A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
some
The film shows valiant attempts by Special Forces troops to rescue their trapped comrades. It also tries to provide some context as to why the American military as well as UN forces got involved in the conflict. There's some attempt to show why some individuals on both sides were fighting, their motivations for taking up arms.
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Positive Role Models
a lot
Tremendous self-sacrifice and sacrifice for the good of other soldiers during moments of intense battle. Movie goes beyond simplistic "good vs evil" to show the different motivations many of the American soldiers had for fighting in Somalia.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
EXTREMELY graphic deaths of soldiers (dismemberment, beatings, impaling, etc.). After the set-up of the characters and context for the first 45 minutes, the next 90 minutes are one long battle scene. Graphic imagery of cutting open an injured soldier and getting to his artery to try and keep him alive.
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Language
some
Frequent profanity, including regular use of "f--k" and its variations. "S--t" and "ass." Character makes a gesture with his hand to represent masturbation. Somalis are referred to by some in military slang as "skinnies."
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Some beer drinking, cigar smoking, cigarette smoking. Reference made to how the Somalis will be high on khat on the afternoon of the mission the soldiers are going to undertake.
See AlsoBlack Hawk Down - FMovies - Watch Free Movies Online | FMoviesFMovies | Watch Movies & Series on FMovies.to HD Online FreeBlack Hawk Down - movie: watch streaming onlineBlack Hawk Down | Rotten TomatoesDid you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Black Hawk Down is a 2001 war movie based on the true story of the bravery and grave danger faced by American Special Forces while at war against a brutal warlord and his militia amidst the civil war-ravaged Somali capital Mogadishu. The first 45 minutes or so sets up the context, introduces the officers and soldiers, outlines their mission, and then the next 90 minutes are essentially a nonstop battle of American infantry and helicopters against armed and desperate Somali militia men and boys. The movie does not shy away from war violence -- casualties, blood, and graphic injuries are a constant. Surgery in the midst of battle is performed; soldiers are cut open and entrails are exposed. A nearly cut-off finger dangles from a hand. Frequent profanity, including regular use of "f--k" and its variations. What emerges overall is the bravery and selflessness of the soldiers in the midst of a battle unexpected in its ferocity, as well as an attempt to go beyond simplistic "good versus evil" dramatizations that have historically typified war movies. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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Videos and Photos
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Black Hawk DownOfficial trailer -
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Black Hawk Down
Community Reviews
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- Parents say (18)
- Kids say (48)
age 15+
Based on 18 parent reviews
BubbaBudd Parent of 13-year-old
May 11, 2022
age 10+
War film thats educational and shows the need for good planing
langston W. Adult
October 8, 2020
age 15+
Amazing War Movie Has Violent Scenes
Black Hawk Down is an amazing true story. The writing, directing, and acting are all top notch. The other good news is that, for a war movie, the content in Black Hawk Down is pretty consistent. There are around 20 uses of the f-word, which is less than you’ll hear in half an hour at high school. The violence does include the following, but keep in mind that the context of this being a war movie is key for all of these instances: a man is disintegrated by a rocket, a man is blown in half showing visible intestines (very briefly), a soldier is shot in the head showing a bloody wound (also brief), a man is impaled by an rpg, a man has his thumb blown off in bloody fashion, a soldier has his femoral artery operated on in a scene that shows plenty of very gross arterial blood spray, a solider find a severed hand in the rubble of a crashed helicopter and keeps it in hopes of finding the man who lost it, a man has his arm blown off, a man is shot in the neck showing blood, and there are lots of casualties by use of firearms. There isn’t usually much blood when people are shot, though. Though the movie does have these scenes of at times disturbing violence, the message is undeniably that war is ugly, and that these soldiers are brave, selfless men that fought proudly for their country, even with the forces of evil stacked against them. It can’t be stated enough that once again, even though this film contains some foul language, and, at times bloody violence, the inspiring themes and important messages about selflessness, bravery, and honor trump anything else you might consider objectionable, though it is reasonable to wait until mid-teens to watch this movie. Because of these messages, I can not in good faith mark this movie for too much violence or language, and I highly recommend it to any man or women who is curious about just how far the human will can extend when the safety of their friends and family is at risk.
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What's the Story?
In the early 1990s a humanitarian crisis in the country of Somalia brought international attention to the region. On October 3, 1993 the United States military sent approximately 120 members of US Special Forces to capture the warlord General Aidid or any of his top lieutenants. This supposedly quick operation turned into a two-day frantic mission and withdrawal. BLACK HAWK DOWN depicts the costly rescue attempt by US Rangers and Delta Operators sent to retrieve men trapped when their black hawk helicopters were downed. Trapped in a Somali war-zone, the soldiers struggle to regroup, save their wounded, and avoid the sights of a frenzied and armed militia. Through hostile fire, already injured men re-enter the war-zone in a valiant attempt to "leave no man behind."
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (18):
Kids say (48):
Directed by Ridley Scott (Alien, Thelma and Louise, Gladiator), BLACK HAWK DOWN is a fast-paced trip through blood and guts. Scott's desire for realism comes through in the film's connections to the real US Rangers. Many of the pilots used in the film participated in the actual 1993 conflict. The film does a fine job of creating viewer sympathy for its characters.
Although the action scenes truly serve as the leading lady, the film uses recognizable celebrities to create identification with their characters. Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, and Tom Sizemore provide known faces to a few men caught in the chaos. The film was rewarded for its dramatic battle scenes with Academy Awards for Best Sound and Best Editing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about issues regarding life, death, war, and honor. Why did the soldiers return to the ground to continue fighting? Do you think it was right to send soldiers there in the first place? How may this conflict relate to ones in the present? Parents may also want to discuss this film's historical accuracy by comparing it against a documentary that covers the same events.
How is this similar to and different from other war movies, past and present?
How did the movie attempt to provide context for the tremendous problems in Somalia, and how the United Nations and the U.S. military attempted to address the situation?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 1, 2002
- On DVD or streaming: June 11, 2002
- Cast: Ewan McGregor, Josh Hartnett, Tom Sizemore
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Studio: Sony Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: History
- Character Strengths: Courage
- Run time: 144 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: intense, realistic, graphic war violence, and for language
- Last updated: May 16, 2024
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