Insight Acclaimed director Ridley Scott [ "Gladiator", "Hannibal", "Alien", "Bladerunner" and "Black Rain" ] combines with producer Jerry Bruckheimer ["Pearl Harbor", "The Rock", "Enemy of the State" and "Top Gun"] to re-create a real life incident that occured in Mogadishu, Somalia on October 3rd 1993. Somalia is under the control of one of the most ruthless warlords of the decade, Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The civil war is having a drastic effect on a population that is also faced with famine. Important relief aid from abroad is not getting through to those who need it most, thanks to Aidid and his murderous lieutenants. The US devises a plan invoving both the Rangers and the Marines which will involve them in a mission to capture Aidids two top lieutenants. With the help of informers they were able to pinpoint where Aidids men would be. The plan seemed simple but like the "best laid plans of men" there is always the risk of something going wrong. Suddenly the US loses one of their Black Hawk combat helicopters. The rebels converged on its location and when backup was sent, the US lost their second Black Hawk. What looked like a milk run was now turning into a desperate battle to survive against over whelming odds. The resources and huge firepower of the US was losing the battle against sheer weight of numbers and panic. Everywhere they turned, the rebels were bearing down on them. For 18 hours this intense battle for survival raged, but freedom came at a heavy price. 19 lives will be lost before rescue comes at the hands of a combined US and UN force [the UN force coincidently led by Pakistani troops]. "Black Hawk Down" was shot in Morocco. The locations of Rabat and Sale on the Atlantic coast best resembled the architecture and terrain of Mogadishu. Because of the enormity of the roles being played, cast members were sent to "boot camp" to learn the basics of forces life. Some cast members were given training by Special Forces Staff at Fort's Braggg and Campbell. Others joined Rangers staff assisting at Fort Benning in the USA. The film was special for the Rangers who had lost commrades in the incident. Many had fought that battle and knew those who lost their lives. The film was adapted from Mark Bowden's acclaimed book "Black Hawk Down:A Story of Modern War". Bowden, a journalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer, had begun researching the battle some two and a half years after it happened. It became more personel when Jim Smith father of deceased Ranger Cpl Jamie Smith invited Bowden to a ceromony at which a building would be dedicated to his sons memory and name. Here Mark Bowden met twelve other Rangers who had fought at Mogadishu with young Jamie. They all agreed to be interviewed. Bowden was spurred on by the men. He researched the history, conducted endless interviews and even made a perilous trip into Somalia during the summer of 1997. His book was released in 1999. The resultant film is an epic production of grand proportions that does both the book and the men who fought this harrowing battle, great justice and honour. The two and a bit hours may sound a bit long, but it passes quite quickly. The Story There is an intense rivalry between the US Marines and the crack squad of US Rangers, something that quickly becomes evident in "Black Hawk Down". They have been sent to Somalia in the hope that they can help the UN in its efforts to restore some sort of sanity to a country which has been fueding with itself for centuries. Through the eyes of a number of major players we are taken on a mission that the US hopes will give them some leverage over the warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Director Ridley Scott has recreated on the screen the true brutality of what happened in October 1993 when a combined mission by Marines and Rangers became a nightmare battle for survival when two Black Hawk combat helicopters were shot down over the city of Mogadishu. It's dramatic, realistic and at times a gruesome sight to see as those trapped on the ground pit themselves against what seems an endless horde of rebels and locals hell bent on killing their common enemy. War is never a pretty sight and "Black Hawk Down" is not just about graphic scenes depicting death and destruction of human conflict, it is also about revealing the character of those who were trapped within the city for 18 hours. Leading those are two men who are at complete opposites when it comes to their cinema prowess. The first is "aussie" Eric Bana cast as Sgt 1st Class "Hoot" Gibson. Bana [best remembered as "Chopper" Read in the much acclaimed film "Chopper"] produces another highly competent performance, this time as the delta force soldier who was a legend amongst his fellow comrades in the Special Forces. The second is Ewen McGregor, the star of Baz Lurhman's "Moulin Rouge". He may be an Englishman, but he is more than credible as Ranger Grimes. Sam Shepard is larger than life as Major Gnl William F Garrison, the man charged with responsibility for the success of the operation. Shepard runs us through all the emotions that Garrison faced as the mission turned into a disaster. These are just three of the larger than life characters that fill the screen during "Black Hawk Down". It's definately not a pretty sight [much of the time], but then just ask anyone who fought in a real war, they'll tell you it never is. I guess thats what makes this so engrossing. Yes it's violent, terribly brutal heart wrenching but it makes you think. It should make us question war and whether our best intentions are all we need when it comes to providing military support. That's what a film like "Black Hawk Down" should do. "Black Hawk Down" is not meant to provide a solution to war and never tries to! War and Peace will always travel hand in hand together through the pages of history, that is unfortunately the horrible truth, the inevitably and futility of mankind and planet earth. The Verdict "War is never a pretty sight and "Black Hawk Down" takes neither the high or low ground when it comes to depicting how ugly it can get. This is a warts and all look at the desperation of two sides involved in a head to head, hand to hand and street by street, murderous conflict. It's up close and personal approach reveals all the weakness's and short comings that can beset human beings no matter how well planned a mission may be." What The Critics Say

"The boldness of the firefight and Scott's ability to get us close to the action makes Black Hawk Down an important war film." Victoria Alexander FILMS IN REVIEW "A memorable paean to the human spirit." Bob Aulert CULTUREVULTURE.NET "Scott has a talent for creating a polished, photogenic vision of battle that still gets across the blood and guts of it all." Rob Blackwelder SPLICEDWIRE "Let others debate the politics of the time. This film instead recognizes and portrays the incredible camaraderie that exists among combat troops." Michael Elliott MOVIE PARABLES "No war movie I have ever seen so vividly shows battle from differing perspectives." Mike Clark USA TODAY "A beautifully filmed, scrupulously authentic but strangely evasive exercise in combat ultra-realism." Jonathan Foreman NEW YORK POST "The movie seems at all times to be an honest, even-handed version of a terrible incident." Daniel Eagan FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL "Far and away the action movie of the year." Luke Y Thompson, NEW TIMES LOS ANGELES "As a cinematic exercise it's breathtakingly brilliant; as drama, however, it's not nearly so successful." Frank Swietek ONE GUY'S OPINION "The names and dates might not be 100-percent accurate, but this is as true a tale of soldiery as there ever was." Tor Thorsen REEL.COM "A war movie so unflinching and so real there are scenes here and effects here that would make George S. Patton wince." Joel Siegel ABCNEWS.COM

The Cast

	Josh Hartnett Ewan McGregor Tom Sizemore Eric Bana William Fichtner Ewen Bremner Sam Shepard Gabriel Casseus Kim Coates Hugh Dancy Ron Eldard Ioan Gruffudd Tom Guiry Charlie Hofheimer Danny Hoch	... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...	Staff Sgt Matt Eversmann Company Clerk John Grimes Lt Cl Danny McKnight Sgt 1st Class Norm "Hoot" Hooten Master Sergeant Paul Howe Specialist Shawn Nelson Major General William Garrison Specialist Mike Kurth Wex Sgt 1st Class Kurt Schmid Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant Beales Staff Sergeant Ed Yurek Corporal Jamie Smith Sergeant Dominic Pilla

Directed by Ridley Scott Rated [AUST] TBA Run Time 143 minutes ©2002 - Columbia Pictures Inc - All Rights Reserved