Producer/Director Ridley Scott explores the 1992-1994 American engagement in Somalia with his newest film, Black Hawk Down, based on the novel by Mark Bowden, Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War.

The History: In 1991, Somalia's government and economy collapsed, torn apart by Civil War fought amongst several powerful warlords and their opposing clans. One of these warlords, Mohammad Farah Aidid took control of Mogadishu, Somalia's largest city, chief seaport, and the country's capital. After seizing the city, Aidid took control of the country's food distribution, claiming the nation's food as his own. Coupled with the effects of the Civil War, it is estimated that 300,000 Somali citizens starved to death between 1990 and 1992. The global community reacted, and on December 9, 1992, a contingent of US marines landed near Mogadishu. The United Nations urged the United States to target Farah Aidid as the number one threat in Somalia. In October 1993, while seeking to apprehend Aidid, 19 soldiers were killed and 175 were wounded. One of the soldier's bodies was dragged through the streets of Mogadishu in view of television cameras.

"These people are starving. We can either help or we can sit back and watch a country destroy itself on CNN."

It is here that the movie begins, telling the story of the attempted capture of some of Farah Aidid's key advisors, and the chaos that ensues. An eerie and timely storyline, Black Hawk Down is a visually powerful portrayal of a real war engagement. The movie's real strength lies in its characters. New boy, heart-throb, Josh Hartnett (Pearl Harbor, 2001; Virgin Suicides, 1999) plays Staff Sergeant Matt Eversmann, an "idealist" who believes in the duty of his mission, which is to help the Somali people. The cast also includes, Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, 1996; Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, 1999) as company clerk John Grimes, Tom Sizemore (Pearl Harbor, 2001; Saving Private Ryan, 1998; and Born on the Fourth of July, 1989) as Lt. Colonel Danny McKnight, and one surly Sam Shepard (The Pledge, 2001; The Right Stuff, 1983) as Major General William Garrison.

Considering the movie's timing, I was worried that there would be a lot of flag-waving, and an enthralled audience, patriotic stars set twinkling in their eyes. To be fair, that wasn't really the case. Although Black Hawk Down is a war story, the war itself is a backdrop to the real story that is being told. A lot of bullets fly, bombs explode, and bodies pile up, but the storyline is really about the brotherhood of soldiers, the codes they must try to live and die by, and the fears and horrors that are inevitably part of being a soldier.

"No man will be left behind."

Another of my concerns was with the perspective of the film. Again considering these turbulent times, I expected an "us against them" overture; an enduring freedom propaganda piece. The Somali guerillas of Aidid's army are depicted as fanatics and deviants, holding blood-begets-blood-and-that-is-life philosophies, armed to the teeth, and as numerous as cockroaches. Not much characterization is done for the antagonists (the Somali guerillas) in this movie, and no Somali character is given any importance on screen -- only names, deeds, and wild faces. One could consider them nothing more than paper targets, aggressive obstacles to get around. That works because they aren't really depicted as the true enemy in this movie anyway. Fortunately for this film, the real antagonists are the fears of the soldiers.

I was relieved the film kept its egocentricity to a minimum. There were no utterances of "kill them all" nor the mention of carpet-bombing. The movie's ending is bittersweet, one of perseverance, not of zeal -- one of loss, not of victory. When watching this film, keep America's "War on Terrorism" in mind. In this war, we are not being sent as peacekeepers, but hunters; we are not feeding a starving nation, but bombing one. As our front begins to split and divide from not only Afghanistan, but also the Philippines, North Korea, Iraq, and Somali, America needs to define its enemies carefully. As of now, our enemies on film are no more than sliding words on some infotainment ticker tape; they are given no characterization, no perspective, just names, deeds, and wild faces. Osama Bin Laden is not unlike Farah Aidid in this movie, and his followers are a threat, not to their own nations, but to ours. I recommend this film to anyone who wishes to see a picture of the past while perhaps glimpsing a possible, but probable future.