Every once in a while, director Ridley Scott (Gladiator), can truly tap into the pulse of our times. With his immersive filmmaking style, he does not rely on tricks or some hyperbolic visual language to make a statement. His strategy involves going right to the essence of a performance or an idea. Such an approach can only benefit a huge canvas like Black Hawk Down. Adapted by Ken Nolan (from the Mark Bowden bestseller), this movie tells the true story of how a small American army had to fend off Somalis numbering in the thousands. The date: October 3, 1993.

The Battle of Mogadishu essentially begins when a soldier, Private Todd Blackburn (Orlando Bloom), falls from one of the Black Hawk helicopters, as it tries to avoid being hit by an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade). A simple extraction soon turns into an extraordinary fight for survival as casualties mount on both sides. Matters are complicated further when Black Hawk Super Six-One goes down in enemy territory.

The film features an absolute blitz of action with few pauses and a welter of emotion. One sequence reminded me of a silent movie, as the Black Hawks and Little Bird helicopters head toward the target building. With surreal sound effects and perfect editing by Pietro Scalia (JFK), the sequence comes alive.

Black Hawk Down should be held up as a definitive example in modern cinematography. Scott and his cameramen are always inventive with colour schemes, as Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982) and 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) can attest to. Slawomir Idziak aims for the jugular with his close, detailed work. During one medical operation on a wounded soldier, the overall effect feels quite authentic with expertly framed telephoto angles and telling reaction shots.

Nolan’s screenplay boasts an intricate, logistical maze of dramatic incidents -- cleverly written and extremely well researched. The marvelous ensemble cast includes some very fine turns from Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, William Fichtner, Tom Sizemore and Sam Shepard. In my opinion, Eric Bana delivers the most compelling portrait of a tough American soldier. Quite averse to philosophical chit-chat, Bana works very hard. He earns our sympathy without ever asking for it.

A word or two about Scott’s other key collaborator, composer Hans Zimmer, seems warranted. As the propulsive, high-impact score settles on your senses, feelings of dread and excitement add to the adrenaline-packed, emotional quality of the film. Only at the very end does singer Lisa Gerrard pop in with a mournful ballad reminiscent of her fabulous work on Gladiator (2000).

Overall, Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down belongs in the Saving Private Ryan (1998) category for its unrelenting authenticity and attention to detail.

(Released by Columbia Pictures and rated “R” for intense realistic graphic war violence and strong language.)