I wasn't sure what to expect with Zero Dark Thirty. I became a Kathryn Bigelow fan after her film The Hurt Locker. However, I was concerned about the politicization of the Bin Laden raid. A film about who "got" Bin Laden would have been polarizing and would have failed miserably. Bigelow deftly avoids that trap, focusing instead on a CIA Analyst using the psuedonym of Maya (Jessica Chastain).
I watched this film several weeks after completing the book No Easy Day, which was written by one of the operators involved in the Bin Laden Raid. While I can't verify the accuracy of this film, written by Mark Boal, the action that coincided with the book seemed to track closely. The artistic license that was used to portray Maya as the face of the CIA investigation was acceptable, since it would be impossible to identify all of the players involved in the investigation. I am sure her role is overstated in the film, but it worked as a character-driven story.
Like The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty was nominated for several Oscars, to include "Best Picture." In my unofficial Oscar Ballot, I chose this film to win (the film won for Sound Editing). Jessica Chastain was also nominated for Best Actress, as she largely carried this film. Her performance brought the gritty character to life, keeping the film interesting and engaging. Her performance was propped up by the excellent work of Jason Clarke, who plays her mentor Dan. His character, a PhD psychologist, delivers enhanced interrogation without hesitation. His grit and intellect gave this film credibility. None of the other cast stood out to me, but they were all solid.
Zero Dark Thirty employs special effects that draw the audience into the action. While some of the CGI (such as scenes of the helicopters flying into Pakistan) seemed a bit surreal, the action sequences were consuming. For anyone who has used NVGs (Night Vision Goggles), the raid scene had an eerie realism to include that grainy quality. It appears they did their research, too. While most of us who have used NVGs have used the binocular style, Special Forces use the type with four lenses. I was impressed with that type of attention to detail. I have to admit that my heart was racing at times.
Zero Dark Thirty earned a well deserved R Rating from the MPAA, primarily for violence. There is an intense sequence that emulates the water boarding process that has received disproportionate media attention over the years. Bigelow does not candy-coat it. She makes it as ugly as it is and ties it to the results, which has been a point of contention with some. Those who "know" say this was the case, so I am glad she played it that way in the film. There is plenty of shooting, killing, and language, as well. If your kids play Call of Duty, they can handle this film. It is violent, but nothing more than most first-person shooting games.
Kathryn Bigelow scored big, just three years after The Hurt Locker took home an arm full of awards. With this film, she was back in form. She follolwed that success this year with Detroit. Her direction has a personal touch that many films fall short of. I thoroughly enjoyed her vision of the Bin Laden Raid even with its minor flaws. The acting was exceptional, the story seemed fairly accurate and the action was heart pulsing. Highly recommended. 8/10.
Photos and video courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
