Review - Zero Dark Thirty

At the Theater - "Zero Dark Thirty" - A fascinating procedural (mixed with strong elements of a character study) chronicling the true-life events of the decade long hunt for Osama Bin Laden- Jessica Chastain (The Help) is excellent as the CIA operative obsessed with his capture. It's not necessarily my favorite film of the year, but I believe it's by far the most well-crafted and engaging of the three films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar that are based upon historical events- simply put, it blows the tepid Argo and well-meaning but ultimately uninspired Lincoln out of the water.

The film begins with audio snippets taken from emergency phone calls made by individuals in the World Trade Center towers as the attack unfolded on 9/11- it's difficult not to get caught up in the emotion of those calls, realizing that many of them featured the last spoken words of the souls therein.

The narrative then unfolds from the perspective of determined Agent "Maya"(Jessica Chastain in a portrayal based upon a real-life agent) over the next ten years as she's introduced to the CIA's world of interrogation and intelligence gathering, experiencing the overwhelming pressure of her profession in the form of countless frustrating setbacks, bureaucratic indifference, the death of a team member and an attempt on her life in her single-minded pursuit of determining the whereabouts of Bin Laden. Chastain (looking appropriately weary for most of the film) is perfect in a dynamic role, with every expression and delivered piece of dialogue feeling natural and believable. In regards to quality performances, expect a career similar to that of Meryl Streep's...

One can also expect early scenes of various forms of torture (all involving one suspected terrorist detainee), including sleep deprivation, humiliation and water-boarding. I found it admirable that the script neither condoned or condemned the onscreen events while also avoiding any discernible political stance- Director Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark, The Hurt Locker) and the screenwriters allow the audience to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions concerning the proceedings.

Jason Clarke (Public Enemies) is the weary, hands-on interrogator "Dan"- there's an evident depth behind the actor's eyes that hints at meatier future roles. He'll probably make a mint playing villainous sorts...

Expect appearances from Jennifer Ehle (Contagion) and Harold Perrineau (The Edge) as fellow agents, Edgar Ramirez (the mini-series Carlos) as a Ground Branch operative,  Kyle Chandler (Super 8) and Mark Strong (Kick Ass) as Maya's mid-level Superiors, with James Gandolfini in a pivotal scene as the C.I.A.'s Director. 

The film culminates in the deployment of Seal Team Six and the subsequent raid of Bin Laden's compound hideaway- it's a thrilling and intense segment that's captivating in it's execution.  I imagine there's quite a bit of creative license throughout the film, but it never feels anything less than authentic.  It's interesting to note that UBL's face is never shown in the event- I think this was a good move by the filmmakers.

Notable actors portraying members of Seal Team Six include Joel Edgerton (Warrior), Chris Pratt (NBC's Parks and Recreation) and Frank Grillo (End Of Watch).  Keep a lookout for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo by Scott Adkins (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning) as a Blackwater guard and a brief scene featuring Mark Valley (FOX's Human Target) as a C-130 pilot.

It's some kind of sick joke that Bigelow wasn't nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Directorial field for this film- I haven't watched the event for a few years now and this is a prime example of my reasoning behind that. It's the Director's most detailed and accomplished work to date- an exceptionally well-written, highly intelligent, slow-burn thriller that should grip viewers interested in the subject matter from beginning to end.  For what it's worth, I think Zero Dark Thirty would make a fine bookend piece to 2006's United 93.

Highly Recommended

9.0