Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

77% Tomatometer 175 Reviews 88% Audience Score 250,000+ Ratings The film takes place in 1993 when the U.S. sent 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. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

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Black Hawk Down

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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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Critics Reviews

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Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (1) 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 Full Review Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (2) 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 Full Review Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Todd McCarthy Variety A relentless immersion in combat strikingly realized but none too pleasurable to sit through. Jan 2, 2009 Full Review Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (4) 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 Full Review Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (5) 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 Full Review Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Jim Rohner Battleship Pretension ...arguably the best performance of Josh Hartnett's career... Apr 14, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Matt S This is my favorite movie of all time. It’s fairly accurate to the real life event, consists of amazing action that has held up over the past couple decades. The most underrated quality of this movie is the sound and music, it really pulls the cinematography together, outstanding movie! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/10/24 Full Review Dan R A great movie, plenty of action packed scenes, very realistic, your typical war film with a little sprinkle of emotion. Worth a watch. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/08/24 Full Review Dionisis T Quite emotionally powerful as a film, quite boring and certainly with an amazing soundtrack Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/18/24 Full Review K K By far my all-time favorite modern war movie. Instead of portraying US soldiers as an invincible force bringing peace with manifest destiny like many Hollywood blockbusters do, this movie presents the volatility and brutality of ground combat in detail. One thing though, when I first watched this movie, I automatically saw the whole situation from the lens of protagonists and unconsciously rooted for them over menacing local residents. Now think of it, those unkempt and intimidating "ragtags" likely viewed US soldiers as invaders. The contrast of US soldiers leisurely barbecuing in their barracks at the beginning of this movie and the sight of malnourished local child soldiers in cramped huts is ... striking. It really depends on where you stand. Great movie nevertheless. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/06/24 Full Review Max W what a loaded cast. Great action scenes. Had you hooked till the last minute Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/02/24 Full Review Scarface The best war movie ever created. And no it's not Saving Private Ryan. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/21/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Black Hawk Down

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Cast & Crew

Ridley Scott Director Josh Hartnett Eversmann Ewan McGregor Grimes Tom Sizemore McKnight Eric Bana Hoot William Fichtner Sanderson
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Movie Info

Synopsis The film takes place in 1993 when the U.S. sent 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, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Revolution Studios, Svensk Filmindustri (SF) AB, Cascade Film, Columbia Tristar

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)
Most Popular at Home Now
Black Hawk Down | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Why Black Hawk Down is good? ›

If you read other reviews of Black Hawk Down, people praise the realism of the conflict in Somalia, along with the accurate portrayals of the American forces against the rebelling usurpers.

Where is John Stebbins now? ›

Staff Sergeant John “Stebby” Stebbins was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his gallantry in action, and also received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained in combat. He is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence at Fort Leavenworth military prison in Kansas.

What happened to Blackburn in Black Hawk Down? ›

Shortly after the mission began a young ranger, Todd Blackburn, missed the rope and – instead of sliding down the rope and landing on the street below – fell 70 feet, sustaining serious head and neck injuries. Struecker, who was part of the convoy, was ordered to return to the compound with Blackburn.

What happened to Hoot from Black Hawk Down? ›

The serious side is, he became a pharmacist while in his 50's, in order to help tackle opioid addiction among patients at VA medical centers. Film audiences of course know Hoot as the larger than life Delta Force soldier portrayed by Eric Bana in the film Black Hawk Down, about the intense 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.

Why is Black Hawk Down banned? ›

Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

Removed from a classroom at Central Lafourche High School in Raceland, La. (2008) for violating the district policy on cursing. The book is the story of a failed Special Forces mission in Somalia.

Why was Black Hawk Down a failure? ›

Although a good war movie that remains superficially faithful to Bowden's descriptions of the basic actions of 3-4 October 1993, Black Hawk Down is a failure in terms of explaining some of the fundamental assumptions and conditions that underlay Task Force RANGER's operations.

How many guys died in Black Hawk Down? ›

By the end of the relentless 15-hour battle, 18 U.S. service members were dead and another 73 wounded. American intervention in Somalia began in 1991 when a severe famine and a collapsed central government hurled the beleaguered nation into civil war.

Who was the real Grimes in Black Hawk Down? ›

In Black Hawk Down, Ewan McGregor plays the character of Ranger John Grimes as a clean-cut everyman hero. That trouble is that Grimes is merely Ranger John "Stebby" Stebbins in disguise. In June 2000 Stebbins was court-marshalled and later found guilty of assault and rape of a girl under the age of 12.

What happened to the helicopter pilot in Black Hawk Down? ›

After his helicopter was hit on the tail by a RPG-7, it crashed about a mile southwest of the operation's target. Durant and his crew of three, Bill Cleveland, Ray Frank, and Tommy Field, were badly injured in the crash. Durant suffered a crushed vertebra in his back and a compound fracture of his left femur.

What was the movie mistakes in Black Hawk Down? ›

When his Black Hawk crashes, Michael Durant is shown to be the only survivor, whereas in reality the entire crew survived the initial crash. They later died defending themselves at the crash site, with Durant being the only survivor.

How old was Tom Hardy in Black Hawk Down? ›

24-year old Tom Hardy's debut in one of my favorite scenes from the Riddley Scott classic Black Hawk Down (2001).

How much of Black Hawk Down is true? ›

The film remains largely faithful to Mark Bowden's recollection of events in his book. However, while the film attempts to put events leading up to the battle into context using text cards at the beginning, it falls short of some significant facts.

What happened to Captain Steele from Black Hawk Down? ›

Steele was investigated in conjunction with the murders of three unarmed Iraqis during Operation Iron Triangle. The four soldiers charged in the case testified that Steele had instructed them to "kill all military-age males". Steele denied giving such an order, and was formally reprimanded but not charged.

Who is the most famous Delta Force operator? ›

Thomas Patrick Payne (born April 2, 1984) is a United States Army Delta Force sergeant major and infantry instructor, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during a hostage rescue mission in an area of northern Iraq controlled by the Islamic State.

What happened to Busch in Black Hawk Down? ›

SSG Daniel D. Busch was killed in action during the Battle of Mogadishu on 3 October 1993 from wounds sustained while defending the crew of Super 61. When the MH-60 helicopter he was in, call sign Super 61, was shot down by enemy fire, SSG Busch immediately exited the aircraft and took control of a key intersection.

Why is the Black Hawk so good? ›

The Black Hawk offers both pilots seats that are protected with heavy armor, and an armored fuselage capable of withstanding hits from guns with up to 23mm shells. It can also operate safely in the majority of severe weather conditions thanks to its wide array of advanced avionics.

What is the significance of Black Hawk Down? ›

The fighting occurred on Oct. 3, 1993, when Perino and other soldiers from Task Force Ranger muscled into a hornet's nest on a raid to capture rebel leaders. What became popularized as “Black Hawk Down,” the Battle of Mogadishu was, at the time, the fiercest combat the American military had seen since the Vietnam War.

What are the advantages of the Black Hawk helicopter? ›

- With a cruising speed of approximately 150 knots and a range of over 300 nautical miles, the Black Hawk offers rapid troop transport and insertion capabilities. - Its advanced avionics and flight control systems enhance situational awareness and maneuverability, making it suitable for a wide range of missions.

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