Official Synopsis:
From acclaimed director Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Hannibal) and renowned producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pearl Harbor, Armageddon) comes a gripping true story about bravery, camaraderie and the complex reality of war. Black Hawk Down stars an exceptional cast including Josh Hartnett (Pearl Harbor), Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge!), Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan), Eric Bana (Chopper), William Fichtner (The Perfect Storm), Ewen Bremner (Snatch) and Sam Shepard (All The Pretty Horses). In 1993, an elite group of American Rangers and Delta Force soldiers are sent to Somalia on a critical mission to capture a violent warlord whose corrupt regime has lead to the starvation of hundreds of thousands of Somalis. When the mission goes terribly wrong, the men find themselves outnumbered and literally fighting for their lives.
Our Take:
It seems as if Black Hawk Down is trying to compete with Army of Darkness for the most DVD releases of a single film. It was originally released on DVD in June 2002 as a rather plain edition, and June 2003 saw a 3-disc deluxe edition, then June 2004 saw the Superbit Collection edition. By some fluke, 2005 saw no re-release of Black Hawk Down, but now in 2006, we have the new Extended Cut. While each release tends to cater to a different sect of fans (i.e. the original release for casual fans, the 3-disc deluxe edition for rabid fans, the Superbit for the audio/videophiles) but as to why they are now coming out with this extended version, I have no clue. It would have been something nice to include with the 3-disc deluxe edition; but I guess, as the industry goes, if you put it out there, someone will buy it.
There is only one special feature included with this release, an episode of the PBS documentary series Frontline: Ambush in Mogadishu. This 60-minute documentary features interviews with soldiers and footage from overseas in Somalia. Watching the film is one thing, but hearing firsthand reports from those who experienced the events featured in the film is really something.
However, besides the Frontline documentary, and the extended cut of the film, there are no other special features on this disc. If you want tons of bonus features, commentaries and deleted scenes, check out the 3-disc set, and if you’re looking for superior video and DTS audio, the Superbit edition is the way to go. However, with the beginnings of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, when the format wars are over, I’m sure there will be future releases of this film still to come. So unless you’re a die-hard fan and must own every single incarnation of the film, you might want to hold off for now. Otherwise, the film is still excellent and a must watch.
Overall Picture:
Movie: A
DVD: B-
- Chris Lawrence
Staff Writer
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