Verdict : Much in line with Hurt Locker. Worth a watch if that's your cup of tea
Director : Katheryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, K-19 : The Widowmaker)
Cast : Jessica Chastain (Take Shelter, The Tree of Life), Jason Clarke (Lawless, Public Enemies)
Story : The story of one of the biggest manhunt's in recent times. How the C.I.A hunted down and killed Osama Bin Laden
Review : When the Hurt Locker cam out it portrayed the life of a soldier in Iraq. It wasn't about the war or fighting but about the pressures of life in a war zone. The portrayal was gritty, realistic and intense. Though at times I felt it lacked emotion.
In Zero Dark Thirty, Bigelow tries to up the emotional factor by showing the stubborn, determined, desperation of the C.I.A and in particular one officer - Maya (Jessica Chastain) to hunt down Osama Bin Laden. Again the portrayal is intense and gritty. Bigelow does not flinch from showing torture used by America or the bureaucratic red tape which delayed the attack on Abbottabad and in the end (in one shot) the feeling of joy and emptiness after a decade long single minded pursuit comes to an end.
I think this movie was as good as Hurt Locker. The only difference being that Bigelow's critique of War is stronger here. America comes out in a more negative light because of the torture (which everyone knows about) and thus it seems hypocritical to deny it the acclaim that Hurt Locker received. However in my view neither movie deserved to win an Oscar.
Jessica Chastain though does deserve an award for her portrayal of Maya. Her character starts off as being in the background but slowly takes center stage, and so does Jessica's performance. She is absolutely wonderful in this movie. She is well supported by other characters who seem one dimensional at times.
Overall worth a watch for fans of wartime movies, especially if you don't want the sugarcoated versions.
P.S. The torture scenes and the 2 and 1/2 hour runtime might not be easy for everyone to sit through.
Director : Katheryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, K-19 : The Widowmaker)
Cast : Jessica Chastain (Take Shelter, The Tree of Life), Jason Clarke (Lawless, Public Enemies)
Story : The story of one of the biggest manhunt's in recent times. How the C.I.A hunted down and killed Osama Bin Laden
Review : When the Hurt Locker cam out it portrayed the life of a soldier in Iraq. It wasn't about the war or fighting but about the pressures of life in a war zone. The portrayal was gritty, realistic and intense. Though at times I felt it lacked emotion.
In Zero Dark Thirty, Bigelow tries to up the emotional factor by showing the stubborn, determined, desperation of the C.I.A and in particular one officer - Maya (Jessica Chastain) to hunt down Osama Bin Laden. Again the portrayal is intense and gritty. Bigelow does not flinch from showing torture used by America or the bureaucratic red tape which delayed the attack on Abbottabad and in the end (in one shot) the feeling of joy and emptiness after a decade long single minded pursuit comes to an end.
I think this movie was as good as Hurt Locker. The only difference being that Bigelow's critique of War is stronger here. America comes out in a more negative light because of the torture (which everyone knows about) and thus it seems hypocritical to deny it the acclaim that Hurt Locker received. However in my view neither movie deserved to win an Oscar.
Jessica Chastain though does deserve an award for her portrayal of Maya. Her character starts off as being in the background but slowly takes center stage, and so does Jessica's performance. She is absolutely wonderful in this movie. She is well supported by other characters who seem one dimensional at times.
Overall worth a watch for fans of wartime movies, especially if you don't want the sugarcoated versions.
P.S. The torture scenes and the 2 and 1/2 hour runtime might not be easy for everyone to sit through.
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