DVDs

Black Hawk Down (CE)

Region 1

Region 4

By Richard Moore

The more I see Black Hawk Down the more I like it and Columbia TriStar's release of a three-disc collector's edition gives this chap the chance to watch it again. It also gives those wavering on the edge of buying it some terrific reasons to pick it up as it is jam-packed with excellent-quality extras.

Black Hawk Down is the story of an exceptionally brutal battle US Ranger and Special Forces fought against overwhelming numbers of heavily armed Somali militia in Mogadishu in 1993.

The Americans went in to snatch a couple of high-level aides to the bandit warlord Mohammad Aidid, who was using UN emergency food supplies as a weapon of war leading to millions of Somalis facing starvation, but poor intelligence dropped the troops into a trap.

Aidid's men were well trained, experienced street fighters and could put thousands of guns into battle against just over 100 US troops.

The Americans were cut off in a hostile city, were separated and faced being butchered by the locals.

To make matters worse two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down and, responding to the Ranger creed of leaving no-one behind, that meant their supposedly 30-minute mission turned into a 24-hour fight-to-survive.

At the end of the battle 18 Americans had died, while between 1000 and 10,000 Somalis had been killed.

Black Hawk Down is an exciting adrenalin rush that puts you in the frontlines with the Rangers.

The video transfer is superbly sharp and has no discernible or majorly annoying faults and the sound is fantastic.

The soundtrack is dominated by haunting North African music, the audio brings the battle right into your lounge and the speech - albeit drowned out at times by RPGs and heavy machine guns - mostly clear.

If you've been holding off on this movie don't wait any longer than this collectors edition - the extras package is better than the movie!

Conclusion:

Movie: 85%

DVD Extras: 90%