Paul_Genet

Sadly, I expected a lot from this movie. Unfortunately, it is about the worst depiction of an important event that I've ever seen, particularly considering that the entire mission was so well documented by the Army, the media, et al.

First, I think it only correct to say that I did not read the book and therefore cannot reasonably comment on what may have been written by it's author, but the motion picture left so much about the actual event, it's purpose, the events that occurred before the "mission" and other important facts out, that is it left out so much about what was ordered and what actually happened before the events depicted ever happened and how they happened, that I found it agonizingly tiresome. How am I an expert concerning the mission? I'm not, but I do remember it vividly and I particularly remember that the American media, after being "scooped" by the European media to the point of absurdity, finally told a great deal of the story, if only obliquely - which the motion picture does not.

For instance. The while the movie depicts itself as the "mission," it was not, as the actual mission was not the attempted abduction of Aidid and his aids, but was the ambush of the America combined force that attempted the abduction.

There is one redeeming factor. This motion picture does show in some truth what happens to "green" troops in their first real battle, that is troops that have by and large never seen any real combat. These troops were extremely well trained and a few senior officers surely served in the first Desert Storm, and possibly other very limited engagements. Therefore, this show of what happens to unseasoned "green" troops the first time out is the redeeming feature of the movie. In the coming months, Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of War as he may more appropriately be called in future, as a member of The White house team, had approved a plan sometime around the first of January to attack Iraq based on the best possible scenario. Fortunately two of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Marine Corps have made apolitical speeches around the middle of December criticizing this "best case scenario" plan and may have actually awakened The White House to the real potential for possible disaster in Iraq if the president and his aids continue with their initial strike plan against Iraq assuming that there will be no need for reinforcements or ‘back up' troops. In fact, the now announced delay of our attack on Iraq from the first of January until sometime after the first of February may be a result of what this motion picture illustrates. No matter how well trained our troops going into Iraq may be, they will be unseasoned, "green" troops and when the operation does not go exactly as planned, may well, as they did in "Black Hawk Down," become desperately confused and badly need reinforcements and a second wave.

Nevertheless, after watching it more than once, I do not recommend this movie to anyone but those who want to see the results of a documentary style history lesson that does not explain or depict the truth.

While this may not be a work of art, it is a very entertaining and for that reason, a worthwhile movie. It has action, romance, keeps moving, is reasonably historically accurate, and the action is not gratuitous violence. Unusual for a movie of it's time.

The characters are well played and there are a number of excellent character actors besides the stars who add a great deal to the movie.

I highly recommend it for an evening's entertainment.

There are times when a play is very successfully made into a movie, but not usually a comedy. The Lion In Winter was a very successful transformation form the stage to the big screen by James Goldman, author of both, and brother of William Goldman, a highly well thought of screenwriter. But all of that aside, if you would like to forget your troubles and simply laugh yourself into exhaustion, I highly recommend this movie.