The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 152

Matthew hadn't seen the film before and didn't know what to expect, but he suspected that a director of Ridley Scott's caliber wouldn't follow the source material exactly and would instead add his own unique spin.

And that was precisely the case. Ridley Scott clearly had his own vision for the film, emphasizing the theme of "brotherhood" that was repeatedly highlighted throughout.

The story centered on a raid to capture a militia leader, which, due to faulty intelligence, ends with the American soldiers being surrounded by Somali militia. The number of soldiers needing rescue grows as a result of poor tactics.

Ridley Scott essentially trimmed the broader tactical questions and, naturally, didn't show the Somali militia's perspective. Instead, he focused on how American soldiers, under heavy fire, rushed toward besieged troops without regard for their own safety, driven by the firm conviction that "no soldier is left behind." This creed extended from the highest levels of command down to the soldiers on the front lines. Even the bodies of the fallen had to be brought back.

Of course, this could have been the work of Jerry Bruckheimer. After all, Ridley Scott didn't have the final cut, and the current social climate made this kind of content the most palatable for American audiences.

Matthew was just another actor in the cast, far removed from the production's decision-making level, and these were merely his assumptions, made after watching the film and considering the current socio-political "climate."

Only Ridley Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer likely knew the real truth.

Near the end of the film, Matthew watched as his character became immersed in a conversation with Josh Hartnett's.

"We're fighting for the lives of our brothers. It's that simple."

The sergeant's line once again underscored the theme of the entire film.It was an anti-war film, at least in Matthew's opinion after seeing it.

"All things considered," he muttered to himself, watching a close-up of his face as Sergeant Hoot on the screen, "I'm actually a pretty good actor."

The many failed takes required for that one scene were conveniently forgotten.

As the end credits rolled, Matthew briefly recalled that the film used only a tiny fraction of the thousands of shots Ridley Scott had filmed. Scenes showing the return of Sergeant Hoot and the rest of the Delta Force team to the battlefield had been cut entirely.

The film's plot concluded when the rescue convoy arrived at the stadium, but the screenplay and the original book didn't end there.

The Somali militia had captured Mike Durant, the pilot of a Black Hawk helicopter, intending to exchange him for captured Somalis. But on the way to their village, they were intercepted by local bandits who took him for ransom.

Durant was taken to a house where he was interrogated and beaten on camera. The footage was later sent to CNN for broadcast in the United States, along with a recording of Somalis desecrating the bodies of American soldiers. This caused a massive public outcry and led to the deployment of more troops.

After the Somali militia paid the ransom for Mike Durant, he was moved to the residence of the Minister of Propaganda. Five days later, a representative from the International Red Cross visited him, and he was interviewed by British and French reporters. Ten days after that, he was exchanged for a Somali militia officer captured by American forces, returned home, and given a hero's welcome.

That was where the original story ended.

However, Matthew understood that a film, unlike a book, couldn't contain everything, and Ridley Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer had undoubtedly been forced to make compromises.

The original book also featured many interviews with Somalis, providing material that examined the battle from their perspective, but all of it had been discarded and left unused.

After all, this was an American film.

Matthew stood up and applauded along with the rest of the cast and crew. Setting aside the backstory and current political issues, from a purely cinematic standpoint, he believed it was a very good war movie.

If he were to rate it himself, he would consider it a classic, though his criteria for a classic were based more on popcorn films.

Afterward, many of the guests, press, and critics approached the front row to speak with the cast and crew.

Matthew, naturally, was not among those interviewed. He mostly observed from the sidelines and didn't even attend the press conference that followed, where only Hartnett and another lead actor were present. Not even Jonny Lee Miller or Orlando Bloom made it into the press room.

This had something to do with the film's style. After watching it, even with his less-than-professional eye, Matthew could see that the actors and their characters had a very weak presence in "Black Hawk Down."

Even in the intense battle scenes and on the streets of Mogadishu, all you could see was a mass of heavily armed American soldiers, making it impossible to tell who was who.

Although Ridley Scott had asked the props department to write the characters' names on their respective helmets during filming, it was no more recognizable than the actors' faces, which were obscured by smoke and camouflage.

"Fortunately," Matthew thought with considerable satisfaction as he left the Pasadena theater, "my face was pretty clear in that last close-up."

But he had a vague feeling that it wouldn't do him much good. The narrative style that Ridley Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer had established for the film was clearly dedicated to the events, not the people. It presented the entire course of events in a relatively complete manner rather than focusing on the inner portraits of individual characters. And while each of the main U.S. Army units in the film had at least one important character—like his role as Sergeant Hoot—their characterization and backstory were not explored.

Rather, it was a war film that depicted the American army as a whole, largely neglecting the individuals within it.

Perhaps because he had spent so long watching others' performances on tape, Matthew found it difficult to watch a film as a simple viewer. He was always subconsciously analyzing the actors' performances, even if he knew his so-called "analysis" was superficial.

It didn't help that his level of expertise was currently limited.

After returning home, Matthew first updated his blog, writing a short post about "Black Hawk Down." He added a few posters featuring his character, Sergeant Hoot, and then uploaded them to his personal page.

His blog didn't even have 10,000 followers, and his reach was, to put it mildly, limited. Most of the people who visited his page had come because of "The Scorpion King."

Matthew wasn't in a hurry. He understood that the time wasn't right yet, and that building an online following on social media had to be done slowly. Then, when the moment was right, a huge explosion was possible.

In the following days, he attended several press conferences, screenings, and showcases for "Black Hawk Down," gave a few interviews to journalists, and got some exposure in the newspapers. The close-up of his character, Sergeant Hoot, at the end of the film was used from time to time on media websites, which he considered a small victory.

Universal Pictures and the cast of "The Scorpion King" also seized the opportunity to launch a promotional campaign, often linking posters for their film with images of Sergeant Hoot.

Matthew moved between the two productions and garnered a bit of media attention.

On the other hand, his idea of networking with the cast of "The Lord of the Rings" didn't pan out. Orlando Bloom called to let him know that he hadn't been able to get him an invitation to the premiere.

Matthew didn't think much of it. It was better to try and get some publicity, but if it didn't work out, he'd just forget it.

He was more concerned about his appearances in "The Scorpion King" and "Black Hawk Down."

"The Scorpion King" was in post-production, and as far as he knew, editing had already begun. It was unlikely he would be involved in post-production; even the director, Chuck Russell, wasn't participating, let alone him.

Meanwhile, "Black Hawk Down" was now playing in five theaters across Los Angeles. Thanks to the limited release, attendance was quite impressive—and even more impressive were the professional reviews.

The reviews for "Black Hawk Down" were overwhelmingly positive, from both critics and the professional press.

Matthew saw numerous glowing reviews in newspapers and magazines alone.

"'Black Hawk Down' is not just an anti-war film. Ridley Scott has shot it like a documentary, recreating a long day and night in Mogadishu, Somalia, with outrageous authenticity and far-reaching meaning. Whether it's the mindset of American soldiers trapped in desperate circumstances or the close-ups of armed violence in the city, this is a war film the likes of which has never been seen in the history of cinema!"

The film's relatively positive reception also led to a massive promotional campaign from Columbia Pictures, whose plans to make the film an Oscar contender were obvious.

Some critics even suggested that history channels on television should replace their documentaries with this film, claiming that "Black Hawk Down" was more accurate and detailed.

The actors received far less attention than the film itself. Not to mention that Matthew played a supporting role; even the lead, Josh Hartnett, didn't receive much recognition from the media.

The plot completely sidelined the actors.

Critics and many viewers might enjoy seeing that, but it wasn't a very good sign for actors like Matthew.

The good thing was that even with flatter characters, if "Black Hawk Down" performed well at the box office and at the Oscars, it could become a brilliant credit for many of the main actors.

For Matthew, in particular, this was beneficial, as it would help him compete for certain roles.