Netflix’s new war doc is its best series of 2025 so far — and it’s 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Production image from Surviving Black Hawk Down
(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has already released several seriously intense new shows in 2025, from the gritty Western drama “American Primeval” to the chilling sci-fi thriller “Cassandra.” But reality often trumps fiction, and “Surviving Black Hawk Down” is a compelling case study that succinctly proves this point.

“Surviving Black Hawk Down” landed on the streaming service earlier this month (on Feb. 10), and within a relatively short space of time, it’s managed to make quite the impression on the platform's subscriber base. It currently ranks at No. 3 in Netflix’s top 10 most-watched list behind only the new season of reality TV juggernaut “Love is Blind” and the grand finale of “Cobra Kai.”

It’s early days yet, but this three-part documentary is making a strong push to be named among the best Netflix originals of the year. So, if you’re looking for a docuseries that will grip you out of the gate, and likely compel you to consume every episode in a single sitting, here’s why “Surviving Black Hawk Down” is worth adding to your watchlist this month…

What is ‘Surviving Black Hawk Down’ about?

Surviving Black Hawk Down | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube Surviving Black Hawk Down | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
Watch On

Most people probably know about 1993’s Battle of Mogadishu through the lens of 2001’s acclaimed war drama “Black Hawk Down.” But while director Ridley Scott presented a largely accurate picture of the conflict and incorporated the testimonials of real U.S. troops involved in the battle, it was still ultimately a cinematic retelling rather than the real thing.

“Surviving Black Hawk Down” aims to turn the attention not to a cast of A-listers pretending to be soldiers but to the surviving combatants, giving them the chance to tell their stories in their own words. Also including insight from the Somali people caught up in the conflict, the film combines interviews, intense reenactments, and footage captured during the battle to offer a complete look at a day when countless lives were forever changed.

Should you stream ‘Surviving Black Hawk Down’ on Netflix?

Mike Durant in "Surviving Black Hawk Down" on Netflix

(Image credit: Netflix)

“Surviving Black Hawk Down’s” biggest strength is its commendable effort to provide a balanced viewpoint. Produced by Ridley Scott (director of the “Black Hawk Down” movie) and directed by Jack MacInnes, the Western perspective does largely dominate, with U.S. troops given the most airtime, but Somali civilians and even those who fought against the American forces are given a chance to tell their own stories, and crucially, are not villainized.

It’s an appreciated step and prevents “Surviving Black Hawk Down” from feeling like merely military propaganda, or a thinly-veiled attempt to present a distorted view of the situation. The three-episode documentary is also well put together and will be especially gripping if the real history of the conflict is less familiar to you. New information is doled out at a steady clip, giving you a real incentive to click that “play next episode” button as the credits begin to roll.

While most of the docuseries is made up of archive footage and interviews, there are also re-enactments of some of the most intense moments of the fateful day.

While most of the docuseries is made up of archive footage and interviews, there are also re-enactments of some of the most intense moments of the fateful day. These re-creations are gripping and seriously intense.

They also do a great job further conveying the sheer chaos of conflict and help to bring the combatant's often chilling words to life. “Surviving Black Hawk Down” is that ideal combination of a very interesting subject matter, presented in a well-crafted and tightly choreographed way. It’s a seriously engaging watch.

Production still image from "Surviving Black Hawk Down" on Netflix

(Image credit: Netflix)

I’m not the only one gripped by this new Netflix documentary. “Surviving Black Hawk Down” currently holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, this percentage comes from a small sample size of five ratings, so it could fluctuate if more reviews are published further down the line.

Benji Wilson of the Irish Independent said, “‘Surviving Black Hawk Down’ does its utmost to render the absolute chaos of the battle while still offering context and hindsight.” Decider’s Joel Keller praised the doc for offering “an amount of detail that most people have never been exposed to before.” Daniel Hart of Ready Steady Cut offered a positive review, but noted “[Surviving Black Hawk Down] somehow manages to drag with three episodes.”

The RT viewers rating isn’t quite as impressive either. It currently stands at 69%. Curiously, one recent user review accuses the doc of attempting to “paint America in a negative light” while another claims the series is biased towards U.S. troops — so perhaps the balance is spot on.

Saido Mohamed in "Surviving Black Hawk Down" on Netflix

(Image credit: Netflix)

If you’re looking for an engaging but informative new Netflix series this week then consider watching “Surviving Black Hawk Down.” Packing just three hour-long episodes, it’s also a very easy binge, and with such a compelling subject matter don’t be surprised if you find yourself streaming the entire thing in one sitting. Once you begin, it's hard to stop until the very end.

Looking for something a little lighter, or just want a fictional series to distract you from the real world for a bit? Then be sure to check out our full rundown of everything new added to Netflix in February 2025.

Watch "Surviving Black Hawk Down" now

More from Tom's Guide

Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Taylor Kitsch as Isaac in "American Primeval"
Netflix’s new Western thriller is already one of my favorite shows of 2025 — and it just went straight to No.1
Sjur Vatne Brean as Gunnar Sønsteby in "Number 24" on Netflix
Netflix’s new war movie is the first must-watch of 2025 — and viewers rate it 95% on Rotten Tomatoes
Josh Brolin as Beck Weathers, Jake Gyllenhaal as Scott Fischer, and Jason Clarke as Rob Hall in "Everest" movie (2015)
Netflix just got this intense thriller movie based on a shocking true story — and it’s already crashed the top 10
Peter Sarsgaard as Roone Arledge in "September 5"
One of the best thriller movies of 2024 is now available to stream — and it’s rated 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
Jim Swire (Colin Firth) looks out of a window in Peacock's "Lockerbie: A Search for Truth"
Peacock's powerful new drama is the first must-watch series of 2025 — and you can stream it now
Noe Hernandez, Luis Curiel, Luis Alberti, Leonardo Alonso, and David Calderon in "Counterattack" on Netflix
Netflix’s new action-thriller movie just crashed the top 10 — and it’s an adrenaline-fueled ride
Latest in Netflix
Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2
Netflix sets 'Happy Gilmore 2' release date with a brand new trailer — and it's looking good
Rona (Saoirse Ronan) leans against a window in "The Outrun"
Netflix just got one of my favorite movies of 2024 — Saoirse Ronan's never been better
Shin Hyun-been as Lee Yeon-hui in "Revelations" on Netflix
Netflix drops gripping trailer for new psychological thriller movie — and it’s gone straight on my watchlist
Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in Adolescence
'Adolescence' is a gripping new Netflix show that's already hit No. 1 — and it’s 98% on Rotten Tomatoes
Jeffery Dean Morgan as Negan and Lauren Cohan as Maggie in "The Walking Dead: Dead City" season 1
Netflix finally got one of the best ‘Walking Dead’ spinoffs — and now’s the perfect time to binge it
(L-R) Josh Hartnett as Cooper and Ariel Donoghue as Riley in "Trap"
Netflix top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
Latest in Opinion
Woody Harrelson as Duncan Allcock in "Last Breath"
The most intense survival thriller of 2025 so far is now streaming — and viewers rate it 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
MacBook Air vs Pro - Apple Silicon
MacBook Air 15-inch M4 vs MacBook Pro 14-inch M4: Which is right for you?
A close up image of the Apple Wallet app
iOS 18.4 adds a new way to track your spending — but I think Apple can go even further
A person plugging a coaxial cable into the wall
I finally added internet to my kitchen and all it took was my old cable TV wiring — here’s how
Apple Intelligence on an iPhone screen
Apple analysts sound alarm on Siri delay — here’s why
samsung galaxy s25 edge mockup at galaxy unpacked
Galaxy S25 Edge is overhyped — I want Samsung to make this phone thinner instead