Very well done movie. Really delivers the contrast between the passionate drive of true investigative journalism versus the common narrative of mainstream media. Worth the watch. Has the humor, acting, and visuals to bring you into the world of Somalia.

This movie contains the interesting idea that what the West refers to as Pirates are local people who want to defend their land and resources, and that this story line is not financially attractive to the western mainstream media and publishing. There is a big problem with democracy, in other words. But this movie does not really investigate this problem, and neither does it really look at another very interesting idea that is thrown into it, which is that there is also another, meaner and nastier kind of Pirate. This failure to elaborate or investigate in itself is really disappointing.

Some of the other gaping holes are the protagonist associating with a young woman who is an informant, but he never really realizes it; as soon as rifles are involved, people become smart and have superior insight into the situation, but there the story stops; and when things get really hot and worthy of investigative journalism, it is pointed out that the situation is too dangerous, and the protagonist should get back to Canada. Granted, he doesn't want to be Daniel Pearl, but neither is he really able to see the opportunity.

A good point about this movie is that facts are learned on the ground and not in the abstract, or at Harvard (ignoring that what facts exactly are learned is unclear), and the concluding five or ten minutes with the political recap. This gives the story integrity and raises it above one star.

I rarely rate movies but I was fascinated by this one because of the unique plot and concept. I also really liked that it was able to capture my attention without a big budget cast; although it had Al Pacino and Melanie Griffith (both of which held small roles). The only lingering question I have is, how did he kick his khat habit he picked up while in Somalia?

Knowledge is King. The media and Western world continues to propagate * short term* solutions to problems of the worlds as atrocities.
Many of today's terrorists and rogues were once friends of the West. The film brings to light the *why * and *how * of people's reactions .
Making them look like the heartless, greedy pirates..who alot of times have legitimate reasons for protesting.. by whatever means they deem necessary.
Watch and Keep your mind open. !! You'll see beyond the media.

If a film stars or features Evan Peters, I’ll watch it. (Although I won’t and don’t watch American Horror Story).

This is a good little film. Everyone in it - A+

Warning: Evan Peters doesn’t look that cute in it, but he’s still Evans Peter.

Cpl. Jamie Smith was my Senior Patrol Leader when I joined my first Boy Scout Troop in 1986. Seven years later, I heard he had died in Somalia. Eight years after that, just a few weeks after 9/11/2001, I got to watch Ewen McGregor and Josh Hartnett try and fail to save my fellow boy scout's life in Black Hawk Down.

I didn't know Jamie well, at all. I doubt he would have ever remembered me, but whenever I've had the chance to talk about that, there's always been a sense of pride in being from the hometown of and having known a hero, I suppose. He and my father both have monuments erected in their names in Long Valley, so that's cool, I guess. Being a movie reviewer, these little brushes with fame have a sublime, serendipitous quality to them.

But, like the time I got asked if I had a boyfriend on by Marc Summers, host of Nickelodeon's first real children's game show (also in 1986) I always feel quite hollow if and when I get the chance to talk about Black Hawk Down. Was that movie really anything more than a recruiting tool to get other good Boy Scouts to join the military and fight terror for the glory of 'Murica? My neighbor died, but didn't it look awesome? So much adrenaline and testosterone. Oorah!

Or as Al Pacino would say: "Hoo Hah!"

In the film I'm reviewing today, a Somali woman says that Black Hawk Down was "wrong" because it didn't have any Somali actors or attempt to represent any Somali characters besides faceless scary terrorists shooting at good American boys from dark shadows. Amen, sister.

It's not a perfect film. It starts out like a stoner coming of age story, but it ends with the true story of a young man who followed a crazy dream to become a world wide expert , literally "the guy who wrote the book" on Somalia, a country that deserves recognition as a complex society filled with a variety of people, both good and bad, just like anywhere else.

I feel very impressed with this film. I will now follow Jay Bahadur on social media and try to hear what he has to say about things from now on into the future. I encourage anyone reading this to do so as well.

Slower than I thought it would be but, since I thought it had a good plot, I stuck it out and am glad I did.
Sometimes, "real stories" make all the difference because, what you're watching isn't made up...
To make it to the end and learn, this was real, "It Really Happened." well, you'll have to watch to see
for your self.

I like docudramas and I try to watch movies with new and upcoming actors. Evan Peters doesn't disappoint. The story is very interesting and one that I wasn't completely aware of.