ONE can easily write off Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down for its unabashed ode to American heroism, directionless story, an unimpressive cast and cliched dialogues. What you can't take away from the film, however, is its brutal realism and brilliant cinematography.

Based on the military misadventure of uS peacekeeping forces in Somalia, the film recreates a onesided version of the October 3, 1983 events in Mogadishu that led to death of 18 elite American soldiers and approx 100 Somalis. The battle, we learn, was fought in 'good faith' and for a 'greater good', reminding one of the uncomfortable uS war call for 'Operation Infinite Justice' in its fight against global terrorism.

What we don't get to know, however, is why American intervention attracted a defiant warwhooping Mogadishu. Why its mission to capture two top lieutenants of the Somali warlord, Mohammed Farrah Adidi, as part of a strategy to quell the civil war and famine that was ravaging the country, was so viciously and bravely resisted. The film, in fact, doesn't ask any questions; it doesn't also probe for any answers. The deafening silence reduces Scott's labour of love to an 'action-movie' status, no better and no different from the countless Vietnam war-flicks churned out by Hollywood. Tellingly, the battlefield

in the film is nicknamed by the American peacekeeping force as 'The Mog' (from Mogadishu) a notso-original variation to 'The Bog' (the name given to the killing fields of Vietnam).

Incidentally, there are those who believe that the civil war in Somalia was to a certain extent, fomented by Osama Bin Laden. The Saudi rebel

had sought political asylum in Adidi's fiefdom in the early-90s and had established close links with the Islamic militia in the country. While there are no facts to support the theory, it is obvious that Scott could not shrug off the import of this possibility post September 11 events when he was giving shape to his film. This may account for the

overtly patriotic tone of Black Hawk Down and the obstinate refusal to engage in the socio-political context provided by Mark Bowden bestselling book on which the film is based.

Despite all these drawbacks Scott's film doesn't send you back home disappointed. It provides enough images of the devastating war apparatus to leave you breathless. As a 135-minute non-stop rat-a-tat battle in cinemascope it grips and mutilates you. Making you cringe as you watch a group of handsome boys (read elite uS force composed of Rangers and Delta Force) with their giant birds (black hawk helicopters) take on the vicious and valiant militia. It's as exhausting as it is awesome and it comprehensively restructures whatever television images one has of the 20th century war.

Interestingly, the most memorable instances in the film do not belong to the soldiers who fought the brutal battle and whom the actors Josh Harnett, Tom Sizemore, Ewan McGregor and Sam Shephard embody. Instead, you walk out of the cinema hall bearing images of giant black birds. Whether diving, spinning or flying in formation, the black hawk helicopters are simply stunning. What a bird!