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Black
Hawk Down
Columbia
Pictures
Revolution Studios
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Theme:
"No one gets left behind"
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Insights:
Black Hawk
Down is a film about death. This is established
with the opening line from Plato, "Only the dead have
seen an end to war." The figure seen wrapping a
dead body in the beginning and carrying a dead child in the
end is the personification of death. Mogadishu,
Somalia is simply the land where death dwells; also known as
a place called Hades. The reason there is very little
"story" in this film is because death seeks to end
all stories.
This
film is a series of contrasts between two conflicting
worlds: the world of death and the world of life, as
symbolized by the UN Peacekeepers. The introduction to
the movie sets the stage for the battle that erupts when
life and light enter the abode of death.
Introduction
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"Years
of warfare among tribal warlords" |
"When
the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second
living creature say, 'Come!' Then another horse
came out, a fiery red one! Its rider was given
power to take peace from the earth and to make men
slay each other. To him was given a large
sword."
Revelation 6:3,4 |
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"Warlords
most powerful weapon -- hunger" |
"When
the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third
living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there
before me was a black horse! Its rider was
holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I
heard what sounded like a voice among the four living
creatures saying, 'A quart of wheat for a day's wages,
and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do
not damage the oil and the wine!'"
Revelation 6:5,6 |
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"300,000
Dead" |
"When
the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth
living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there
before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named
death, and Hades was following close behind him. They
were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by
sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of
the earth."
Revelation 6:7,8 |
Contrasts
Between Two Conflicting Worlds
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World
of Life |
|
World
of Death |
| Major
General William Garrison -
Watches over his men. Tells his men, "No
one gets left behind" because every life matters.
Wipes blood off the floor because every drop is
precious |
Two
Generals |
Mr. Atto
- Seems to know supernaturally what is taking
place, "Get out of our civil war!"
Profits by selling weapons used for killing 300,000
dead is "simply the shape of tomorrow" |
| Base -
Food, fellowship, music, games, beauty of nature, life |
Two
Worlds |
Mogadishu -
Starvation, hostility, filth, ugliness of city, death |
| Irene
(peace) |
One
Mission |
War |
| Order
- Military rules |
The
Atmosphere |
Chaos1
- Gangs roaming streets |
| Two Rangers,
Shughart & Gordon - Lay their lives down to
go to the aid of the downed helicopter |
The
Sacrifice |
The people
are being starved to death, so the warlords can profit |
| Every life
is precious; every person, every body, every part; no
one gets left behind |
Life |
Every life
is expendable; war is a way of "life"; even
women and children shoot to kill |
| Matt
Eversmann - Seeks to make a difference; sees
beauty and goodness |
Two
Leaders |
Mohamed
Farrah Adid - Proud, brutal warlord; profits and lives
off of death and war |
| Eversmann
with mortally wounded Smith - Words of kindness,
goodness, love, and compassion |
Two
Bedside Scenes |
Adid2
with pilot, Mike Durant - Words of war, killing,
insult, and scorn |
| Frantically
working to save one life (leg wound); even the dead
bodies are treated with respect and dignity |
Two
Values |
Genocide:
300,000 dead; dead bodies cover the landscape |
| The Stadium
- Light, water, peaceful, clean, safe |
Two
Strongholds |
Bakara
Market: Filth, darkness, confusion, fear, waterless,
burning |
This film has a powerful ending,
as the running soldiers seek to escape by keeping up with
the UN convoy. Death surrounds them, as they fight
their way out of this hellish place. Smoke covers
everything. Suddenly, there are children smiling and
clapping; gates open. The men have reached a place of
safety. The Stadium is only a short distance from
Bakara Market, yet it is a world away. The scene of
the men receiving glasses of water is so powerful, in that
light and water signify life. They have spent a dark
night in a waterless world; only a few hours in time, and
yet an eternity for those who were there3.
These
concluding scenes are a visual picture of men escaping death
and Hades. The reason these scenes grip us so
powerfully is because we are all running to escape death and
Hades. "No one gets left behind" is the heart of
the Father; "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as
some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing
for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance."
(II
Peter 3:9). For this reason He gave His only
begotten Son (John
3:16), Who alone holds the keys to death and Hades (Revelation
1:18).
Notes:
1. Chaos:
When the men descend the ropes from the helicopters, it
looks as if they are descending into total chaos.
2. In this scene, it is not clear whether this is
actually Adid or one of his lieutenants
3. The mission begins at 3:00pm
and ends at 5:45pm as the convoy moves out for the Stadium.
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