Zero Dark Thirty

Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!

Today's review is Zero Dark Thirty.

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

Written by Mark Boal.

Review #201

MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong violence including brutal disturbing images, and for language.

Run Time: 157 min

Cast

Jason Clarke...Dan

Reda Kateb...Ammar

Jessica Chastain...Maya

Kyle Chandler...Joseph Bradley

Jennifer Ehle...Jessica

Harold Perrineau...Jack

Jeremy Strong...Thomas

J.J. Kandel...J.J.

Mark Strong...George

Fredric Lehne...The Wolf

Édgar Ramírez...Larry from Ground Branch

James Gandolfini...C.I.A. Director

Stephen Dillane...National Security Advisor

John Schwab...Deputy National Security Advisor

Martin Delaney...Assistant to National Security Advisor

Jeff Mash...Deputy Director of C.I.A.

Joel Edgerton...Patrick - Squadron Team Leader

Chris Pratt...Justin - DEVGRU

Taylor Kinney...Jared - DEVGRU

Callan Mulvey...Saber - DEVGRU

Siaosi Fonua...Henry - DEVGRU

Phil Somerville...Phil - DEVGRU

Nash Edgerton...Nate - DEVGRU EOD

Mike Colter...Mike - DEVGRU

Frank Grillo... Squadron Commanding Officer 

There are two dates in recent record that have a profound effect on on us all.

9/11/2001 & 5/1/2011

These two dates mark the beginning and the end of one of the biggest tragedies in our countries history since Pearl Harbor. Like most of you I'll never forget the day I found out Bin Laden was killed. Of course now that one of the world's most wanted was dead. This left Hollywood a golden opportunity to cash in on the story. Thus the many different film and TV adaptations chronicling the events up to and leading to Bin Laden's demise surfaced with a frenzy.

Of the many projects on the slate involving this particular story, the one that caught my eye and many other people for that matter was Kathryn Bigelow's take. This was great news to read because you just knew that she was going to tell the story with as much accuracy and respect as allowed. Plus coming off her amazing work with The Hurt Locker there isn't anyone else that would be better with this material.

Plot

A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011. 

First off, it's important to keep two things in mind when watching this movie. Despite the statement in the beginning that this film was based on information from direct accounts of the people involved, doesn't mean that everything happened as you saw it. I don't mean to be condescending. I'm just providing a word to the wise because the film plays as if none of these scenes were over dramatized for thematic effect.

The second thing is that even though this film depicts the assassination of Bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty is very much about the CIA Agent who goes by the name Mya. There isn't a last name because she's still an active agent and her record is purposely clouded in mystery. This movie is about her reassignment to not only Bin Laden's manhunt but the ongoing search for more planned attacks against the country.

Zero Dark Thirty takes you back to the beginning. The very beginning. The first thing you witness is a horrifying montage of news reports, mass panic and 911 calls from people trapped in the burning towers speaking to the operators on the other line. What made this sequence even more chilling is that all of this was playing in front of a blank screen. Your mind has to adjust to only what your hearing. It was a very disturbing yet powerful scene. It was in my opinion done to not only take you back to that unforgettable day but to inspire anger and vengeance against the coward who masterminded this attack.

It sets the stage for what comes next.

I fear I may have said too much so I will move on to what really made this a great film. I'll begin with the performance of Jessica Chastain who has come out of nowhere and exploded on the scene with reckless abandon. It's hard to tell how much of her portrayal of Mya is credible or counterfeit. Regardless she demands your attention and respect throughout. Her ferocious agenda never wavers and only intensifies when more Al Qaeda attacks take place. The biggest impact you see in Chastain's performance is the maturation and toughness that takes shape as the years in the middle east take their toll on her. There was a sense of hesitation in her when she first arrived. That quickly dissipated when it was time to get to work.

To put it simply. This woman never gave up. Her confidence and defiance against contrary opinions is what drove her to keep going. This was evident every second Chastain was on screen. Magnificent performance worthy of her Oscar nomination. She probably is my early front runner for the gold guy.

Chastain was awesome but none of that is possible without Mark Boal's script. This man knows how to tell a story via the written word. He knows how to make things simply complex. This film required a lot of exposition to get us all up to speed on what's happened and with what's going to happen. Those scenes were written carefully and very smartly. It's very easy to dumb things down so we all get it. This movie has no place for that kind of writing. It was evident that Boal and Bigelow did massive amounts of research to secure both an accurate and accessible portrayal of the events taking place. Not once did I feel lost with all the technical terms flying around the room at break neck speeds. The dialogue was sharp and concise enough to enjoy what you're watching while your brain processes the intelligence of the scenes.

Finally on to the puppet master.

Kathryn Bigelow is a bad ass who's not getting enough credit for her outstanding talent. If I were to ask to name the top 10 directors right now in Hollywood. Truthfully, would her name even register in your head? I know for a fact that it wouldn't initially pop up in mine and that's a crime. Her filmography may not have the same influencing titles as her XY comrades, that's doesn't mean she's any less talented.

Bigelow's star is rising and it's about time.

Why is it rising? Based on her last two films, her ability to craft a story is pitch perfect. The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty have some elements in common. The biggest being tension. There are moments in The Hurt Locker that made me almost pass out cause I was holding my breath. The same thing happens here and I think we can all figure out when. The assault on Bin Laden's compound was oozing tension and drama that for the first time in a long time my eyes were glued to the screen. That's an impressive feat considering I knew what happened during that siege in explicit detail.

After the news broke. TV shows were inundating us with reenactments and "first hand" accounts of Seal Team 6's mission. Everything from the chopper crash to how Bin Laden ate his final meal. In the form of a bullet. Knowing all of this going into this film I still couldn't wait to see how they pulled it off. That's film making people. Bigelow has the ability to create dread and distress even when retelling an event that the audience is fully aware of. The entire assault scene played like a horror film in the sense of what the hell was going to come out of the shadows. How she got snubbed for Best Director is beyond me.

It's wrong on so many levels.

Nevertheless, the proof is in the pudding. Kathryn Bigelow is 2 for her last 2 and has earned herself a seat at the big boys table. If she wasn't there already.

Zero Dark Thirty was a highly anticipated film from the moment of announcement. It was worth the wait and worth every cent and second I spent. You owe it to yourself and the people involved to see this film. You will not be disappointed.

On the 5 star scale. Zero Dark Thirty gets the full house. 5 stars with a "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.

That's a wrap for today. Up Next is A Haunted House.

Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"