WARNING:If you have not read the book, don’t read this review, just in case I spoiled for you.
I waited in anticipation for this movie to come out. As December 28th approached, I check to see where in LA will the movie play. The only theater end up being an anti gun cinema, AMC century 14 in Century City. I figure what the heck, one visit will not be too bad. so I called my friends and we set out to the lala land. The entire movie was sold out before eight; we were lucky to pick up seven tickets for the 10:40 show. As we arrived, the theater was packed, and finally, the movie I have been waiting for this year is soon to unfold before my eyes.
The movie starts with a Plato verse, only dead men have seen the end of war. The movie got right to the point, within the first half hour, the action begins. The Delta and the Rangers roped in and begin their assault. I figure you have read the story, so I won't bored you with the detail, but I have to say, this movie follow the book as well as Hollywood could have done. The action was fast pace and violent, the story follows the time line with no time for you to take a second breath. I was only disappointed about a couple of things. The movie did not show the welling women and children used as cover for the militia to move on the Rangers, it only briefly show a woman pick up an AK and was shoot by a Ranger near the end of the movie. I also hope there were more on the firefight at the second crash site where the two Delta die so bravely. That part was quickly covered. I guess I can understand, the movie was only 150 minutes long, so the story had to move quickly. The movie also did not show the dead Delta Soldier being dragged around. The movie only show the half naked body dragged out of the chopper and lift above the crowds, and the mob cheered. Most of all, I was disappoint at the love affair Hollywood seem to have with Clinton, they left his badly made decision untold, his administration's mistake was not mentioned at all. Other then that, the movie was excellent and I would recommend it to all of you. I do hope when Oscar time, this movie will get some award.
BTW, there was a close up shot of a Ranger with a M60 behind a burned out car, you can clearly see the linked blanks on the gun. All the 308s on that belt were crimped. most of the D-boys had a red dot sight, mostly Aimpoint M series, but I also seen some sight dressed up to look like the Aimpoints, the body was a bit different, and the objective lens had a amber tint. Anyway, I will head out to see it again once it goes wide on Jan. 18th. See you at the movies.