly accurate to the book and took in the Somali perspective it would be in the GOAT conversation.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/25

Full Review

Stephen H

One of the greatest films/war films of all-time. The Battle of Mogadishu is one of the most notorious battles in U.S. Military history. Rangers lead the way!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/24

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1993, the U.S. sends special forces into Somalia to destabilize the government and bring food and humanitarian aid to the starving population. Using Black Hawk helicopters to lower the soldiers onto the ground, an unexpected attack by Somalian forces brings two of the helicopters down immediately. From there, the U.S. soldiers must struggle to regain their balance while enduring heavy gunfire.

Director: Ridley Scott
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, Ridley Scott
Screenwriter: Mark Bowden, Ken Nolan
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Video, Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Tristar, Cascade Film, Svensk Filmindustri (SF) AB, Revolution Studios
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation, Revolution Studios, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Scott Free Productions
Rating: R (Intense Realistic War Violence|Intense Graphic War Violence|Language)
Genre: War, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 18, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $108.6M
Runtime: 2h 24m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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