Black Hawk Down (film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Black Hawk Down
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ridley Scott
Produced by	Jerry Bruckheimer Ridley Scott
Screenplay by	Ken Nolan
Starring	Josh Hartnett Eric Bana Ewan McGregor Tom Sizemore William Fichtner Jason Isaacs Sam Shepard
Music by	Hans Zimmer
Cinematography	Sławomir Idziak
Editing by	Pietro Scalia
Studio	Columbia Pictures Revolution Studios Jerry Bruckheimer Films Scott Free Productions
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date(s)	December 28, 2001 (2001-12-28) (limited release) January 18, 2002 (2002-01-18) (wide release)
Running time	144 minutes
Country	United States United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$92 million
Money made	$173 million

Black Hawk Down is a 2001 war film directed by Ridley Scott. It tells the true story of a difficult U.S. military mission in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993. The film is based on a non-fiction book by journalist Mark Bowden.

The movie shows what happened during a raid where U.S. soldiers tried to capture some important leaders. Things went wrong when two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. This led to a long and intense battle.

Black Hawk Down was released in late 2001 and early 2002. It received good reviews from critics and won two Academy Awards for its editing and sound. An extended version of the film was later released with extra scenes.

What is the Story of Black Hawk Down?

The Mission in Somalia

In 1993, a civil war was happening in Somalia. The United Nations sent peacekeepers to help. After most peacekeepers left, a powerful group led by Mohamed Farrah Aidid started fighting the remaining UN forces. To help, U.S. President Bill Clinton sent a special group of soldiers called Task Force Ranger to Mogadishu. Their main goal was to capture Aidid, who had taken control and was stopping food shipments.

The U.S. forces included experienced soldiers and new recruits. One young soldier was 18-year-old Todd Blackburn. Another was Specialist John Grimes, who usually worked at a desk. Staff Sergeant Matthew Eversmann was given his first command during this time. He reminded his soldiers to respect the Somali people and understand the tough conditions they faced.

The Battle Begins

The mission started with Delta Force soldiers capturing Aidid's advisors. But as the soldiers and helicopters moved, they came under heavy attack. Private First Class Todd Blackburn was badly hurt when he fell from a Black Hawk helicopter. A small group of vehicles tried to take him back to the airport.

Soon after, Sergeant Dominick Pilla was killed. Then, a Black Hawk helicopter called Super Six-One was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade. The pilots died, and others on board were hurt.

Trapped and Fighting

The ground forces tried to reach the crash site of Super Six-One. But the Somali fighters set up roadblocks, and the U.S. convoy faced heavy attacks. Two groups of Rangers, including Eversmann's unit, reached the first crash site. They set up a defense while waiting for help.

Then, another Black Hawk, Super Six-Four, was also shot down. Two brave Delta Force snipers, Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart and Master Sergeant Gary Gordon, went to the second crash site to help the pilot, Michael Durant. They fought bravely but were killed, and Durant was captured.

The Rescue and Aftermath

As night fell, Aidid's fighters attacked the trapped Americans at the Super Six-One crash site. The U.S. soldiers fought all night. Finally, a large relief column with Malaysian and Pakistani armored units from the UN arrived. The wounded and dead were taken away in vehicles. Some Rangers and Delta Force soldiers had to run on foot to a safe zone at a stadium. This run is known as the "Mogadishu Mile."

After the battle, Michael Durant was released after 11 days. President Bill Clinton then pulled all U.S. forces out of Somalia. During the raid, 19 American soldiers died. More than 1,000 Somalis also died. Sergeants Gordon and Shughart were given the Medal of Honor for their bravery. Mohamed Farah Aidid was killed in 1996.

Who are the Main Actors?

How Was the Movie Made?

Writing the Story

The idea to make a movie from Mark Bowden's book Black Hawk Down: a Story of Modern War came from director Simon West. He suggested it to producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Ken Nolan wrote the main screenplay, but other writers also helped. The story was based on what the real soldiers and people involved remembered. For example, the character John Grimes was based on a real soldier, but his name was changed for the movie.

To make the film a good length, about 100 real people from the book were combined into 39 characters for the movie. The filmmakers did not hire any Somali actors or consultants for the movie.

Training the Actors

To make the film look real, the actors who played Rangers went through a one-week training course. The actors playing Delta Force soldiers had a two-week commando course. The actors who played helicopter pilots were taught by the real pilot Michael Durant, who was captured during the battle.

The U.S. Army provided the military equipment and helicopters for the film. Many of the pilots in the movie were real pilots who had been part of the actual battle in 1993.

On the last day of their training, the actors playing Rangers received letters. These letters thanked them and asked them to "tell our story true." They were signed by the names of the soldiers who died in the Mogadishu firefight. Some real Rangers also appeared in the film as extras.

Many actors became close with the soldiers who trained them. Actor Tom Sizemore said he was deeply moved by the "Ranger Creed," which is about how soldiers are devoted to each other.

Filming Locations

Filming for Black Hawk Down began in March 2001 in Salé, Morocco, and finished in June. The filmmakers chose Morocco because it looked like the real Mogadishu. Most of the movie was filmed in the cities of Rabat and Salé. The scenes at the Task Force Ranger base were filmed in Kénitra and Mehdya.

The Music of the Film

The music for Black Hawk Down was created by Hans Zimmer. He had worked with director Ridley Scott on other films like Gladiator. Zimmer wanted the music to sound like the movie felt. He mixed "east African rhythms and sounds with a more modern synthesizer approach." He worked with a band to create the music in an experimental way. A soundtrack album was released in January 2002.