Excellent but underrated film

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Brutal in every sense of the word. Realistic and disturbing, the film left me feeling sick at times and I honestly could not stomach some of the scenes. The film actually brilliantly depicts the horrors of war, and a very good cast ensure credibility. This is one of those films (like Saving Private Ryan) that is so well made that I only want to see it once, since I won't stomach it a second time.

The only reason I didn't give this the full thumbs up is that I would have had the real story turn out a bit different. Atto or whatever his name was, the captured arms dealer, wouldn't have been smoking a cigarette, smugly as if to say I told you so, instead he would have been in the stocks, the type used in the dark ages, no water and when he asked for water, he would have been "water-boarded" until he cried for his mama. If it were up to me, the US military's only rule of engagement would be win at all costs, always make a move before the enemy. But idiots in Washington won't allow that, they're too worried about what the rest of the world might think. For instance, Russia and China, both regimes that persecute their own people. No, the only time the USA should go to war is if we intend to win period, no rules of engagement, no rules what so ever, war isn't fair, it shouldn't be, make it brief and make sure we come home every time as the winner.

Ridley Scott blew me away with this tragic and heroic work on 1993s troubles in Somalia. Having been entranced as a ten year old boy viewing Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm, I found even the better war films since wanting by comparison. These two films are utterly differnt in myriad ways but this; they a perfect on their own terms, executed so well, and engrossing -- so engaging that one ought to go away only disatified that one could not have lived through it in person, although the violence is a bit much for REALLY wishing you'd been on the scene, with limbs flying about and such. I can't adequately describe how this film was so effective, to even dare compare it to the incomparable Lawrence. Every scene just worked. So much battle action pervades, you might think, "what is the differnce between this and a Van Damme or Chuck Norris picture?' Fair question. All I can say is the acting is fantastic and the action scenes are directed by one of the truly brilliant auteurs of cinema. This is Ridley Scott in his finest hour, and if he were to make movies for a thousand years....THIS will be his best picture!

EDITED FROM A REVIEW ON 7 FEBRUARY 2016.This is a great movie and a great depiction of what likely happened in Somalia...but, what about the American troops who died for useless reasons? What about their parents and families? Normally, a country invades and conquers another to enrich their own country. The US went to Mogadishu to help people, and, all we got in return was enemy fire and dead American kids!?!?Here...and, in all American Wars, nothing ever enriched the US...it depleted us of American soldiers (fathers; brothers; sons; nephews; etc.) for no reason...it's saddening! In this case...just like in every other American war, especially, Korea; Vietnam; Gulf War 1990; Gulf War 2003;...who cares when the children of the United States have to die for nothing? FOR WHAT? These are USELESS WARS! ALL wars are useless when American children are killed for silly reasons!Why were Americans even in Somalia? I'm quite sure that Master Sergeant (USA) Gary Gordon's family will remember their son, brother, nephew, etc. as a hero who 'posthumously' won the Congressional Medal of Honor, but, for what!?!? Why!?!? He died...and, for what!?!? What gain was this for the United States and this man's family? A great man, like many other great men, died in a silly war...not even a war...a skirmish; a conflict; a fight that means nothing...except to help feed people who needed food, yet, in the end, he died for nothing!The same with SFC(USA) Randy Shughart...his family must also feel the same pride for their child and his posthumous CMH; but, hatred, moreover, for the carelessness his government took in extinguishing his light by this foolish battle.US Government - so stupid...taking advantage of American children's patriotism, loyalty, and, honor, to and for our nation; and, then, squandering them in a useless war like this!?!? I'M ASHAMED OF MY GOVERNMENT!My heart goes out to everyone who lost someone in this silly encounter; and, in any other silly encounters worldwide..LT(SEAL) Michael Murphy; STG2(SEAL) Matthew Axelson; GM2(SEAL) Danny Deitz; and, so many others. God Bless You ALL!MM/USN (1985-1993)