It's two years after the September 11th attacks and Maya (Jessica Chastain), a young CIA operative had just moved to a CIA black site in the Middle East to join the interrogation team. Sceptical towards the aggressive methods that her college Jake (Jason Clarke) uses, she sees the advantages of such methods. She begins to become obsessed with the case of finding Bin Laden and believes their best lead is in finding Abu Amed. The mission takes over her life as she constantly is rejected by her superiors, George (Mark Strong) and Joseph (Kyle Chandler) for focusing on old theories and a lack of evidence. But she perseveres This is not a story where you want to know what happens - you already know the ending - this is learning how it happened.
American propaganda? Naaaahhhh. |
Chastain’s performance is, obviously, the central point of
the whole film. There is no doubt that she is a strong actress. She is brave,
bold, and powerful. As Maya, she shows how authoritative a successful secret
service operative needs to be, regardless of gender. She really captures Maya’s
intelligence and dedication, painting her, very commonly, as a bit of a badass;
rebelling against authority, forcing her superiors to bend to her will, and
focusing on one man for eight years. Sometimes Chastain comes across as
suddenly over-emotional, though. There are points that seem too much like they
are ‘I need to shout to be a good actress’ moments. Some of these sections, it
can be assumed, are down to the direction, rather than the acting. The
supporting cast are also fantastic. There is something jarring about the most
likeable character in the film also being the most brutal interrogator but, at
the same time, it is a testament to Jason Clark‘s performance that he managed
to make that paradox a reality. It is one of the most engaging aspects of the
film.
Is there an American flag in every shot? |
Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is sturdy and solid. She does
not hold back – in a very similar way to The Hurt Locker – but, very intelligently,
does not present an opinion in her work. She creates a debate. There is no
doubt that Zero Dark Thirty is a piece of pro-America cinema, but the more
controversial matters – the representation of torture and Islam – are left for
the audience to decide how they feel. For example, torture is shown but not in
a negative or positive light. It is unnervingly neutral and this seems to be
where the largest issue is caused. People want condemnation of torture and
xenophobia, and anything less than that is considered praise. Bigelow is a
master of avoiding opinion but opening discussion. With excellent camera work,
the film’s only real technical flaw is its length. It starts dragging on unlike
some of the other nominations of a similar length (see Lincoln) but this can be
looked past as the film is of a strong enough quality to encourage the audience to persevere.
A heavily researched piece of film which tells the story
behind one of the most well-known events of recent years. No doubt you will
learn something – though do not trust all you see – and you will be
entertained. Good for fans of The Hurt Locker as Bigelow seems to have found
her stride in politically encouraged war films.
Best Bit? Naturally, the Navy Seal operation was long waited
for throughout the film and tense throughout.
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